What if bear bells work in a sort of Pavlovian way, letting
the bears know there’s food nearby? Also
those people feeling protected would be pretty disappointed.
When two people walk down the trail together, do four legged
animals think it sounds like another four legged animal?
There are only so many ways to say hello to people you pass
on the trail. If I’ve already gone
through the rotation a couple of times, or if I’m going uphill, I am likely to
grunt or nod, at most. Don’t be
offended.
Trail distance is different from regular distance. It’s usually something like “It’s five miles
to the lake. How far do you think we’ve
gone already?” “I dunno, must be nearly
two miles by now. Oh, here’s a
sign! Let’s look.” [Distance to lake: 4.3 miles] “DAMMIT.”
Dads are awesome. I
like how the whole family trips down the trail, unencumbered by so much as a
water bottle, while the dad brings up the rear with a 40 lb. pack full of
everything from camera to Capri Sun, from swimsuits to sunglasses, hats,
snacks, bandaids, jackets, an amputation saw, and the kitchen sink. It’s really not fair.
Whatever you do not bring with you on this hike – bug
repellant, hat, bandanna, knife, tissue, antibac, notepad, cell phone, poncho –
will be the thing you need. Guaranteed.
No matter how deserted the trail is, if you step into the
bushes to pee, it will become rush hour.
If you want pictures, take them on the way up (or down). You are not going to stop on the way back, even
if you remember.
The view at the top is always, always “worth it.”
