Date: 2007-05-08
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec
Miles today: 18.0

Whoa! What a day!Ok, so I had a great morning hike, after a good breakfast with the other three hikers. After several cups of coffee and a good meal (Sasquatch had two meals) we returned to the church to pack up. They each left before I did, as I had 3 birthday notes, and three mother's day notes to write, then had to mail those and my bounce box to Vernon.When I finally started hiking, I was very energetic... Thanks to the coffee, I'm sure. Whee!!The trail followed an interstate for about a mile, which is always a lousy mile, but when it finally did get back to nature, it was amazing. I hiked along in this lush, green beauty when suddenly I heard a loud thrashing in the brush. I stopped and saw, not 15' away from me, a momma bear hurrying her tiny cub away from me. I was so close I could see eyeballs!The cub seemed unconcerned, as it jumped onto a tree trunk and seemed to playfully climb as it swatted at its momma. I was frozen in excitement when I realized I should probably be scared and get away from a protective momma bear. So, I turned and walked away, elated and grinning. I soon came to Sunfish Pond. Beautiful. I tried to sit on a bench and enjoy the peace, but my close encounter with bears made me jumpy. As I sat there, I heard, off in the distance, a bear or two making sounds... It made me both excited and unneasy. So I decided to make some sounds to let the bear know I was there so I would not surprise it, and I began to walk again. Turns out my bear sounds were bullfrogs. Good job. I hiked more until I felt the trail looked somehow different. I began to think I was not on the AT any more. Sure enough, I saw no blazes to make me think otherwise. I'd hiked maybe .5 miles like this and did NOT want to turn back to the last place I'd seen a blaze, so I searched and searched until, thankfully, I saw Bluebird and Sasquatch down below. Hooray! I stomped through the woods to where they were, and found the trail.Stopped at the Mohican Outdoor Center for a cold Coke. Perfect. Hiked about a mile up the mountain before I remembered I had mail waiting for me there... Dang. Dropped the pack, turned around, went back for mail, returned to pack, and kept hiking.I now see this as an opportunity to have avoided what was to come:Hiking along in my zone, thinking, moving, thinking, moving, I suddenly felt something resonating within my very being. Some sound tickling the depths of my instincts. It pulled me out of my zone just as my right foot was about to touch down in motion. As I returned to reality and my eyes focused on the giant, coiled rattlesnake not 2' in front of me, my body moved before I knew to tell it to do so. My right foot changed directions and lept backwards just as the angry snake struck out at me. My foot hit behind me, unharmed, and I ran like a fool!I was terrified. Truly afraid from the close call. All worked out well, and I now can say I never need to see another snake. Ever. But the encounter did make me hike a few extra miles to the summer camp that allows hikers to stay in cabins. I wanted four walls and people! NO tent in the woods tonight!! No way! Ended up getting a meal, shower, and shelter out of the deal anyway. And the director wants me to design a shelter for hikers... Cool deal.Also saw a bunny and deer. Nice.