A listener writes “Dear Wes, I am an older lady and I do not type very well, but I will try my best. I had a great relationship with my Dad.
We were very close and he told me things that he never told anyone else. I looked up to him and trusted him completely. He was my rock and I adored him.
When I was 12 years old my younger brother nagged my parents to take him camping. They really did not want to go so they kept delaying it. Finally a friend of my Dads said he could use his hunting cabin for the weekend. My mom felt better about it because it was not a tent and she was a city girl, so we packed up some supplies and the directions, and off we went. We left on a Friday eve. Dad got home from work. We live in NJ so the trip to pa only took a few hours.
The first problem came when we got lost in the back woods somewhere. The directions took us down some very thick parts of the woods. It was just getting dark when we arrived at the cabin. It had not been used for a few years but it did have 4 bunks, table, 4 chairs, and a portable potty chair. That was like a wooden chair with a hole in it and a bucket full of dirt and wood chips mixed together was under it. By the end of the night my mother would get to know that chair very well.
It must have been around 10 pm when we started to hear movement outside the cabin. Mom was a very nervous lady, easily excitable. The cabin had these wooden shutters inside and a piece of wood that could be lowered down in front of them to secure them. She went to the windows, slammed them shut but there was a gap in between the two sides that you could peek out of. Soon we heard banging on the sides of the cabin.
It started in the front and the banging continued all the way around the cabin. My dear mother got so scared she couldn’t hold back her bowels and ran for that old wooden potty chair. She screamed “It’s a bear, and started to say hear prayers” I don’t think God approved of her timing but that was all she felt she could do. This continued for hours and poor mom began throwing up as well into garbage bags. Daddy positioned himself in front of the door. He sat calmly in a chair with his 2 loaded shot guns by his side. My little brother fell asleep in one of the bunks and never heard a thing.
Hours went by and the creature started throwing large rocks at the cabin. The roof was metal and the rocks banged on the top and rolled down and they were so loud. I couldn’t believe my brother never woke up. I went over to my Dad and sat next to him. I wanted to be close to him because it made me feel better. I knew as long as Daddy was close by, all would be made right with the world. I asked him a very important question.
Earlier I saw him looking out the gap in the shutters. I wanted to know if bears throw rocks. He said “I don’t think so.” Then I asked him “what did you see outside the window?” He said “a big creature.” This creature kept this up for about 5 hours. Then moms prayers were finally answered, it started to rain, thunder and lightning. The creature gave up and went away. When first light came my Dad packed up the car. He helped my mother to get in because she was so weak.
All the way home my brother was complaining and wanted to know why we left so soon. My mother told him to shut up! 3x He asked, “when can we come back?” She said, “NEVER.” That was her last camping trip. End of part 1. I would like to tell you about the other times.”
Avis B
I would love to hear more.. OMG I would have to clean my pants.. after that.. Thank you Wes for all you do..!!
Barbara W
Her daddy sounds super cool. A lot like my own. Sounds like my mom too, lol.
I’m eagerly awaiting part 2!
Have a good weekend, everybody.
Kathy J T
Dear Listener, Tell us more!!!! We can hardly wait!!!!
Taylor W
Pins and needles, need more
Pete M
Awesome, thanks for sharing.
Charles R
Your own version of Ape Canyon and you never threatened the locals. Sometimes they just do not want you around, probably raising some young ones.
Kenneth K
Would like to know where in Pennsylvania this occurred, my encounter was near lake wallenpaupack.
Lisa H
thank u so much for sharing this story. I can understand why some people hesitate to spend time in the outdoors, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. I’m glad u all made it home safely; can’t wait to hear more.
MIGUEL V
Would love for you to have her as a guest.
victoria b
WOW!!!
Jonathan B
When you going camping you want to enjoy nature not have nature kill you. Bears are one thing booger bear’s are to much.
Trent M
Yes I’m with the others that are eagerly waiting for part 2! Thanks for sharing your experience with us and giving us a glimpse of your great dad.
Karen C
Intense all the way, what a relief that Dad had his guns with him, Love our Dads they always make us feel safe…
SHANNON D
Wow, thanks for sharing!!!
Ulrike H
Would love to hear more! Thank you so much for part one.
Pat T
Wow Wes, does it get more scary than that?, much thanks to your courageous guest for coming on and sharing. Poor mom, very traumatic for her. Please give us part 2
Mike H
Plz plz plz do a part 2….that was an awesome story…..told well……plz don’t forget Wes…thank you too the guest….AWESOME….
Sid N
The cabin owner had not been out to the cabin in several years?…Well, let me send this nice little family out there, and if nothing happens, it’s safe for me to go back out there again! It sounds like the family were set up by another’s agenda! It makes you wonder if the cabin owner had fired off shots or injured one when he saw them years before? That was what prompted the cabin attack when miners shot one of the Sasquatch and spent the night defending themselves inside the well made little cabin. The name of the miner who told the story escapes me at the moment! Good that Dad had a cool head! Good for the cabin owner that Dad had a cool head also!
Sid N
Fred Beck, and the Ape Canyon Incident, was what I was referencing, miners defending themselves in their cabin.
Sid N
Apccording to Google, today April 21, 2018; is “Earth Day” and Jane Goodall does a short little piece there in honor of “Earth Day.”