(Somehow I miscounted—today is actually Day 40. Looks like I lost a day somewhere in the midst of the rendezvous.)
Last night around 9 PM, while walking the dogs, the temperature dropped quickly down to 53.4°F. It didn’t get too chilly though—we slept with the windows open and the cool breeze made for a great night’s rest.
We woke to a crisp and sunny morning. Gayla and I sipped coffee together and talked through our plans for the workweek. There’s something grounding about having those quiet, intentional mornings together.
I spent about an hour working on some video edits and photo organization while the dogs made it clear they were ready for another adventure. So we took them across the road and explored a few new campsites, adding a few more favorite spots to our mental map.
Lunch was a repeat of yesterday’s favorites: brats, hash browns, and scrambled eggs topped with cheese and a kick of cayenne. Still delicious.
Gayla had a few afternoon video calls, which gave me some time to mend a few well-worn items. My market wallet had taken a beating this past week and developed some holes. I also had to patch up the ball of my left moccasin—turns out this last leg of travel was tough on more than just the soles.
While we stayed productive, the dogs were full-on napping champions all afternoon.
Around 6 PM, we decided it was time for a change of scenery—even if it was just a small one. We packed up and drove a whopping 0.51 miles, just across the road, to a quieter spot deeper off the main road.
As soon as we arrived, we let the dogs out to explore. They love new smells, and this site definitely offered a fresh batch. It’s quieter here, tucked just far enough away to feel more secluded.
Gayla and I took the dogs for a walk further up the road past camp. We’re glad we stopped when we did—the road quickly turned gnarly and would’ve been too much for Clifford. But the walk itself was rewarding. The trail was scattered with Indian Paintbrush and Beard Tongue blooming all throughout the forest. Sometimes going just a little farther on foot is all it takes to see something beautiful.
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Miles Driven Today: 0.51
Total Miles Driven: 1,788.38
GPS Coordinates: 43.1541° N, 110.5347° W
