Last day in PA
On our way to drop me off again, after 4 zeros, we stopped for breakfast at McDonalds. I really enjoyed the last big caloric intake before the hike and the heat. I wasn’t exactly eager to get back on the road, but I certainly wasn’t afraid of it either. We stopped at the Gateway Motel to refill my water, then Ray dropped me off at the trailhead.
I hadn’t missed the rocks, but I had missed the silence of the forest. Turns out my normal life is pretty loud. I really enjoyed the solitude and tranquility of the long walks.
Even though I had started walking at 11am, I still wanted to cover a full day of miles, so I kept walking as dusk fell. I was walking on top of a mountain, on what appeared to be an old logging road, when a heavy, hairy figure came from the opposite direction. My first black bear sighting! I raised my trekking poles and slammed them while screaming. The bear ran into the woods and away from me, no problem.
About an hour later, maybe less, I was still on top of that same mountain, but the trail was narrower and the forest was denser. Again, ahead of me, on the road and coming towards me, another black bear. I screamed and hit again and he ran away too.
I walked towards where the bear had just been and something forced me to look to the left. When I turned my head, there it was, a bear sitting in the bushes looking at me. It had black fur but its snout was brown. If I had leaned over, I probably could have touched it. Was he just waiting it out so he could resume his bear business? It was like he had done this before.
Since it was so close and still, I briefly contemplated pulling out my phone to take a photo, but quickly decided I wasn’t going to linger within walking distance of a bear.
I made my way down the mountain without any more sightings, but I yelled from time to time so that no more bears would be surprised to see me.
Came to New Jersey
It was the height of the heat wave and I was walking through New Jersey, going slowly and carrying 3 liters of water, so there was no way I was going to run out. As I approached a road that promised restaurants, hopefully with air conditioning and unlimited water, I heard a commotion in the bush and saw a black bear running across the trail. Another sighting! How wonderful! But why was a bear awake and running through the forest at 2 in the afternoon on the hottest day of the year?
The next part is disturbing.
When I reached the road, I called a trail angel to take me to a restaurant. There was a sign that had their number and the places they offered to take hikers, so I figured I’d take advantage. I really wanted to rest and drink.
Dave picked me up for the short road trip, when traffic on both sides of the road slowed us down significantly.
There was a small black bear lying on the road, apparently run over. Dave stopped and got out of the car, talking to other good Samaritans about who would call 911 and what to do. I didn’t want them to hit the bear again. I stayed in the car for a minute, but admitted that maybe I could help. What I saw was disturbing: an injured bear struggling. Dave ran it off the road and we continued on our way. What else was there to do? I wondered if it was the same bear I had seen before.
The number of people who stopped to try to help was heartwarming, so that was the only bright spot in a disturbing situation.
Animal sightings are always exciting
Seeing bears is amazing, as is seeing the lizard with the bright blue tail or the owl on the crest. I joke that I don’t see anything that isn’t directly on the trail since I’m always looking down and trying not to fall, so it makes sense that my first bear sightings were of animals that were directly on the trail.
I really want to continue admiring the abundance of animals that live in Appalachia, although always from a distance.
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