CDT 2024 - Day 4, Meeting by the Cemetery

Peggy arrives in town and we move back to the KOA

Sunrise for Runningbird on the trail.

Today I'll be moving back to the KOA that I'm not real happy with (I don't think they have the concept of customer service here). Choices are limited but they do have relatively clean bathrooms and showers and they do have WiFi and power. Runningbird will probably pull a zero day to take a hot, long shower, rest, resupply and lick any wounds (or Beau will do it for her).

The sun is shining, very few clouds, and only a light breeze. Beau and I had a good walk to the cemetery and back. It's still early and we only saw one car. I worry about Beau a bit as his eating has been erratic. Out of his routine I guess. The vet says he can stand to loose more than a few pounds so I won't worry at this point. After our walk, a couple of coffees and some cereal, I did a bit of reading then Beau and I drove to the Subway to get Runningbird her sandwich for when she gets here. We went by Dimension Coffee (bakery?) but it was closed. Saw several hikers on the street and a few in front of the Dollar General and a few more at the McDonalds (hiker heaven).

One of the spots Runningbird found to sleep in to get out of the wind and blowing sand.

Usually I have to lift Beau into the back seat of the truck. It seems pretty high for him. A few days ago I learned something about him. We were walking around in a small town grocery store parking lot in Arizona waiting for Peggy to get a few things in the store. From across the parking lot I saw 4-5 dogs starting to run towards us and they were barking aggressively. Beau heard them too and we both ran for the truck. I got the back door open and Beau leapt up and into the back seat in no time. Without my help! He's had a bad experience with a barking pack of dogs before and there was no way he was going to wait for me to lift him in. So, today I opened the back door at the camp site, no leash on, and he jumped right in. Either it has taken him this long to realize he can do it on his own, or he just hasn't wanted to get in the truck bad enough. My back would have appreciated him figuring it out sooner.

Hooked up the trailer and moved to a pullout next to the trail to wait for Runningbird. It was just across from a cemetery. A well populated cemetery. Perhaps when you come off the trail you can either choose to rest here, or move on.

Beau and I walked up the trail a ways and met Runningbird in about 20 minutes. She was doing great and looking forward to taking a break. She had evidently tripped on a rocky section and bruised a rib and had cut up her leg in several places. Beau would take care of her wounds later in the day.

Back at the KOA, after a good long shower and some chill time, we went to dinner at one of the two restaurants in town (not including the Subway and McDonalds). Ramona Cafe, formerly the Kranberry Cafe, was a Mexican/American restaurant recommended by the KOA staff. We had a 50/50 chance but it was okay. We called it an early evening and Runningbird was going to call the next day a Zero.