A listener writes “I was traveling from Gresham Oregon to Gardnerville NV. I exited Hwy- 5 to Hwy 89 south of the town Shasta CA heading east on Hwy 89.
I passed the little towns of McCloud CA and Bartell. About 15 minutes after passing the town of Bartel at a speed of 70 MPH I saw what I originally thought was a backpacker with hiking poles and a large black backpack on the right shoulder of the road at about 300 to 400 yard ahead of me. it seemed to pause for a second and then proceeded to cross the highway.
When it started to cross I still thought it was a backpacker until it was about half way across the road and I saw the way it moved. Its upper body and head rose with each step. It took 4 strides to cross the highway. Just as it was almost off the road it moved so that I could see the width of its shoulder and see that there was no backpack.
Where it crossed the road it was darkened by the shadows of the trees and when it got to the other side of the road the sun shone down on its back and it looked like charcoal gray to me.
That is when I knew it was not a person!! I had slowed down a little and thought I could get a good look at it but when I got to where I thought it crossed I could not see anything!
This was approximately 10:30 am. The closest road I came across shortly after was Dina MacArthur. Wes I make this drive a lot and I have seen a black bear cross the highway near this location and I was able to see the bear run through the woods for a few hundred yards.”