as i was sitting in camp working on dinner, i saw the first person of the day.... heading off the trail into the spur for the campsites with a tiny pack and a Colt AR-15 slung across his chest. he said he was a hunter going after coyotes. he headed towards the end of the campsite and i never saw him again.
as the sun was setting i heard some coyotes howling from a valley or two over to the west. i blew it off since they were far away and i didn't hear them again. as i was settling into my sleeping bag around 2030 i suddenly heard 3-4 coyotes calling - very close. then suddenly something swatting at my tent's vestibule where my pack / food was. i yelled out and slapped the flat of my Ka-Bar against my hand to scare it away and i heard a scurrying of leaves and dirt being kicked up.
immediately, i jumped out of the tent w/ the Ka-Bar at the ready and my only light source - my headlamp. scanning around furiously, i didn't see anything. i looked down the ridge line that my tent was set closest to (west) and in scanning, i saw 3 sets of glowing eyes staring right back watching my every move. i yelled at them again and they didn't move. as quick as i could while scanning all around i broke camp and jammed everything into my pack.
fortunately, the backpack trail i was using has access roads to all the camps so that the park staff can get to them to fill the water cisterns and drain the latrines. knowing i'd need room to fight them off and that hiking the narrow trails while only having my headlamp and the moon wasn't the best idea, i decided to hike the fire-road down (knowing that it lead to a shitty lane and a half township dirt road). the going was tough, especially since i was hurting and my knee was tight on the downhills and i had already cooled off for a number of hours and wasn't ready to be hiking again.
the adrenaline was still pumping and i was making tracks as quickly as i could given the circumstances and the fact that i was turning around every 20-25yds to make sure nothing was following me. occasionally, i heard leaves rusting off the road and saw a pair of glowing eyes watching me every now and then.
a few silent prayers to Gaia and Luna to protect and guide me on the hike and nearly and hour of surprisingly tiring hiking later, i arrived back to my car via the township road and the state route leading to the trailhead...
i was drained, but the drive in the dark was pure zen all the way back to the major US highway leading back to the city. constantly shifting, engine in the powerband, gripping the curves as i accelerated hard out of them.
the trip was survived. but, once again, zaleski proved to be my nemesis. that trail is full of personal demons for me. this was not the 1st time that it's crushed my spirit and made me feel worthless.
sore, aching, pain pulsing, and blisters forming - i laid in my bed wondering why that trail and nature were so hurtful towards me. ruined self-esteem, yet again...
No comments:
Post a Comment