Date: 2023-05-29
From: MM 1281

To: MM 1292
Miles today: 11.0

Day 79 11 mi. MM 1292Another dang short day.  I'm getting a bit frustrated. Why? Fall number 8 and PA finally drew blood!  Simply a trip and face plant but this time I was unable to dodge all the rocks. Left knee hit something on the way down and took out a chunk. Not serious and not painful but really ugly. Lots of blood running down the leg.  I planned on cleaning it up when I got to the shelter later and had access to plenty of water.  More on that in a minute. So we stopped for a little break just down the trail. As we were sitting and talking, I saw a bear run across the trail just over Scorch's shoulder about 100 feet back down the trail. It wasn't very big so I judged it to be a yearling. About 30 seconds later, a second much larger bear followed. The first took no interest but the second must have heard us talking. She (pretty sure it was the mother convincing her baby it's time to move out of the house) stopped and gave us a pretty good look over. But eventually decided to amble slowly on. - we weren't worth the trouble I guess. We got up and started moving on. There is a parking lot at the PA 191 road crossing.  A Trail Angel (Slowey Pokey, I think. I¢m sorry I¢m so bad with names) was there. I had a coke, an iced Frappuccino and an orange. Delicious and refreshing!  I wish I could put into words for you what it means to have these selfless people do things for us. Wow!!!  Just the kind of boost I needed right then. Also, to my great surprise she knew who I was from this journal which she had been following. Truly unbelievable. I was taken aback by this revelation. I thought I was writing this for a few friends and family. Turns out I have many more trail friends that I haven¢t met yet.  Thanks to you all!While sitting and absorbing this trail magic, an ATC Ridge Runner came into the parking lot. Her name was WIC for Women In Construction. These people run back and forth up and down the trail doing things to keep hikers safe and the Trail in shape. Most often an invisible and unfortunately thankless job. Well, she saw my leg and offered to clean and dress it for me. Since we were only s half mile from the shelter, I declined her offer. Three times I think. She was very kind and persistent. So time to get back on the trail and get water at the shelter. We did this and as we got back from the water source who do you think we saw coming up the trail?  Yep - WIC.  Now I had time to look at the wound and it was more than the trail rash I thought. So I accepted her fourth offer. It took a liter of water, a dozen wipes and tweezers to get it cleaned up. Then a very nifty tape job - l knees are so hard to bandage - and I was good to go. Many thanks to WIC for her persistence and skill!!!Have you noticed how many people it takes to get a thru hiker to the end?  This is not a solo sport. It takes a team made of many people you haven¢t even met!Scorch and I left the shelter for s short 0.3 mile hike to s tent spot with a great view of sunset and sunrise.  A pleasant way to spend the last night in PA. We thought. About 2:00 am we were awoke by a noise/call that I had never heard before. I can¢t really describe it but it was big, loud and about 15 feet from our tents. Whatever it was, to me it sounded pissed off. After a good ten minutes of laying there trying to figure out what it was and what to do, I turned my light on in the tent. It got quiet and apparently went away. Good, I thought. Time to go back to sleep which I did. Not too much keeps me awake. Even a wife in labor - long time ago - but still remembered by said wife. Next morning I did a walk around camp and saw a large bed in the grass, much larger than a deer makes. Something had tried to pull down our food bags that were hung in a tree (PCT method - topic for another day).  Had we been visited by a bear. Can¢t say for sure but all the pieces fit. Anyway, no harm no foul. It was a beautiful sunset BTW!Here¢s a link to a YouTube video on black bear sounds. The second one where the bear is climbing down the tree is pretty close¢¦ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc4cVQfe_OA