Sept 4th …Scaring Eva and Short Term

OK, let me think back to where I left off. I last wrote when I was on top of Mt. Moosilauke. I believe I started to descend around 1 p.m. About 3/4ths of the way down I decided to stop for a second lunch by the waterfall that goes most of the way down the North Slope. I was exhausted. The descent was almost as tough as the climb, very steep and at times leaving little room for a misstep. My goal that day, Saturday, was 16 miles. A high goal for my 1st day in the Whites. After getting to the other side of Moosilauke, only 9 miles in, I was wore out. I somehow made it up another steep climb. At the top, about 5 miles later I ran into Butch and Stonedance. A couple hiking that I’d met earlier in Palmerton, PA. I caught up with them as the sun disappeared behind us and they informed me that my friends Eva and Short-term (a couple who met on the trail)  and Dirty D were just down the trail. That lifted my spirits. I haven’t seen them in awhile and I was glad to be close to them. As I walked on while Butch and Stonedance found a place to stealth, I realized this would be a perfect opportunity to scare the daylights out of my unsuspecting friends up ahead; provided I was the type of person given to base deeds like that. Well I’m that type of person.
       In the deepening twilight, as I neared in the sound of Eva’s unique giggle and Short-term’s southern drawl, I shut my headlamp off and began knocking over dead trees and breaking branches.
     “What IS that?” I heard Eva curiously wonder out loud.
  “Aw, it’s just some dead trees falling over.” Short-term was unconcerned. He has a great tattoo by the way. A little pull behind camper on his left arm. The caption says, “Home is where you park it.” I understand he lives in an Airstream. Anyway, so the branches mysteriously breaking on a completely windless night wasn’t doing it. I began then to vocalize a growl I’d been working on for years. It’s not bad, and especially effective when echoed in cupped hands. This got their attention a little more but they were still unconvinced of any danger. So I pried a 50 lb. rock loose from the ground and started smashing it off of other rocks. I was pleased with the unnerving sounds the rocks were making and I knew this would have the desired effect. I was now about 15 yards away from them.
    “Are you going to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT!?!” Eva appealed in earnest.
     “Uhh, OK.”, the reluctant response from Short-term.
    He started towards me with his headlamp on. Right before the beam betrayed me, I sent forth my best, most sincere and grizzly growl that I had in me. In the twitch of an eye that headlamp beam spun a 180°. Short-term, he wheeled around, yelled, “GET IN THE TENT!” Short-term was ready to fight to save his girl. He grabbed a trekking pole and started towards me and I couldn’t bear it anymore. I’d gone too far already. I can’t remember what I said to give myself up but they heard a human voice and were confused and relieved at the same time. I think I said, “Everything alright up here?” And Eva said  “AGHH!!! You scared the #!@% out of us! Who are you?”   “Owen A” I said.
    “ AHhhh!!! Owen A it’s so good to see you again, we thought you were days ahead! You seriously scared the #$@! Out of us. “
      They were laughing hysterically between talking. A flood of emotions from anger to happiness, re enactments of dialogue and actions, and questions, catching up and laughter filled the next 10 minutes.
      I had to sit down then.  Eva said, “Owen you look beat.”    “I am.” I replied. I told them I did 14 miles which impressed them and they talked me into stealthing nearby, which I didn’t really need convincing to do. We said our goodbyes and I went down the trail a ways to find a spot, still hearing bits and pieces of their laughter and cussing and reenacting.