Made it to the trail just before 9 am (a little later than I wanted). Almost immediately on the trail, my quiet was interrupted by a large deer almost running directly into me. A beautiful creature who was just as surprised as I was. Continuing on, the temperature was perfect and the shade on the trail was much appreciated. I was pushing a little to hard to try and make the top before the Cosmic Cafe closed for its lunch hour and really should have listened to my body. As a result, I got into that hiking hypnosis and missed the last turn towards the top, following the road instead for 3/4 of a mile before realizing I was off track. So, add an extra 1.5 miles on this already grueling hike and it was definitely a killer for my legs. Still, the turkey sandwich and the slice of warm apple pie at the top was delightful, even if I had to wait 15 minutes for the cafe to open). Got back to my car at 4 pm.