The Trouble With Noise

From Windy Corner to McHugh Creek is 5-6 Miles. From here the trail winds up from the road and along the contours of the mountain, through ravine and rock gardens, climbing and flattening, only to drop again along it's length. The hike is normally around three hours, but I like to go slow; getting down or peeking around the foliage for insects or other small sights. Sometimes it takes me over four hours to go across the length, but Lots of folks are in a rush, running or walking fast, as though their eyes were future bound,the end in sight, and the evening meal already in their mouths. Some whistle and talk with fear;while others just look stiff, with eyes straight ahead; and then,a few are truly in sync and even say hello. The other day, I ran into a woman holding two large bear bells,strapped in the palm of her hands. She told me that it warned the bears that she was coming. She was a nice person, but I couln't imagine holding those bells while trying to take pictures or a swig of water. after her came a the trio of youngsters, making sounds and singing. One of them said it let all the animals know they were coming. Yah...I just told her that the wind, being behind them, would tell the animals without all the noise. Then she asked me if I had seen the black bears. Hmmm...with her and her friends yelling and singing,how could I even get close to a bear or a moose or a bird or anything? So,as they danced down the trail,with the light of innocence in their eyes, I could only wonder how they had got this far. Further on, an older women, along with her younger companion, again asked me about the bears. By this time, the story had grown into a survival epic. No, I told them, I hadn't seen the bears because of all the noise and people that were scaring them. The older woman seemed a little defensive about my remarks, insisting that making noise was justified if dangerous beasts were roaming the forest. Right...no use talking them out of their delusions. Finally, after getting to the cliff area near the other side, I climbed up along the loose rock, when another person came around the bend. She whistled, but then saw that it was me,not some hungry beast ( although I was hungry like a beast by then). She asked if I didn't mind her whistling. My answer was to gave her some of my jaded philosophy, about how noise only drowned out the perceptions, actually blinding the mind's awareness for survival. My words came in a deluge, telling her also that fear, the motivating reason behind making all this noise, actually created a false sense of security. She stopped, thought for a moment, her mind now open and unafraid,thanked me and walked on in a state of grace. Well, someone has to be the reluctant messiah out here on the trail.But I suppose that noise, judiciously used, has its place where people and animals meet. And besides,wild animals don't like noise and do vanish, especially with all these fearful types walking around. However,it's the runners that usually get into trouble in bear country. So by the time I had gotten across the trail,I felt like I needed some time alone.