Day 59 – August 25

3 Highlights:

• Four wild horses ran straight toward me as I stepped out of my tent, curious and majestic.
• Trail magic in the form of water—always a blessing out here.
• Cowboy Tom offered me shelter in an empty house on his property just as rain and thunder unleashed their fury.

Daily Summary:

• Distance hiked: 50 km
• Starting point: Mile 1334
• Ending point: Mile 1366
• Weather conditions: Mixed, with plenty of wind and a late-day storm.

Daily Reflections (challenges, insights, musings):
Woke up to the sight of four wild horses charging straight toward me as I unzipped my tent this morning. For a moment, I thought I might be starring in some low-budget Western remake, but they stopped short, giving me a curious look before galloping off. Not a bad way to start the day.

The sand was relentless at first, but it got marginally better after a couple of miles. Ran into Oz and Cookie a few times today—always good to see familiar faces on the trail. Oz made a wise move, setting up her tent just before a serious rain and thunderstorm hit around 5 PM. Meanwhile, I was about 80% through a stretch of asphalt when a car passed by and I stuck out my thumb. Inside was Cowboy Tom, driving along with a horse in the back (because, why not?). I asked for a ride to the intersection ahead to skip 2 miles of asphalt.

As we drove, Tom mentioned he had an empty house I could stay in for the night. I hesitated, thinking I should push on, but when he mentioned the house had a shower, I was sold. Tom’s been a cowboy since he was 12, and at 60, he’s got stories for days—like the time he shot a wolf attacking his cows.

The house was quiet, a welcome break from the howling wind outside. I cleaned up, settled in, and realized it was earlier than I thought. Sure, I could’ve kept hiking, but the idea of beef jerky for dinner in a dry, warm space was too good to pass up. I brushed my teeth, planned an early start for tomorrow, and called it a night. Sometimes, the trail hands you exactly what you didn’t know you needed. Good night!