We start our first day hiking with Fireant and it is filled with the normal conversation of getting to know each other. Our hiking paces are similar and it interesting learning about Fireants life.

We have not met many people on the trail but near the end of today we come across a guy doing a few days in the back country. He is tall and gangerley. His backpack is and old aluminium frame and it is hanging off his back at and odd angle. His clothes are new and there is a brand new 45 pistol on his hip. He looks at our bear spray and makes a comment about a person being attacked who had bear spray that got mauled. He obviously thinks his gun is better than our bear spray.

We come to the spot that we have planned to camp for the night and see a tent already there. It was a big space so this was not going to cause a problem. Then we see more people in the trees and horses. Turns out to be a NOLS group out on horses. We set up our tents and notice that something must be wrong as some of the horses are still saddled. One of the students had fallen and all the instructors were looking after her and no one was looking after the horses. Yeti being a true horse lover became agitated that the horses were not being looked after and was ready to go over and take care of them when a guy road in with obvious horse knowledge. He quickly spotted the problems and had them rectified which made Yeti and the horses feel much better.

As we were heading off to bed they let the horses out to feed with hobbles on and bells around their necks. We went to sleep with the sounds of bells all around us. We woke half way through the night to the sounds of close quarters munching. Fireant sticks her head out of her tent and tries to make the horse move. No luck it just turns its bum towards her and backs into her tent. I shine my tourch out and see two horses. Yeti comes to the rescue with her hardened horse voice and both horse take off through the trees.