[pct-l] Scariest trail sounds . . .

[yuppatt at sbcglobal.net (JOHN F PATTERSON)]

Many can relate . . . as I came up alone one morning toward route 38 and , is it Onyx ( ? - no it ' s not Onyx , can ' t remember ) and then on to Big Bear and Big Bear Lake ; maybe 7: 00 A M or so and a nice sunny making-progress day ; and I ' m looking forward to getting to Big Bear Lake , etc . , that or next day . There is a loud , " ROOaaaaARR " . Animal sound , clearly . " What the ? " It is ahead and seems exactly in the direction I am going . LOUD ! Maybe a mile to a mile and a - half ahead . Down from where I am . I stop ; I don ' t know what to think . I consider my options . Damn . Nice day ; clear - no weather or visual obstructions , etc . Usual type morning - no problems otherwise . No reason whatever it will get after me I think even though I ' m alone . I finally decide that it is a male Black Bear hassling a female with cubs . Seems only thing it COULD be . I go another half / three quarter mile and hear it again this time so much closer and exactly dead ahead ; is
 no doubt an animal - a big roaring animal . I seriously consider bush-whacking away from the trail to the road / elsewhere ( anywhere . . .  ) . But it is such a nice day . Is now Weird . What the fuck ? I have to and do go on very cautiously ; do not hear it again . Get where it came from / originated and had to laugh  ;  Yogi' s notebook has one line here : " Lions , Tigers and Bears , Oh MY ! " No other mention in any guidebook . When I got to Big Bear lake I asked a bus driver about my experience and got up to date . Too , I thought / think - got thinking . . . . what if someone - have they ? - camped along here . .. 2 AM awakened from a deep sleep . E -  gad . Anyone ? ( I also noticed as I ' prowled ' around there / that those neck / shocking devices that keep a dog on it 's property . . . . tell me no - not used as I think . )  Rafter Jack