October 30, 2016 - Walking with the Dead and Bears

We didn’t travel far to get to our new location at South Beach State Park. Here again the Oregon park system did not disappoint with a beautiful site providing water and electric hook-ups (no TV or stinky slinky hook-up though). This park is home to over 100 RV sites. With it being off-season and rains continuing, I think there were about 5 of us camping. Nothing like having your choice of sites, but it can be a bit creepy in a deserted campground, especially around Halloween and when the camp host site is “decorated” with zombies so well done they could have been cast on the Walking Dead. I chose not to walk Fu in that direction. Instead, as dusk was settling in, I took Fu on a trail pointing to the beach in 1/3 mile. The trail first meandered through dense woods that would have been dark on a sunny day much less a cloudy late afternoon. Fu paused at a dark pile on the asphalt trail pointing out a pile of scat with undigested berries still glistening with freshness. “Hum, I guess there could be bears around here”, I mused but continued down the trail. The trail started to get lighter as we neared the beach and an intersecting trail. Suddenly a tall man strode into view. He asked me, “did you see that pile of scat on the trail?”

“Yes,” I replied and he pointed to a sign that I had not noticed at the intersection. It warned that a bear had recently been sighted in the area. He went on to ask if I knew of another trail to take back to the campground in order to avoid the bear trail. I did and told him where it was. He practically sprinted in that direction leaving me to either continue to the beach, take the trail he headed for or return to our campsite the way I came. The darkness was getting thicker now with the coastal fog rolling in across the dunes. If I went on to the beach Fu and I would be making our way back to camp in pitch black. If I took the trail I sent the man on it would be much farther to get to our area of the campground. Why did I not bring a flashlight or at least my phone? I chose to brave the bear path for the quickest way back. I sang loudly to Fu the whole way.