Day 41: Wasps and Didgeridoos

I was grateful that I woke up in the tent and was not attacked by a person and/or a bear. I wanted to get out and start hiking!

Having a hard time finding a good trail with the slow wi-fi at the front desk, I asked the woman working there (who was my waitress the night before) for suggestions. I wanted to hike without having to drive my car somewhere. She described a long hike with a lot of elevation gain that was just across the river. Then she told me that I was guaranteed to see a bear because that’s where they hang out.

I didn’t have any bear spray so I chose to do a small trail around the nature center that was next to the resort. I put on my backpack and got started.

Walking through the property, I passed some chickens and the safari tents. The tents were close together and there was a group of ten people sitting in folding chairs around a fire-pit, drinking. Their music was playing loudly and the area was strewn with birthday decorations. Overall, they were pretty obnoxious. I was happy to have my secluded romantic tent – even if I was alone and there were strange creatures that stalked me at night.

As I headed down the trail, I passed a bird house and a strange figure made out of branches.

The trail took me to the nature center and a girl was outside painting a picnic bench. I walked around inside the small building that showcased the local animals and terrain. The girl told me the trail continued around the lake, so I carried on.

The trail was easy and quickly brought me back to the nature center. This time, there were two girls painting the picnic table. I asked them about bears and how often they see them in the area. They told me there is really only one that hangs around and he’s around two to three years old. He’s small and no longer with his mother.

A tall guy walked up with a German accent and said, “I’m just tending to my garden and stuff.” I replied, “That sounds like a good day!”

I asked what there is to do and the first girl took me inside and showed me some things on a large map. She pointed out the Skookumchuck Narrows and a place on Vancouver Island that has goats on top of the building.

We walked down a small hill, around the outside of the building and ran into the other girl, and a woman who appeared to be in her 50s with two long, gray braids. I told them about my travels and Braids told me about a local woman who was hiking 500 miles across Canada.

Two European guys who also work around there joined us, and Braids continued to tell stories. She said she once went on a date with a guy who took her on a ferry to the northern part of Olympic National Park in Washington. They hopped on a bus when they arrived, but the rain had washed the road out. Instead, they hiked to their destination. By that evening, they were in a tent. That was all on a spur-of-the-moment date. I thought, “Why can’t I meet a guy who takes me on dates like that?”

That reminded her of another time she took a ferry up north and set a tent up right on the beach. A guy who was camped nearby kept playing the didgeridoo and she was getting annoyed. But then, whales started popping up! The sound was being played for the whales and they loved it. She sat there on the beach under the moonlight watching whales while listening to a didgeridoo.

This woman was so full of life and I loved her authenticity. I hope I’m like that when I’m older: full of lovely stories about all of my crazy adventures.

I hiked back to my tent and decided to take a nap. The best naps are in a tent in the woods, feeling exhausted and content after a hike.

After my delightful nap, I did some writing on the front porch overlooking the river. For dinner, I went to the Italian restaurant again and ate more expensive pasta. The sunset was incredible and the night was so peaceful.

Before bed, I hiked up to the bathroom to take a shower. There were two bathroom stalls with wooden doors, and two small showers. Once I turned on the water, there was a wasp that started flying around in my shower. I tried to shoo him away since I’m allergic to bees, but he kept diving towards me. I thought, “Great, if I have to use my epi-pen from being stung by a wasp in a shower, that’s going to be a ridiculous story.”

I did not get stung, thankfully, and headed back down to my tent. I closed the window flaps in case there were strange noises again. I also put my backpacking knife and my glasses beside my bed so I’d be prepared this time. Thankfully, I slept very soundly that night and dreamt of whales dancing to their favorite music.

Thanks for reading! Hit the Like button or leave a comment!

Post Edited By: Mandy Strider