First of all I gotta get this off my chest, so to speak. I have been to Deep Creek h.s. several times in the past month and have not posted here. I have not gone there with out running into some one from this site complaining about me not posting my regular trip reports ;~o Like that is a crime or sumptin.
Occasionally, it is nice to get out of the computer digital world.
On the Wednesday before Thanks giving I went for a 4 nights and 3 day car camping trip to the Freedom trail head area.
On Wednesday I arrived near the trail head @ 1 1/2 hour before sunset. Which gave me plenty of time to set up camp. While setting my large ice cooler on the ground I noticed a large amount of bird feathers there. While exploring the general area I found another place where bird feathers were spread around too. Afterwards I was watching for falling stars from the comfort of my sleeping bag. I noticed several small shooting stars. Then I saw one shooting star dart half way across the sky. This took about 3 seconds. After the shooting star disappeared a white trail left behind took @ 5 seconds too fall from the sky, kind of like dominoes falling. I felt very lucky to have witnessed this spectacle. Just as I was Thanking God for this, another shooting star started at the same place with the same trajectory. Doing the same Domino effect, I felt double lucky.
About one minuet later as I was looking toward the sky I heard what sounded like one rock sticking another nearby. I prop-ed myself up on my elbow to watch for any movement in the area. I did not see anything after a few minuets of looking. Then just as I started to look away I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, but was not 100% certain. After a few minuets I saw no thing and continued my star gazing. After a few minuets of this I heard a loud and clear MEEE - OOOU ! After about 3 seconds I heard another MEEE - OOOU ! I prop-ed myself up on my elbow again reaching for my flashlight. As I did this I heard a MMEE, that was it. I assumed this was nearby and he heard me so I tried to make no sound what so ever. Again I stared into the area of this sound which was in the same area the rock sound was before. I stared for probably 3 minuets without seeing any thing. I was wandering if some one was trying to surprise me or if the growler was stalking me, I wandered all kinds of scenarios. Then suddenly I was 100% I saw something in the darkness move. Only for about 1 or 2 feet. It was only a patch of grey in the blackness of night. So I intensified my stare. While attempting to remain completely quiet. Then after about 3 minuets I saw movement in the same area, this movement was only about 1 or 2 feet also. So I pointed my 3 - D cell flashlight with it's super bright light directly at the movement area. To my surprise a 3 foot long Bobcat stared back at me for about 3 seconds before darting away.His emerald blue eyes were beautiful to behold as he was less than 20 feet away. I sprung out of my sleeping bag for a second encounter. The cool breeze had left the ground slightly moist. So tracking this beautiful creature was easy. I saw his tracks go into a Scrub Oak tree nearby then come out the other side. When he came out the other side his leaps were over 10 feet apart. He continued to a large boulder then descended down the steep hill. I am sure I scared him more than he scared me. Once again I felt very lucky for this encounter.
The next morning I got to the hot springs at 7 am. I saw no one camping but there was 1 guy soaking in the Arizona pool. I wished him a happy Thanks giving. He was quite but wished me one too. He soaked about 20 more minuets then picked up trash for @ 20 minuets then left. That may be why I could find no trash to take with me when I left. All day I counted only 15 visitors. Kind of nice for a change.
I did encounter a couple who were camping downstream from the pools. I asked if he had seen anything unusual while camping down there. He said that while collecting fire wood further down stream on the day before he had spotted a Bobcat. So, naturally I had to tell him about my encounter also. By his description he saw the same Bobcat I saw, but who knows?