Kobae (135 pound tortoise) and I had walked most of the way up Hurrah Pass when it started to get dark. I saw two pick up trucks coming down the pass towards the lodge, unusual this late in the day. Instead of using the walkie talkie to call the lodge to come get us, I waited until the trucks came by. They always stop and ask questions about can a tortoise really walk this far and how old is he.
I ask the second truck if they minded Kobae and I jumping in the bed of the truck and catching a ride down so Bill didn’t have to jeep up and pick us up and they were fine.
After they had dropped us off at the lodge and done a little tour of the place they said they were headed to the Catacombs and bid us farewell. Linny, at five years old at the time and who had spent most of the summer out here with us walked over to me and said “Tom, did you know those guys?” I said “No.” She said, “You’re not supposed to get in cars with people you don’t know.” I said “Linny it’s a little different out here and besides we were in the bed of the truck, not inside the cab.” She said “Tom, you know it’s wrong and don’t do it again.”