Hiking Trail Journals

Appalachian Trail 2003 - Chelsea's Journals

Entry #77 - June 20, 2003

8:35 PM - Everyone had a couple beers last night to celebrate our 900 miles. That meant everyone getting up all night to pee. I was a bit alarmed when I got up, walked around the side of the shelter and saw eyes staring back @ me from the dark. Was just the deer that had been hanging around the shelter, though, I guess.

Woke up to - you guessed it, rain. Headed out around 9. I was hiking in front, Andy behind. Had my head down to keep the rain out of my face, watching the slick trail. A few miles had passed & I was trucking along. Not sure if I noticed something from the corner of my eye or what, but all of a sudden I looked up from the Trail. There was a bear maybe 10 feet in front of me and it looked up @ the same time. We were both startled, and surprised by the fact that we hadn't noticed each other sooner! It took off into the woods. I turned around and Andy was nowhere in sight, so then I took off, back to find him. Didn't want to stand there waiting, in case there were cubs around or something. Went by the spot then without any incident. It was a pretty cool encounter.

It was kind of funny, because when we left the hut in the morning, we didn't think we'd see anything because of the rain. But we ended up seeing the most deer of any day yet. It seemed every time we looked in the woods or turned a corner, we'd see something. Saw a few tiny little fawns with does, too.

Was a really cold day in the rain, so we stopped @ the Lewis Mtn Wayside & Campstore. Had a cup of coffee and ice cream (if that makes any sense).

Stopped @ the Rock Springs Hut - another short day - less than 12 miles, but, who cares. This rain is just holding us up.

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