In the Pines out of Pine

April 28, 2023 Day 28

Mile 462.6- 483.2 (20.6 miles)

Another Denny’s breakfast with Eagle and Voodoo this morning where a nice older man named Buckey came up to us and offered to drive us back to Pine. We gratefully accepted and he told us to be in the parking lot next door in an hour. We felt so lucky we didn’t even have to try to hitch.

We all took our time at the trailhead, stretching, braiding our hair, chatting. We found a sign in the trail register that read:

So I guess we’ll see how conditions are when we get up there! We all took a group photo and said goodbye, ,since our hiking paces are different we figure we might not see them again until Flagstaff.

The hiking was easy and beautiful through pine forests. I’m grateful for the change, the exposure of the desert was wearing on me. I listened to my audiobook and the miles went by easily. We passed so many beautiful streams today and I’m falling in love with the trail again.

We’ve set up camp at a trailhead near the East Verde River and it’s chilly enough for some hardcore cuddling. I am already totally falling in love with this section.