Saturday, May 4 – Light rain – Lyme Hill, near Connecticut River

Steps taken: many
Glasses removed due to sweat: 1
Labs spotted: 3
Actual bears: 0 (spiritually, 1)
Lost? Yes. Found? Not really.

Went out for a hike at Lyme Hill. About 20 minutes from home. No parking at the start of the trail. Probably a sign.
No people either — except two local ladies walking with a chocolate Lab. Said a brief hello. The trail is already muddy. Classic.
Breathing got harder 10 min in. Hill was steady. Glasses fogged. Sweat. Couldn’t see. Perfect.

Another 20 minutes and the barking started. Loud. Sharp. Intense.
Sounded like dogs had just met a bear, or worse — a philosophical crisis.

Kept walking.
A dark object came darting toward me. Couldn’t see well. The heart exploded.
Thought: wild hog? Bear? Death?
Turned out to be a black Lab. Full sprint. Didn’t even glance at me.
Rude but also: respect.

10 more minutes — another figure. Chocolate Lab this time. Young. Staring at me.
I patted her. Nice. Then looked down. Blood on my hand.
????

Thought: injured dog? Attacked? Dead owner somewhere?
She turned. Looked back at me like Lassie. Started walking.
Obviously, I followed. Because this is how true crime podcasts start.

Walked maybe 30 minutes. AllTrails told me I was off-trail.
Panic. Sweat. More sweat. Mild life reevaluation.
Realized the spot where I met the dog was an intersection of two trails.

Turned around. The dog followed.
Back at the same spot, she was gone. Just gone.

Still wanted to finish the hike. The summit is not far. But steep. Cold now. Tired.
Head full of questions about the mysterious Lab. Ghost dog? Wilderness guide? Emotional support mirage?

Halfway down, ran into another woman. With — shocker — another Lab.
Asked if she saw a young chocolate Lab.

She said, “Oh, she’s probably with the ladies behind me.”
Turned around.

There they were: the same two ladies from earlier, with all three Labs, including my mysterious blood-soaked trail guide.
Apparently, they live nearby.
Apparently, the dog was fine.
Apparently, I was the only one on a dramatic side quest.

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