Day 42: Experimental and waterless sheep

The experimental sheep and their henchmen left me without water in a dry section of 10 miles.

Let me start from the beginning.

The path is a road today, but I am grateful for the wind and the shadow cover. We caught the doctors of Chai and have a good time walking as a group.

I ask them if they have credit scores in Denmark and Germany (they don’t). They ask me if I grew up around the weapons (I did). Ping Pong Experiences, throwing questions about the countries of the other from one side to another, moaning and laughing some of the answers.

«We had a problem where man told us that he does not need bear spray, it’s so hard that bears know not to mess with him,» says Chai’s doctors, laughing.

«People used to tell me that all the time when I was guiding in Alaska!» I say.

The beaker and I was left behind in a swamp to filter questionable water, since we still had 4 miles to walk and there was no water.

«I saw a long worm thing swelling there when I was getting the water,» he says.

«Could it have been a leaching?» I ask, hopefully. This is the only time in my life that I expected something to be a leaching (they improve water quality, I swear).

The following miles are difficult but beautiful. On the cool night, we absorb the last sunlight of the days, overlooking the cannons full of trees where each individual tree is backlit and bathed in light beams. Each tree lights individually, its complex branches intermingle in a beautiful and large entanglement. Beautiful alone, but powerful together.

We move on to a Nebo hiker who loads from his camp to the beaker. It let us know that there would be long periods ahead, and that there is a secret source of water in Mile 917 that would be vital so that we can reach West Yellowstone. I thank you profusely and address my path. When we go, he calls that he has seen 15 hikers out of one day! It sounds amazed. Nobo hikers always look like interaction hungry.

Beaker dances while walking, sporadically turning to sing silly lines of his music.

We opened through a meadow and we find two horses tied. One blocks my path, slowly pushing me in a large sage brush patch, demanding attention. I have no experience with horses, so reluctantly accelerate their nose.

And then, the henchman descends.

Three sheep grazing dogs run through a hill at full speed towards us, barking and growing violently.

Sheep are being tested in the area, and these dogs are trained to keep them safe and alive from the coyotes and wolves. Unfortunately, hikers are collateral damage.

We give them a great breadth, which moves away from a source of vital water. Finally they stop chasing us. We return to get to the water channel and pursue each other again. Dejected, we walk with our 3 liters of water, planning to back down in the morning.

We arrived at the camp to find that everyone else had no trouble grabbing water. The dogs backed up when our friends had arrived. I worry, is there anything wrong with us that dogs feel? I have always been warned that I do not trust the people who do not like animals.

«You just needed to be harder,» joked by Chai’s doctors. «Bears and dogs don’t get with you, then»

Our friends generously share their water, and we renounce a real dinner, opting for snacks that do not need to rehydrate. We have enough water to get the six miles we need tomorrow.

While I lay in my store, I feel grateful despite the dogs and my bitterness towards their crazy sheep. Happy to be cold again, cozy in my few scattered belongings around us in our little tent. Grateful for friends willing to share their limited resources. Ready to fight the next dog that looks at me in the wrong way.

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