Kilted Hike

[Don Patrick]

We also had a possible close encounter of the bear kind on the trail. I was way out front and heard a sort of snorting noise and a brief rustling of bushes. Then silence. I called a halt and quickly backed down the trail but we never heard another sound so after a while we figured whatever might have been there had moved on. We continued unmolested but for a few moments there hearts were definitely pounding!

I know the feeling. I've had more than one ocasion where I had to go digging for my bear bell out of my back pack. First time I used it, I had to force myself to do it. Boths hands shaking one little bell.