My son and I recently decided to go on a hiking adventure, leaving the mean streets of New York City behind for the beautiful Silver Mine Lake. It’s a 3.8-mile trail near Bear Mountain in Harriman State Park.

At first, the hike was peaceful, and we enjoyed the surroundings. We felt like explorers, looking for interesting trails, wildlife, and natural beauty. However, we accidentally strayed from the lakeside path. We ended up on a route that took us deeper into the woods. Oblivious of how far it would take us, we consulted the AllTrails app, hoping it would guide us back to where we started. The trails became harder and steeper as we followed the app’s directions. We were getting tired, but I tried to stay brave and lead the way to get us back to the lake.

To our surprise, about three-quarters of the way through the hike, we stumbled upon a sign that read, “Warning: Black Bear Activity in this Area.” Our nerves kicked in, and we exchanged anxious glances. But Naseem and I, the adventurers we are, continued walking. We were clearly unaware of the potential danger lurking nearby.

There were times along that part of our hike when we both had thoughts about what we saw on that sign. I was thinking, “What if a bear tries to attack us? Could I be a hero if I used a rock to defend my son against a black bear? Should we act big and raise our arms if we see a bear, or do we act like it doesn’t exist and keep walking?” Meanwhile, Naseem’s thoughts were a bit more straightforward: “Man, I hope we don’t become bear food out here!”

As luck would have it, just as we started our descent toward the lake and our car, there it was—a black bear! Summoning my bravery, I urgently whispered, “Hey, Naseem!” Startled, he responded, “What?” It was then that he spotted the bear himself. It was like a scene from one of those survival shows we watched together—a real-life episode playing out before our eyes. Naseem’s wide eyes reflected a mix of trepidation and worry. At the same time, I shifted into ‘fight or flight’ mode, ready to protect my offspring at all costs.

Desperately searching for a defense mechanism, we instinctively grabbed sticks – not really thinking how useless they would be against a bear. But the truth was, we certainly wanted to avoid becoming the bear’s lunch and dinner that afternoon!

Cautiously, we began backing away from the bear, each step filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity about the adequacy of my rock-throwing or stick-wielding skills. To our relief, the bear seemed disinterested in our presence, more intent on rummaging through nearby bushes. And in a moment of misguided bravado, I eyed a massive rock, imagining ourselves climbing atop it like I was the 21st-century black Daniel Boone. We briefly thought about going all the way back, but that was way too long of a hike back, and who knows, there might be more black bears in that direction. We looked for a hiker that we passed a mile back to see if he was coming our way to possibly help or give expert guidance to us city folk, but he was nowhere to be found.

Alas, common sense prevailed, and we opted to wait it out, observing the bear eventually moving on. We cautiously walked past the spot where the bear was and saw no trace of Smokey. From what we saw, the bear was either a young male or a mama bear. Luckily, we didn’t see any cubs, or there might have been some trouble.

As we saw the light of the lake get closer, we also noticed humans coming our way. We were happy to see them! We informed the first couple of the bear. They followed our lead and turned around, even though one said they wanted to see it. We suggested they look at a National Geographic show instead. Another elderly couple was fascinated by the bear but stopped going any further. A young man came by, ready for a hike, and we told him about the bear. Startled by our news, he said, “No shit?!” I’m unsure if he kept hiking on that path, but we kept moving toward our parked vehicle.

Just when we thought the excitement was over, a rustling sound emerged from the bushes behind us. Frozen in our tracks, we held our breath, anticipating the worst. But instead of another bear, out popped a mischievous chipmunk, seemingly mocking us with its mischievous gaze. Its expression seemed to say, “You thought it was another bear, didn’t you?”

We couldn’t help but burst into laughter with a huge sense of relief. It reminded us that our minds can sometimes play tricks on us in unexpected situations. With our spirits lifted, we continued our hike, keeping an eye out for any more surprises from the wildlife. We walked along the trail, sharing stories and jokes, occasionally looking back to make sure no woodland comedians were following us, eager to join our adventure.

Finally, we reached the safety of our car, unscathed but with our hearts racing. We were physically exhausted but emotionally exhilarated. Our peaceful walk had metamorphosed into an unforgettable and laughter-filled escapade. We sat in the car, retracing our steps, relishing the adrenaline still coursing through our veins while simultaneously reflecting on the hilarity of our unexpected wildlife encounter.

 

All those gentle thoughts from earlier had vanished, replaced by fantasies of survival gear and bear-repelling tactics. What started as a leisurely hike had morphed into a wild adventure complete with Smokey The Bear and Alvin, the chipmunk, as a comedian. It was a stark reminder that life often throws unexpected twists our way.

The ride back to New York City was filled with laughter and animated retellings of our bear encounter. We couldn’t resist imagining ourselves as the stars of our very own nature-themed comedy show. With each mile passed on our way back to New York City, the tension eased, and our worries transformed into humorous anecdotes.

As we bid farewell to Silvermine Lake, promising to never return for more escapades, we realized that sometimes the best adventures are the ones that catch us completely off guard, making us laugh, ponder, and appreciate the wonders of the world around us.

Our hike to Silver Mine Lake taught us that life’s greatest adventures often lie in the most surprising places, waiting to be discovered with a touch of spontaneity and a dash of laughter, turning mundane moments into extraordinary memories – ones that we will share for the rest of our lives.

Clayton Craddock writes for the thought-provoking Substack, Think Things Through, a publication dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom. He also developed an online resource called Broadway Drumming 101, catering to musicians aspiring to pursue careers in musical theater. Notably, he also hosts the engaging Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast.

Clayton has held the drum chair in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grilland Ain’t Too Proud. He has been a sub drummer on Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Spongebob Squarepants-The Musical, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, and The Big Apple Circus.

Clayton has performed on various TV shows, including Good Morning America, The Colbert Report, The View, The Jimmy Fallon Show, The CBS Early Show, the Today Show, and the 2010 and 2019 TONY Awards at Radio City. He’s shared the stage with legends such as The Stylistics, Denise Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King and was in the Netflix DWYCK episode of Luke Cage with the Delfonics and the HBO version of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.

Contact Clayton HERE: clayton@claytoncraddock.com