Date: 2003-07-04
From: Pine Grove, PA

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

ive been mentally busting at the seams to tell this story, but physically too wiped out until this morning. spunky and i took an almost 3 hour break at a road crossing which had a parking area and a fairly wide, cold stream. it was 2 oclock when we got there, and another hiker we had been hiking with that morning had her boyfriend waiting for her there, so she was in overdrive to get there. she had a good pace going, so it made it easier to follow.we got there, and met her boyfriend and he had water and food that he invted us to share which was really great. then eventually, the boots came off and feet were in the stream. it was over 90 degrees here on this 4th of july. very warm.just before 5pm, by which time jenn and mike (the thru-hiker and her boyfriend) had taken off for philadelphia for some R&R, spunky and i packed up and began up the long hill to do the final 11 or so miles to this shelter. we got here at 917pm. so we did 10.8 miles in 4 hours. we were really flying. stopped to get water once. still very warm out. when its this warm out (some would say hot) the best thing you can do is drink water. then drink some more. thats the secret.so we just got water, and climbed a bit more, and found out exactly where we were on the map. about 8.1 miles to go. its now 635. the trail is now fairly level, and spunky is in the lead and we're both listening to our radios and just moving along, trying to make those miles. the woods are fairly thinned out up on the hill, so you can see in all directions about 100 yards or so. 644pm-something ahead, about 75 yards away, on the trail, catches my eye enough to get my full attention. movement. dark, big object. my pupils dilate, eyes widen, arm reaches toward spunky to grab her pack. "stop, stop, stop, stop!," i hear myself say. big dark object moving from the trail to the left, going slowly. "BEAR!". now spunky sees it too. HOLY SHIT!! i didnt see her eyes, but i bet they were as big as mine. we watched for a minute as it slowly made its way off to our left. thank God it was going that way and not toward us, because this thing was a monster. easily 350-450 pounds. darkest black you ever seen. im sure it was a male too, because there were no cubs around and it was so huge. so we're standing there, in excited amazement, watching this thing. i had to take a deep breath to relax a bit and to take a moment to make sure i wasnt emitting any "fear" scent. then, we figured the best thing to do was to just be human and walk and talk, pretending we didnt see him, but keeping an eye on him as he sat and watched us pass. he was by this time only about 50 yards away, not moving, just watching. we passed by without incident, and when i knew we were well past that area, i would still be looking over my shoulder anyway. we made it to the shelter, but it was full, so we just dropped our stuff and layed out our tyvek and matts and sleeping bags. i didnt even eat. too tired. its now 751am and im thinking of getting up and eating and packing up. 17 miles today i think. we didnt get to see fireworks on the 4th this year, but seeing that bear will suffice as being quite memorable. until we get to new jersey where i hear there are even more chances of bear sightings. til then, happy trails.