This week I am with 14 of my family members at a place in Thompson, PA called Hemlock Point Lodge. We have this whole huge home to ourselves and I got to tell you this place is gorgeous. My sister Mary and her husband John rented out the place for my nephew Nate’s birthday. He chose this over having a party and I am so glad he did.
The house has five bedrooms and can sleep 16 people. The best part is the guy who owns the place is also the builder. He did an amazing job of making this place feel like your home. I am hoping to get some pictures soon so I can show the beauty of the place, but the one thing you don’t get is a lot of cellphone service or wi-fi. We all took great shot’s of the place but we just can’t sync all the items yet, so the pictures will come at a later time. If you want a little preview check out their website www.hemlockpointlodge.com.
Dee and I were the first to arrive and when we walked in our mouths literally dropped. The view of the lake is the first thing to hit you when you walk into the great room. This place is on a private lake and they have a row-boat, kayaks, paddle boat and a canoe. My first agenda was to get on the canoe and do some fishing. Now the fishing here is also great, the lake has pike, pickerel, perch and blue gill. All catch and release. We had the downstairs bedroom with a full view of the lake so the fish are constantly on my mind.
Our first day we arrived at 5 pm so we all just basically unpacked and sat out on the huge back porch and enjoyed the view. The kids claimed the hot tub that night which is also on the back porch. We also got in some card playing time when the mosquitos drove us indoors. My pops family has been playing a game called King Pedro for years so that is the game of choice for all his kids and grandkids. After a few hours of cards we all retired for a good nights sleep.
Day two at Hemlock Point. I got up at 5 am, now I normally never ever get up at that time but I woke up wide awake and super excited to get some fishing in and that is just what I did. Everyone who is here enjoys the fishing so my sister had a trophy made for the person who catches the largest fish this week. So far pop’s is ahead with a 19 inch chain pickerel. I also bought pocket knives to give out as a daily prize just to keep the competition going.
After fishing a good portion of the day Dee and I decided we would do a little hiking through the woods to the other side of the lake were some of my family were fishing from the shore. Now we have been told about all the wildlife here so we knew we might run into something. Let me tell you what I was not expecting to run into, and that is a bear. I have never in all my years as a camper run into a bear and in fact the only bear I have ever seen are the ones in a zoo behind bars. Well this day we were walking back on a different trail from the one we took and as we were walking just chatting away I look up and there about 40 feet in front of us there is a black bear and her cub. I made the mistake of making eye contact with her so she started walking right toward us. Luckily I kept my cool, Denise wanted us to just back up, but that bear would have just followed us so I started shouting as loud as I could, I was making different noises, not just screaming. Caw,Caw, Caw, Hiyout, Hiyout, I screamed out at the top of my lungs. After a few times of that the bear and cub turned and went into the woods. There was also a deer a little further up the trail that ran when I continued my call. I also carry at least three pocket knives on me when in the woods and the one has a whistle on it so in between calls I would blow on the whistle. Our hopes were to attract the attention of our family so that we would have more people and feel a little safer but that did not happen.
When we finally arrived back at the lodge we were a little shaken up. As we told my family about our bear encounter their first words were did you get a picture? I am like… are you kidding me?! This is a momma bear with a cub, you don’t stop and say can you please pose for me. We are talking real wildlife not something you see on TV. I have a great respect for the outdoors and I am not going to be one of those casualties that you hear about because I want a picture of the bear. Also, my family did hear us but some were just what is that strange noise, while others thought we were just goofing. So much for family help.
Day Three at Hemlock Point
Again fishing is the first order of business, most my family are across the lake fishing so Dee, my niece Sonja, her little baby and my sister Dolly decide we will hike on over there. We feel much safer in a big group. We made the hike with no bear sightings so when we get to the lake we figure all is good. At that point my dad and nephew decide they have had enough for a while. They had taken the row-boat over so they hopped in it and left. Not even five minutes after they left my niece and I heard a loud branch break in the marsh behind us. Oh shit, that was my first thought, not again. We look over and we see the baby cub run into the woods. Now we know momma bear cannot be far off so we decide to get the heck out of there. For me that makes two sightings in two days.
Day Four at Hemlock Point
Today we decide we want to fish across the lake once again. This time we take a portable wagon that my sister Dolly brought. We load it with chairs and some small cooler and snacks so we can fish for a while. Once again we get there and my dad and nephew who have been there since early am decide they had enough for a while. We stayed there and fished for about a half hour till the clouds started to roll in. We decided we would walk back before getting caught in the rain. This time we had no bear sittings. Well it turned out to be a day of rain off and on. Later that day my sister Dolly and I decide to take the canoe over and bring back the chairs and stuff we left as it looked like the day would be a wash out. Dolly got out of the canoe and was handing me some of the stuff when all of a sudden we hear branches braking, that can only mean one thing, get the hell out of there. I look over to where the noise was and sure enough there is momma bear, she see my sister and starts to run right at her. I tell my sister to get in the boat and again I scream my Caw,Caw,Caw, Hiyout, Hiyout at the bear and she does turn a little, at least time enough for my sister to get into the boat. We high tailed it out of there. Again my family, did you get a picture? Are they crazy, the bear was charging my sister and we are going to take his picture… NOT!
So now I am on a mission. We have been taking the boat over but staying in it hoping to see the bear long enough for a picture. Of course now that we want to see it because we are feeling fairly safe being in a boat, we have not seen it. The only other encounter with the bear was my nephew Ron and my pops were over there fishing and my nephew heard a loud splash in the marsh behind him. He got himself and pops back in the boat and did not stick around long enough to see if it was indeed the bear.
As I write this blog, my hopes are still to get a picture of the bear. Keep in mind I plan on doing this from a distance and from inside the boat. As for vacation time with my family, I am loving every minute of the whole crazy bunch.