camping gear, hiking gearThe air is thick as grey storm clouds wander past above. After driving through a maze of mud holes and soft light brown dirt smooth enough to slide down we make our way into the Evergreen canopy. What little light was peaking through the dark clouds above disappears. It isn’t dark but it isn’t bright. Squirrels rush up bark trunks after hearing the scream of our dirt bikes bombing up the trail. A row of three mud puddles dead center in the trail are closing at about 30 yards. We could avoid them and run up the slightly elevated ridge way or grip the throttle and pop the front end up through them. I decide the latter and immediately regret it as ankle deep brown water and mud fly up into my boots and cake my red goggles. Luckily, dry socks wait in my camping gear.

Our camping gear is back in the truck. We are scouting out potential places to pop the tent. I glance to the right and see what looks like a speckled grey junkyard dog running alongside us within the tree line. Pointing, I later find out that was a coyote probably trying to escape the noise in a once peaceful forest. We end up leaving the camping gear where it is after running into a trail only big truck and hiking gear could brave.