Short hike before work

Since moving to Mendocino county on Wednesday, it has rained practically non-stop. 5 days of rain. I've been longing for the trail more than ever. I was feeling trapped and bogged down in town. Today was a gift from God. I started my first day back to work and had to drive 60 miles to Ft. Bragg, a small coastal town. Along the way, I drove through some state forest, miles and miles of forest. The sun began to peak out. I saw what looked like a trail junction and slammed on my brakes. Since I was an hour early for work, my heart leaped at the chance to walk through some woods. All of the weight of the last few days fell from my shoulders as my eyes saw a small trail. Rain drops continued to drip from the huge trees all around me. The smell of the earth was overpowering, rejuvenating, refreshing to my spirit and soul. A huge smile came across my face as the sun streamed through the forest. I was home again. I had my work clothes on, and I felt like a dog ripping off a winter sweater as I found some gym shorts and hiking shoes to replace my civilized clothes. As I wandered around, the trail seemed to fade and went in no particular direction. No matter, I simply took deep breaths of the fresh mountain air. Just then, I thought I caught a glimpse of a trail across the stream. I ran back to my car and found my Crocs. I forded the creek which brought back memories of the numerous stream crossings we encountered on the PCT. Sure enough, the trail continued on the other side. Again, the trail sort of faded. After wandering about a bit, I decided to head back. All in all, I was walking for no more than 45 minutes before I returned to my car. It was one of the most rejuvenating short hikes I can remember having in a long time.