Almost Solo

Got to trailhead early enough to walk across the highway, but had to sprint across to finish without getting flattened.  This long, gradually ascending trail through forest brought back memories from a day hike on snowshoes on the same trail many years ago.  Walked in solitude, listening to birdsongs. I was passed by two trail runners and one fast solo hiker.  Two early bird hikers were coming back out at about mile 4, with their golden lab.  The trail dips a little, transitioning through a wide gully onto the next section of ascending trail. I lost track of everything until about 1 1/2 miles from the top.  An older couple and their daughter were making their way up the trail ahead of me until crossing the Nevada border. I finished the ascent and walked right past the modest scramble leading to the top. The trail ducked into another gully, so I turned around, found the little scramble and crested the hill to find the family up top, sitting on a perfectly positioned fallen tree with a superb view of the lake. They offered me a wedge of apple, and we all enjoyed the moment. They started down ahead of me, and I soon overtook them. Where the trail intersects with a gravel road suggested on the challenge description, I followed it down instead of the trail, but was sorry after 30 minutes of large, loose gravel and sun exposure sapped everything special out of this walk.  I found an opportunity to rejoin the main trail farther down at a T intersection. I had to follow this back uphill for several minutes and finally reconnected with the TRT. From there on, a stream of mountain bikers came up, and I did my best to keep walking instead of stop each time, keeping to the trail fringe. Every one of them was courteous, which surprised me. I didn’t say much, just kept walking, waiting for the sounds of axels and gears to fade away into solitude again. Sounds of tires on pavement began to drown out the other sounds. Soon, I was finished, with that death-defying sprint across the busy road capping off challenge number three. Seven hours, almost to the minute, not that it’s important.  I’m not so speedy, so I was content with the pace. So, next?