"we've got 57 cattle in the road"

so we left Jeffersonville after a day full of celebrating papa dumas' birthday and headed towards Camels Hump...

All of a sudden there was a state trooper in the middle of the road blocking traffic and people lined along the road sitting in lawn chairs. So obviously we assumed some sort of parade, wouldn't you?

Ryan pulled over and I got out of the car to go talk to the nice VT state po and was told the following information: "we're moving some cattle, you're going to have to wait 45 minutes to an hour," as if it were an every day occurrence. I think my eyes probably opened a little bit wider and my jaw dropped a little and i managed to stammer out..."uhh camels hump - is there a way around?" I was dumbfounded to say the least...but some nice lady from the town gave me directions...something along the lines of, "go back into town, when you hit Jake's...you know Jake's store....take a sharp right. go til you hit the y in the road and veer right. at the end of the hill turn left and you'll be on your way." I still must have looked a little bewildered because the nice trooper handed me her pad of paper and pen so i could scrribble the directions. I finished writing and ran back to ryan and hopped in and we were off...to find Jake and his store.

Well we found Jake and his store and realized that yes, the lady was right...until the whole turn left part. we missed that turn and ended up back on the main road somehow ... only to run into this:

Ryan stopped the car so i could get out and snag my camera. that sign says (sorry, don't feel like cropping right now): "caution, cattle drive ahead. long delays. detour suggested." as i was getting my camera a guy hopped out and ran up to the car exclaiming..."we got 57 cattle on the road!"

he then proceeded to give us directions to camels hump...and we drove off laughing hysterically and what just unfolded before our eyes. we even took some of the cows with us:

Lucky for us, our new friends directions were great and we finally made it to camels hump and embarked on our trek up burrows trail.

The hike took us about an hour. It was just what we needed. some quality us time and time to just be in the middle of God's beautiful creation to just think and pray.

We got to the top just as the fog started to clear...it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - psalm 19:1

we both felt so accomplished when we finally got to the top and just stood and looked around for a bit. we ate our lunch and wandered back down the mountain while just enjoying each other and the things around us...it was a perfect day, really.