MRT Day 23: Mother’s Day on the Trail

Daily Miles: 20.5, Total Miles: 316.2

While I was in the shower this morning I did ask myself if the Show Low bus runs on Sunday. I walked to the bus stop and got my answer – NO. I started the five-mile road walk out past the Walmart to get back on the MRT. Probably a tough hitch anytime in Show Low but especially early on Sunday morning.

Around Mile 3 a car passed me but came back to pick me up. The big young man’s first words were about how he didn’t know how he got home last night. Making small talk, I said, “Well, Happy Mother’s Day!”. He responded, “My Mom died last week”. Wow, what a sad day for him and I gave him my condolences. Then he said he was on his way to Walmart to get ointment for a very fresh tattoo of his mother’s name on his neck. He said he would show it to me when we got there. And yes, he later pulled down his shirt. It was one of the better tats he had on his upper torso.

Once I got past Show Low Lake, I got right back into the White Mountains Trail System. Had a very pleasant hike, mostly a gradual climb through tall pine forests on a sunny, cool and breezy day.

Got a liter of water at every known water source, Porter Creek, a bit silty, another wildlife guzzler with very buggy water, and a very small receding pond near me here, let’s just say I will only filter if I have to.