Some days pass without warning.
That morning felt like any other: I was riding in my usual spot at the back of the Penguin herd, watching the trail go by, feeling like the luckiest cow in the world. At some point he put down his backpack and walked away for a minute, which is normal.
What wasn’t normal was what happened next. He put the backpack back on his shoulders and at some point in that movement… he wasn’t as sure as he thought. And just like that, it was in the air.
Cows don’t fly. They don’t go up either
I’ve never considered myself the flying type. Being a cow isn’t exactly in my skill set. But I’m an adventurer at heart, so I guess it was worth trying once. Briefly.
I landed. She didn’t realize it. Before I could even process what had happened, Penguin continued walking, leaving me behind on the path, staring at the sky, suddenly very still, very alone.
It took a while, but finally I heard footsteps. He hoped it was the Penguin who realized his mistake. It wasn’t. He was a stranger. That encouraged me. He looked at me. But instead of saving me, they placed me in a rhodendron. I decided not to try to go down. I tried to fly. I’m not going to try to climb too.
Nightfall, rustling leaves and heavy rain.
In a moment, he was warm and safely tucked into Penguin’s backpack, surrounded by the familiar rhythm of footsteps and snacks on the trail. The next… he was alone. Perched in a rhododendron, looking out at a world that suddenly seemed too big for a small cow like me. And, to make my existence worse, it started to rain. I was soaked and cold. And then it became night. Very very dark. And I could hear sounds in the bushes behind me. Animals. Probably scary ones, like a squirrel.
I tried to be brave. After all, highland cows are supposed to be brave. But I won’t lie: I felt cold. And a little forgotten. And really very scared.
Toddler snacks to the rescue!
Then she found me. Snacks for Toddlers appeared like an angel on the trail, peering through the branches and spotting me where I had been waiting silently. She didn’t hesitate. She simply picked me up, gently but surely, as if she already knew I belonged somewhere important.
He checked my tag (Lena, a number from far away) and did what hikers do best: he figured it out. A quick look at FarOut, a missing cow, a hiker named Penguin. Suddenly, I was no longer simply lost. I was on a mission.
A couple miles later, we reached Stecoah Gap and things really started to pick up. Trail magic! And not just any magic trace: a Coca-Cola almost as tall as I am. I highly recommend it. Change life.
There I also met Cublet. Cublet is a polar bear and, true to his breed, he is very, very cool! We instantly became best friends. Store colleagues. Adventure companions. The kind of friendship that only happens here, somewhere between miles and magic.
That night I watched an episode of Love is Blind while cuddling with a hiker named The Show. I don’t fully understand the concept, but I support people finding love in unconventional places. After all, they found me in a bush.
We slept well that night: Cublet, I, and Toddler Snacks shared a warm bed.
The next day, Cublet and I rode side by side in the Toddler Snacks backpack, watching the forest and hills pass by like a moving postcard. From time to time, she would come over to check on us, making absolutely sure we were still there.
I appreciated it. Penguin should start doing that.
Mosse, go home!
Somewhere along the way, Toddler Snacks managed to make its way to Penguin. I imagine there was excitement. Relief. Maybe even a little disbelief. Plans were made. A meeting point: the Fontana Dam Refuge.
And then we wait.
Cublet and I sat next to each other in the shelter, enjoying what would be our last moments as trail companions. It’s funny how quickly something can seem permanent here and how quickly it changes. We were sad, of course. But above all we were grateful.
Grateful for the kilometers. For the sandwiches. For the unexpected friendship. The hikers gathered around and I received a goodbye song just for me. I tried to be brave again.
Then the Penguin arrived. She picked me up and, just like that, everything felt good again.
Home is not always a place. Sometimes it’s a person. Or a package. Or the constant rhythm of steps that you know by heart.
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/elton-john-photos10-122225-6137821549914ed5950b107f49f4171e.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "Dafydd Jones recuerda haber capturado a Elton John en la boda del príncipe Andrés y Sarah Ferguson en 1986 como fotógrafo novato (exclusivo)")
