Sunday, May 12, 2013

May 9 - Cable Gap Shelter to Birch Gap

We hiked the six miles to Fontana Dam and saw the shelter that is called the "Fontana Hilton". It lived up to its name. It could hold 20 people and it had showers!

We contemplated staying there, but didn't want to waste the pretty day. There was no way we could have made it to the next shelter 11 miles away because it would have been 9 o'clock and dark by the time we got there. So we decided we would shoot for the campsite that was halfway between.

On the way there we happened upon a rattlesnake! Ah! Dad threw a rock at it. And when that didn't work, got a really long stick and flung it off the trail.

The excitement doesn't end there. While we were eating supper a momma bear and her two cubs walked up. As the momma bear was getting a drink from the stream no more than 20 yards away, we watched the two cubs climb up a tree. They were so cute! Like puppy dog sized!

The only reason we don't have pictures is because we would have had to walk right past the bear to get my camera.

Now I'm in my hammock trying to catch up on my blog posts.

1 comment:

  1. Seeing the bears would have been excilerating! To see them in their natural environment instead of in a zoo. But, it also would have been a bit scary.

    Kathy Lucas

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