National Take A Hike Day

Day 35: Not that I needed an excuse, but since today is National Take A Hike Day, I decided to do just that. I'd planned to amble down to the Nisqually-Ohop confluence a few days ago, but en route to the parking area, I passed a drug deal in process and pulled up beside a woman who, to all appearances, had just "released" five chickens into the state park. She spoke to me without being prompted, nervousness quite apparent in her voice, and claimed that they'd been there when she drove up. The chickens' behaviour indicated otherwise as they gathered around her feet as if they recognized her, but since I couldn't prove anything, I let it drop and started down the trail. The more I thought about the suspicious activities, the less sure I was about leaving my car unattended and after walking less than a quarter mile, I turned around and went home. Today, I made up for it and hiked to the trail's end, roughly two miles one way, and had the trail entirely to myself. "Hike with a buddy" be damned. Solitude ain't solitude if you have somebody else along.