A Big(foot) Beginning

"Ya after that Wild movie a lot of people..." said the man in the white pickup truck.

"I'm not hiking it because of that movie," I said cutting him off. "I'm hiking it because I'm a geography major. I like seeing the change of topography and towns and stuff."

That wasn't the full story but it seemed the most convincing rebuttal to the cringeworthy insinuation that I'd chosen the hike only because of some Reese Witherspoon movie.

"I'm just not used to camping out in the wilderness by myself...not used to all of the sounds," I said. "Maybe you should try sleeping in your yard first," he said.

I was a bit crushed by the fact that this man thought I could handle nothing more than those silly backyard campouts one might do as a child to do make-believe real camping. "Thanks so much for the ride," I said.

Why was I in a white pickup truck hitching a ride back into Burney in the early am?

Bigfoot.

Okay, more likely a bear or a coyote or my fragile imagination (I'd only slept 2 hours both nights before), but nonetheless terrifying.

A few hours after I was brought to the PCT just outside of Burney and had set up camp, I heard a car honk at what I assumed was a deer in the road. I heard rustling in the bushes and knew whatever animal had crossed was now on my side. I yelled in its direction to scare it away so I could sleep with some peace of mind. It again got quiet.

A few minutes later I heard the sound again. Again I shouted my typical, loud "HEY". This went on for a half hour or so, until I got up to pee. As soon as I stood I heard a low, breathing sound- like that of an agitated bear. I made noise and threw rocks at the ground but still the sound of a moving animal lingered.

I decided that if it'd been this long and the animal was still so persistent, then I would move. I packed up my things and decided to walk down the road to find another spot.

It began to follow me.

As I walked along the paved road I could hear rustling in the trees right alongside me.

It was at this point that I decided I'd had enough and would walk back towards Burney, 7.7 miles away.

Whatever it was followed me the 3 miles up until I got a ride.

Not exactly the most comforting way to start a solo PCT hike. It took me a night at the established Burney Falls campground before I was willing to set out into the forest again.