Perhaps It's All in my Head

When a park ranger stopped by my campsite this morning, I asked him what could have made my camper rock in the night.  

"Well, I don't know.  I wasn't out here," he so comfortingly replied.

Telling him what I feared it was, he offered that perhaps I have an overly active imagination.  

"No bears have been seen in the campground," he said, "but they have been a bit of a nuisance in the picnic area."

Well, I'm not the one who posted all of the bear warning signs...

With that reassurance, I asked him where I might go hiking today, saying that I did not want to be alone on the trail.

He suggested hiking to the top of Sharp Top, with a 1600 foot gain.  That seemed s little much to me, so I drove down to a visitor's station to ask about something easier and saw several school buses parked outside. 

"You might want to go a little later in the day," the volunteer offered.  

But to me, I was in luck!  Here was a group of eager first graders up here for a hike and a learning experience at the restored Johnson Family Farm.

So, I found the trail and headed off into the woods for a mile long uphill walk....with absolutely no one in sight.  Had they come and gone already?  Was I on the right trail?  Where was everybody....anybody?

After a while of climbing up while looking down the steep and wooded ravine, I tried to convince myself that surely I have my guardian angel with me, as I have learned that everyone does.

Before too much longer, this welcomed sight came into view:   

And soon I was walking back down the mountain, with a gaggle of six year olds chirping and chatting and meowing too, aaaallllll the waaaayyyyy home!    

Near the bottom I stopped to take a photo as the class began to pass me by, the teacher calling out, "Can't stand it anymore?!"

If only she knew...their noisy passage was music to my ears!

Next I returned to the campground, where this morning's ranger was joined by another who when I asked whether she had heard my news, looked into my face and excitedly said, "You were awakened by your camper being rocked in the night? Don't tell me that!!!"

She had been doing research on bear behavior, and found that one of the things they do when looking for food is stand on their hind legs and ....PUSH!

Oh.  

At that, the first ranger lowered his head down over his paperwork....and smiled.

😭 Ronda
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