The Wild Heart / Black Moshannon, Early Spring

Where is the reason
Don't blame it on me
Blame it on my wild heart
~Stevie Nicks, Wild Heart


We left our intrepid backpackers on a hill in the Moshannon State Forest. Let me now tell you the rest of our tale. But first, I would like to address some reader comments to yesterday's posting:

1. No, I was not scratched by BEARS. I was scratched by BRIARS. It's been quite a few years since I've seen any bears in the woods. I am ever hopeful, however!
2. Yes, it WAS fun to celebrate my own rites of nature in springtime. You celebrate your way. I'll celebrate mine!
3. No, I did not check for roving spy satellites before removing my apparel, but I did, in fact, THINK what a hoot it would be for somebody to see my shining pale white winter skin from the sky with a drone or satellite.
4. My mother used to use the phrase "in the altogether," which I did think of during the Lady Godiva episode. The term originated in the late 1800s, to mean - yes - frolicking in one's birthday suit. Thanks, Mom. For the birthday you gave me, and for the birthday suit you made me.

But perhaps I digress. Ahem.

We had set our tents up in the Moshannon State Forest, and as the afternoon began to wane, I went in and pumped up Big Agnes, a green inflatable sleeping pad. I typically carry two thin ones that roll up, plus Big Agnes, which I blow up with a small bicycle type pump. I am pleased and proud to report that I accomplished this task in a mere 14 minutes, which is possibly a personal record.

We had taken along fold-up stadium type chairs, which work very well in a tent. Several miles is just too far to carry our customary larger bag chairs, which are so much more like actual chairs. A year or so ago, a tree fell by our Moshannon campsite, and so we took our stadium chairs and put those on the log (not shown). That is where we spent most of our time at this campsite.

We listened to music and watched the temperature fall on the digital thermometer, which we take on such adventures. This is how I know that our high for Wednesday was 64, our overnight low was 35, and our high for Thursday was 69, which was QUITE toasty.

As night fell, we watched the sky, and eventually, we saw a tiny crescent moon, which hung out with us at the treetops for the next few hours. We made up stories about the Man in the Moon, who seemed quite near and personable, and even gave us a tiny bit of light.

In mid-February, I bought two small hand-held heaters when they were on sale for under $10 apiece on Amazon. I put a butterfly sticker on the one and so it is called Butterfly Power. I put a flower sticker on the other and it is called Flower Power. Well, let me tell you, those two tiny heaters were the belles of the ball on this evening! For we both enjoyed a little heat on our hands as the night grew chillier. Wow, what a great idea!

We sat and placed bets on how cold it would get overnight. I guessed 41 or 42, and I lost. My husband said 39 or 40. We had both looked at the online weather forecasts before leaving, but neither of us guessed it would hit the low it did, which was 35. And yes, I woke up with cold feet and guess who helped turn the tide - Flower Power and Butterfly Power!

It was very, very quiet at our campsite, and I didn't get into my tent until after 10 p.m. I did not get back out again until 10 the next morning. I don't usually get into the nitty-gritties here, but I do pack a lightweight medium-sized plastic container with a wide opening at the top and a lid to use during the night for bathroom breaks. 

This works well for number one, but for number two, you're still gonna have to go outside. I only started bringing such a container in the past year or two. I just don't prefer getting out of my sleeping bag, putting on my boots and tying the laces, and then walking around outside my tent in the dark. First off, it wakes you up, and you don't want that. Second, you never know what sorts of critters you might step on, in the middle of the woods, in the dark.

In prior visits to this campsite, one time my backpack was attacked by a late-night wood rat. And another time, I had a porcupine walk right past my tent in the morning, and climb straight up a tree nearby. This time, we heard the scurry of what may have been a few wood rats around bedtime, then nothing more.

We took our time getting out of our tents and packing up the next morning, and the temperature warmed up quickly. My husband asked to take my picture in my tent, so here you have the best of the three shots he took. This is me, in my tent on a warm and sunny spring morning, in the middle of the Pennsylvania wilds. In front of me are my pals the Moose, Tiny Tiger, the Anteater, Little Bear, and Alex the Alligator.

I was already thinking about the walk back out, but here's the strange truth: my right knee and foot felt better than they have in MONTHS! It was almost as though the walk into our backpacking site helped CURE my injuries. I couldn't believe it, but I was glad, and so grateful. Is there a lesson to be learned from this? Maybe? I don't know. Maybe the lesson is to feed your wild heart, and the rest will work itself out.

Just as we were getting ready to leave our site, we heard voices on the hill above us. It sounded like two men, shouting back and forth. Then I heard a weird noise that sounded like a small dog or a croaking amphibian. I realized what it was the next time I heard it: it was someone practicing their turkey calls in the woods.

Now, it was not spring gobbler season yet, but I do believe that is what was going on. The sound made me laugh. I made a disapproving face. "That's the worst turkey call I've ever heard!" I said; "It sounds like a dying bullfrog. THAT ISN'T HOW IT'S DONE!" 

Well, yes, my dad was a pro at turkey calling, though he never actually killed any turkeys that I can remember, because he did not prefer turkey meat; he thought it was just too gamey. But he loved the idea, I think, of talking to the animals, a la Dr. Dolittle. So yeah, I know what a turkey call is SUPPOSED to sound like! That wasn't it.

And then we put our packs on and walked straight back to the two downed trees, and the three downed trees, and our white Walmart bag, which we picked up and carried out with us. I'd given myself permission to bag and take along home the small white animal skull I'd come across on the walk in, but to tell the truth, I never saw it again. Maybe next time.

We walked back up the non-trail, to the deer path, to the old woods road, and up the hill, and out. "Was it ALWAYS that easy?" my husband asked, incredulous. Well, it never SEEMED easy. But on this day, when I needed it to be, it was.

I walked sure and strong, and faster than before. I felt good! We arrived back at the car by around 1:30 in the afternoon, and we put our gear in, changed our boots, and drove down to Black Moshannon State Park to check things out. There is a view of the swimming area, with some trees just starting to bud, and their reflections, in the extras. 

I was quite toasty after carrying my pack up and down hills in the heat, and I would have very happily jumped in for a swim. Oh yes, now that would feel just like Heaven! But the signs, of course, say No Swimming. Perhaps I could walk along the edge and trip and sort of . . . fall in. Yeah, sort of accidentally like.

And then it was getting to be time to eat something, and so we headed for home. By around 3:30, we were at our house. We unpacked everything as soon as we got there and I aired my gear out for a few hours. By 7:30, we were showered and fed, and my gear was all aired out and neatly tucked back into the front closet. Whew! The first backpacking trip of 2024 is in the books!

It is customary for me to include a song or two with each posting. So since I have two photos, here are two songs. First, for the girl above - call her what you will, call her Lady Godiva (or LadyG), or maybe just the girl with the wild heart - I've got Stevie Nicks, with Wild Heart. And for the backpacking trip itself, which seemed to be part of the cure for my right foot and knee, and for the chilly dip at Black Moshannon's swimming area which I did NOT get, that would have felt so perfect after our toasty walk out, I've got The Cure, with Just Like Heaven.