Nathan Martinelli, a California vanlifer who had grown used to unusual moments on his travels, stumbled into a situation that outdid anything he had encountered before.

He had been walking along the cliffs, taking in the scenery, when a dark figure caught his eye far below. At first it barely registered, but a second look made everything clear.

A cow was lying at the bottom of the drop, exhausted and stuck in a place no grazing animal should ever end up.

The sight of her staring upward, almost as if she were pleading for a way out, stopped him cold.

A Climb Toward A Possible Rescue

Once he understood what he was looking at, Martinelli knew he could not simply continue his hike.

He began a careful descent down the uneven rocks toward the shoreline, scanning the area for anything that

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