This is one thing I love about traveling around…it’s meeting amazing people! Meet Mariann and Maria of Big Horn Mountain Alpacas.
Parked in front of a trailhead waiting for someone I made plans to meet with for a hike later in the afternoon, this big Dodge truck pulls into the parking area. They moved a couple times making me think maybe I was parked in the way? (Kind of was almost in front of the start of the trail).
“Need me to move my van”, I asked?
“Nope, we’re just here to get some firewood”, Mariann replied.
As I crawled back into my van I watch her and her daughter unload a wheelbarrow and chainsaw. First thought was; chainsaw….they’ll have some really good wood for their campfire. Second thought was; wheelbarrow…that’s more then just camping trip wood. So I jumped out of the van to see if I could help.
Mariann ran the chainsaw and her daughter Maria was master of the wheelbarrow. Maria was insistent on being full controller of the wheelbarrow, come to find out she bought it with her own money! She wanted to help contribute to their wood gathering outings since running the wood back to the truck would be her task. So she spent her hard earned money from her egg profits making it her sole possession.
Chatting in between a chain change, down tree move and a couple breaks I come to find out Mariann is a beast of a trail runner! She humbly told me about her achievements and I humbly put the word beast in front her name…haha. Let’s not forget Maria she’s not just a wheelbarrow master she’s a trail runner too. Last year at the age of 10 she ran the 18 mile Bighorn Mountain Trail Race beating out more then half of the competition! So grateful to meet these two on my journey.
Everything led to us meeting this day. Truly the right place at the right time!
Checkout their website at www.bhmalpacas.com for some neat items!