[pct-l] A loose Nut on Baden Powell

[Lonetrail at aol.com (Lonetrail@xxxxxxx)]

Hi 
I wanted to walk through the Curve fire of last fall that scorched about a 6 
mile swatch from Crystal Lake in a funnel shape to just before Islip, it got 
Hawkins pretty good, Throop & to the saddle of Burnham. I ended up on top of 
Baden Powell.  

Several weeks ago a bear was shot at Little Jimmy Campground by the Rangers. 
Now they got a bear cub that's so lonesome he want to play with dogs. Its a 
shame. 
They removed the critter trash containers now everything is carry out. Water 
is good at Little Jimmy but Lily' Spring trail had several trees down and I 
didn't go down.

I got on top of Powell about six in the evening and prepared to set up my 
campsite close to the roots of a wind blown Pine tree that resembles a large 
Bonsai tree.
Just about dusk a mother and a young girl about 12 came up with just T 
shirts, shorts and a day packs. I though they would be cold. The wind was blowing so 
hard it blew my closed cell sleeping pad about 100 feet before it got caught 
on some shrubs. The chill factor was about forty degrees. I notice the little 
girl setting on a rock by the Boy Scout Monument shivering and pouting as the 
mother was walking around the top I thought checking out a camp site for them. 
After about ten minute I guess the father showed up. They sat down and had a 
snack, passed me and asked if I was staying all night.  

I made a wonderful Ragu spaghetti meal and gave my large German Shepherd Zap 
a meal of summer sausage with dry food. I rescued Zap from German Shepherd 
Rescue about a year ago and he has several issues: he doesn't like uniforms, 
especially the mailman; he also will growl when someone is disturbing his sleep.

I began to prepared my 16 oz MRI Bivy, sleeping bag and cotton liner. Its 
like a cocoon all zipped up. I kept the leash on Zap and secured the other end 
around my arm. We both fell sound asleep at about 7:30.  At 10 clock I was 
awaken by a man in complete combat gear rushing toward my bivy. Zap jump over me 
and stopped the nut in his tracks, Remember Zap doesn't like uniforms. He (the 
nut) screamed at me saying "She said you were alone, she didn't say there was a 
dog." I asked who is she was? The nut said the women he met at the trail 
head. I asked her if any one was camping up here. She said just an old man by 
himself she didn't say you had a dog. I told the nut Zap is not only a dog but an 
ex-cop. He answered you mean an attack dog. I said "You got it!" Then he asked 
are you a cop. I said "Yes I'm retired." He said "shit" He sat down on a log 
and asked me for my flash light. I said "You walked up here without a flash 
light, are you nuts? " I said that I had a small light around my neck and that I 
would shine it on him.

He opened a GI MRE the type that heats it self. He opened it with a large 
combat knife. A big knife I thought to myself, is this for me. I got Zap settled 
down lying beside me watching the nut and still growling. He asked if he could 
give Zap some food. I said Zap just wants a piece of you. It was my way of 
telling him he is not welcome here. Now Zap has another issue when he sleep is 
disturbed he growls. The nut thought he was growling at him, which was another 
plus for me. Just then a light went on and off down the trail.  This really 
scared me, thinking it was a signal. I said to the nut I just saw a light go off 
and on. The nut said we can expect some company. I asked are they with you, 
he did not answer. I then started to think real fast saying I have another 
light, its called a red dot light. He asked what's that. I said you attached it to 
your piece and put the red dot between the eyes and pull the trigger. He 
muttered your said your an ex cop and got up and left. Zap kept his ears twitching 
for about and hour. Finally after two frightful hours I fell asleep. 
By the way I asked him his name he said Roy Grimes; spelling may be wrong. He 
was about 160 lb. 5'8" and around 40 ish. He had G. I. camouflage combat pant 
and combat black boots, white T. Shirt and a camouflage combat hat. He also 
had a front camouflage fanny pack with a possible side pocket for a hand gun. I 
tried to get as much information about him so if I survived an attack I could 
hang him. He said he was in the 187 Airborne and also special forces. He also 
said he got his combat clothes at Fort Benning were he pinned wings on his 
son. He also said he had a daughter who played soccer. He complained about pain 
in his back and took medication. He was rather takable for an uninvited 
intruder to my campsite when I'm sound asleep and screaming "Are you alone." Scared 
the hell out of me. Thank God I rescued Zap. I feel he saved me from a robbery 
or perhaps more. I gave Zap a pound of steak when I got home. He lying right 
beside me as I write this email. It's hard to say what was in this nuts mind. 
Zap in neither an ex cop nor am I. My last German Shepherd was an ex K-9 
called Maddox that I also rescued.  I believe Maddox sent Zap to me from heaven. 
Well, so much for trail talk. I always said a man should have a dog and a women. 
The dog is man best friend and a women to clean up after the dog. 

Lonetrail