Today’s hike from the bridge to Mineral Springs turned out to be pretty decent. After a nice evening camping at Sandager Park in Lisbon, I headed out to meet my new trail angel, Mary, at the Mineral Springs parking lot a little earlier than normal.
The weather forecast said rain was coming, but the time the rain would fall kept changing from as long as 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to as short as noon until 3 p.m. Since the first three miles were trail and the rest road, I wanted to at least get through the trail portion before the rain hit.
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Heading Out from the Bridge
I was a little nervous starting out on the trail. Maria and Don had hiked here last week and said they had loads of ticks on them afterward. Ditto for two other NCT hikers they met just a day or two before my arrival. Although I’d already treated my 
clothes with permethrin, I doused my legs from the knees down once again.
The trail here hadn’t been mowed for the season, and the grass was up to my knees in some parts. The path pitched steeply uphill initially, then wound around some farm fields before heading downward into Lisbon. The weather was cool and cloudy – great for hiking.
Rain, Rain Stay Away
The forecast now said the rain would start at 11 a.m. I hoofed it through town, where a group of school kids were biking as part of their gym class. Then I hit the gravel roads that would lead me to the Mineral Springs trailhead.
This portion of the hike was rather nondescript. I passed a lot of farmland, and luckily only had two dogs come somewhat near me. I’d swapped out my big pack for a tiny one, so I was able to make good time.
It was only 2 or 2:30 p.m. when I reached my car, and not a drop of rain had fallen. YES! Also, I did not have one tick on me! Was it the extra permethrin? I have no idea.
Day Is Done
There is a 2.2-mile (3.5 km) path at this parking space that leads to a year-round waterfall. I’d planned to take the path and 
see the waterfall, but the app still said rain was coming. I decided to play it safe and go to my campsite early.
I’m camping tonight and tomorrow at Fort Ransom State Park. If you’re hiking the NCT, you can stay for charge. I have a sweet campsite and took a nice shower, but it’s now super windy out, so I’m pretty cold.
Oh – I meant to note that there are quite a few unusual road signs along the road walk that indicate a cross street where this is none. The only thing I can think of is that they’re some kind of markers for emergency vehicles. Odd.
Snowshoe
ND NCT miles today: 17.4 (28 km)
ND NCT miles to date: 97.6 (157.1 km)
Total NCT miles to date: 2,999.6 (4,827.4 km)
Total NCT miles to go: 1,600.4 (2,575.6 km)
