6/23/17 - Day 13

It was another night of good sleep.  I could get used to this!  We had talked about leaving by 10:30 AM because we knew we had our longest driving day ahead of us - 5 1/2 hours without traffic or stops.  We knew there would be some traffic in the Bay Area (surprise, surprise!) so we wanted to try to avoid some of that.  I wanted to run before a long day in the car, and I had heard about a route with some beautiful views.  I figured if I left by 8:30 I would have plenty of time to run and shower before 10:30.  Best laid plans...

Here's what really happened...  I started out on my run along the main road to a dirt road turnoff. I ran up the road for about a mile where I encountered a gate and two hikers from Norway.  Posted on the gate was a sign saying that beyond the gate was private land on both sides of the road.  There was an opening on each side of the gate to walk through.  It appeared that the road was closed to cars but not pedestrians.  After briefly discussing with the hikers possible scenarios of continuing on, we agreed it was probably low risk to do so.  Besides, I had heard the views promised to be worth it!  So we went through and I continued running up the road for another half mile or so when the road started to flatten out.  I decided it was a good turnaround point, and I started back.  I came around a corner and was greeted with a wall of cattle about 20 feet away.  Big cows (and what I thought may have been a bull) blocked the entire road.  On one side of the road was a steep drop off, and on the other side was a steep, soft, and unstable land that led up to a plateau.  I turned around and went back to where the cows couldn't see me so I could make a plan.  I decided to run back up the road to see if I could catch the hikers (I had passed them on my way down), and convince them to come back with me and navigate the cow road block.  Safety in numbers, right?  I couldn't find them, and decided it would be a better use of my time if I tried to speak firmly to the cows and scare them with my voice.  Being a lifetime city girl, I have no idea how to handle cows.  I have heard that cows are very gentle, but they were very intimidating in size, and what if there really was a bull in the mix?  So I approached carefully and very firmly told them to move.  No surprise they just looked at me.  One of them even turned towards me with a look of either, "Hmm, who is this person acting all crazy?"   or, "You moooove!"  Sorry, I couldn't resist!  I also couldn't tell if this one had small bull-like horns.  Remember, I'm keeping a safe distance.  So I turned around again and moved out of sight.  Clearly the cows were not going to move unless I got too close for my comfort.  I was starting to worry that Chad was soon going to start wondering where I was, and I was not sure how long this was going to take.  And the cows clearly didn't care that I had to get back.  I failed to mention that I didn't have cell service so there was no way to let Chad know I was running late.  So what is a reasonable city person faced with a wall of cows to do?  Why call 911 of course!  Before you form any opinions about this, let me explain my reasoning.  I figured first of all that in case Chad called then there would be a report of where I was, and I also thought maybe there was a ranger in the area who could come break the wall of cows (but it was mainly the first reason - really!).  Interesting that even though I had no cell service I was still able to get through.  I explained my situation and that there was not a feasible way around.  They said they would send someone out, but they had no idea how long it would take.  I was almost out of water and there was no water around and the sun was beating down.  It was in the upper 60's, and warming up fast.  This is hot weather to run in!  I decided to backtrack back up the road and try to find a way around.  The climb up above looked sketchy at best, but there was no way I could go down to get around.  Besides, I had no idea how many more cows were up above!  I backtracked a little more and found a slightly worn narrow footpath (probably used by the cows to get down), so I decided to scramble up.  I got myself up and luckily no cows close by, although several in the distance.  The grass was tall and dry and you know what I was thinking about then?  Rattlesnakes!  They are all over in this area, but hoped for the best and kept on.  I passed the cows below and started looking for a way down.  Finally I found a very sketchy section I thought I could scramble down.  I heard a truck coming up the road and was thinking it possibly could be a ranger.  It turned out to be a car full of people working for an engineering company.  I told them there were a bunch of cows blocking the road and they said, "they'll move."  Easy to say from a truck!  I mentioned I thought there was a bull in the mix and they reassured me there were no bulls up there.  They waited while I safely scrambled down to the dirt road before they drove off.  I sensed they could tell I was not in a familiar place.  Safely back on the dirt road I called 911 back to cancel my request for help.  A different person answered the phone, and when I told her where I was she said, "oh you found a way around the cows, did you?"  Was there a snicker underneath that question?  So I ran back and made it back by to the campsite by 10:20.  Chad wasn't the least bit concerned as he told me he didn't know what time it was.  Forehead slap. But this was the view I got from my above the cow vantage point...

 

Was it worth it, you ask?  Definitely!  

By the time we got on the road it was 11:05, and this is what we encountered on our journey.

 

 

 

What was supposed to be a trip of 5.5 hours of driving time turned out to be about 7.  Including stops it was an 8 hour journey.  Was it worth it now, you ask?  Maybe a little less so.  We made it to Redding where the temperature was 108.  We opted for a hotel this time so we could get some sleep and get an early start for our drive to the Oregon coast.  I've heard that before!