Milestones
First up, I saw a Panther! Aka cougar, puma, and out west, mountain lion. No mountains here though, and they're called panthers. Same species as our mountain lions. It was just before sunset, and I was moving slowly, stopping often to look around for a place to set up my tent. The view opened up to my left, and I looked out across an open grassy area that bordered a slough to the river. Motion caught my eye, and a large, tan animal was moving from the water toward the bushes and trees. Wow, that's a big cat, I thought. A really big cat. It must be... a panther! It was unmistakably a big cat, sliding along like cats do. By the time I went Wow, really? a few times in my head, the panther had reached the bushes and was out of sight. Six or seven seconds at most, but it was super cool. I've always hoped to see one, and so very fortunate on this trip!
My next thought, after the panther disappeared into the bushes ahead, was hey, we're both angling toward the same area, I may get to see it again! I walked down the trail quietly for a bit, looking off to my left, wondering where it might be. Third thought was oh shit, we're both angling toward the same area, it might see me this time! Since it was the end of the day and I was tired, I wondered if my gait was uneven, was I limping a bit? Am I dragging my left foot just a tad? Do I sound like an injured animal, maybe ripe for culling? I started paying attention to how I was walking, and what would sound strong. I thought of an outdoorsman I could channel. Crocodile Dundee came to mind. Nah, he's just a movie character. The Crocodile Hunter, that's it! Oh wait, he's … ok, let's chose someone else. Bear Grylls! Yeah, that's my ticket to safety. Leather fedora, 8 inch hunting knife clenched between his teeth, and a rugged 2-day stubble making him look too tough for even a lion to mess with. I do a quick inventory for myself, while cautiously scanning around for the panther. Floppy bucket hat, check; 1.5 inch folding Victorinox knife in my pocket, check; patchy gray beard that makes me look more malnourished than rugged? Check, check, check! Nevertheless, the panther and I did not cross paths again, I set up my tent after about another mile, and went to sleep listening to Barred Owls calling each other from the trees, partying deep into the night.
Milestone #2 is that I've reached 200 miles on trail. Keep moving forward and they do add up. Twelve days of hiking and two and a half days of rest, and here I am. Feet and joints still feeling good, and that brings me to milestone #3, which would be my first blister. Not such a positive milestone like the first two. On one hand I'm surprised I haven't gotten a few blisters already, and I should have noted what was so different that day. The trail turned significantly choppier, chewed up for many miles by wild hogs. It was like walking through a freshly plowed field. Every step was uneven. Still, I should have noticed a hot spot developing, stopped, and taped it. I was enjoying those miles though, since the ground was so soft, and just kept cruising. Fortunately it's a small blister, on the side of a toe. Shouldn't be a problem.
But 200 miles, a lion sighting, and just one blister? I'll take it!
Oh, and an armadillo. I saw an armadillo. It would want a mention also.
On to more miles!
