Page 2 of Squatch Out!
Every few dozen yards, it would appear around another tree and make thewuff-wuffsound before disappearing again. It led me through the darkening forest until I heard the panicked sound of my mother’s voice calling out my name.
By then, I’d been missing for hours, and, of course, no one believed me when I told them about the giant monkey-man that led me back. After I was reunited with my parents, holding on to my mother’s hand, I looked over my shoulder back into the forest. Looking back at me was the same hairy creature. A creature I would later realize was the legendary Bigfoot and it sparked an obsession that has stuck with me all these years later.
When I finish telling her my story, she mumbles something like, “That’s fascinating,”and grabs a pair of pink headphones so she can ignore me. Settling back in my uncomfortable seat, I tuck a neck pillow behind my head and close my eyes. My lipsquirk up at the corners and no one bothers me for the rest of the flight.
Five hours later,I’m the first of my friends to land in Seattle.
While I make my way through the sprawling airport, I pull out my cell and text Tony.
We were teens when we met on a message board devoted to bigfoot. Both of us were young when we had our sightings, which kind of cemented our friendship. Over the years, we’ve stayed in touch, despite college and jobs and just life in general. Now he’s one of my best friends and the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had.
My parents had me when they were older. My mom was in her fifties, and my dad was sixty. I wasa pleasant surpriseafter years of infertility, but it meant losing them before I graduated from college. My mom first, to cancer, and my dad less than a year later from his broken heart.
ME: Just landed.
Almost immediately, I see the dots flashing under my message.
TONY: So jealous! I’d give anything to stretch my legs right now. I still have two more hours till I land.
Tony is flying in from Colorado.
ME: Be glad your flight isn’t as long as mine was. I got stuck in the middle seat.
TONY: I told you to upgrade.
ME: Yeah, well, I spent all my money on reserving our campsite. Speaking of spending money, I’m going to hit REI and Trader Joe’s before I head up to the lodge. Drop me a list of anything else you can think of that we might have forgotten.
TONY: Don’t worry about us. We’ll pick up anything we need on our way. See you soon!
ME: Can’t wait!
Swiping my thumb across my phone screen, I open another text message. This one is for Brian.
ME: Hey, Brian. Just landed. Let me know when you and Ashley land. I can’t wait to meet up with everyone!
I wait a few minutes, but when I don’t receive a reply, I tuck my phone away and keep moving toward the baggage claim. Apparently, it’s conveniently located at the opposite end of the massive airport from where we landed.
I met Brian and Ashley on the same message boards I met Tony. Since they are both from Montana, they decided to fly together. I’ve known Brian for several years; he’s probably old enough to be my father but acts like a man closer to my age. I haven’t known Ashley for as long, but I’m excited to get some much-needed girl-time this week.
This will be my first time meeting them both in person, and I can’t help the excited spring in my step as I collect my luggage. It’s not much; I have my carry-on with me, so I’m only pickingup a large clamshell tote with my camping gear. That finished, I head off to find the car rental place.
I’m grippingthe steering wheel so hard, I’m surprised my fingers don’t leave permanent impressions in the plastic as I finally merge onto the highway that will take me north toward the Olympic National Forest.
Fucking hell.I thought traffic in Roanoke was bad, but this place is so much worse!
Seattle drivers seem to have no concept of what a blinker is, and none of the road signs are helpful at all, leaving me at the mercy of my lagging GPS. Despite that, I managed to get the rest of the supplies I wasn’t able to bring with me on the plane and some groceries without getting into a major traffic accident.
Glancing beside me, I let out a heavy sigh. When I booked my trip, I made sure to reserve a full-sized SUV, knowing I’d be hauling a lot of gear and driving in rough terrain. But when I got to the car rental place, the bored-as-fuck kid behind the counter informed me that all they had was this compact hatchback. When I raised a stink, I was told I could take it or leave it.
At least it has all-wheel drive. But I had to fold the back seats down and flatten the front passenger seat to fit my trunk inside. Hopefully the others chose a better rental place and will have better luck.
A giggle slips past my lips as I imagine the three of them pulling up in a compact sedan that would have trouble handling a gravel road, let alone the terrain I’m expecting. Not to mention how it would hold the three of them and all their gear.
The drive up Highway 101 is beautiful, and it’s not long before my stress is melting away. It’s a sunny day on the Washington coast, and I’m captivated by the blue sky and shimmering ocean. About an hour into the three-hour drive, I get a text from Tony announcing they have landed and will be hitting the road to meet me soon.
Another wave of excitement hits me. It has been far too long since I’ve taken a real vacation, and the mountains have always been my happy place. Back home, it’s not uncommon to find me heading up into the Appalachians on my days off. Add some of my favorite people and the potential to maybe spot a bigfoot, and I’m the happiest nerd in the world.
The small town where we’ll be staying tonight is the last bit of civilization before we’ll head into the uninhabited and unforgiving Olympics. We booked rooms at a luxurious lakeside lodge for tonight and then another night when we return, since the campsite I reserved for the five-day stretch has an outhouse, and that’s it. No running water. No shelter. Just earth and sky and hopefully a Sasquatch.
