Campfire Tale of the Sasquatch Temptation

The Sasquatch Temptation

“Silent steps beneath the trees,

Blending with the whispering breeze,

In emerald worlds of mystery,

Sasquatch walks with secrecy.”

Myths and legends, fantasy tales,

Mystic Beach, where the storm wind wails,

Blowing over spindrift foam,

Tales of Sasquatch in its home.

Adriana brought her Sasquatch books to the family reunion at Thanksgiving. Their large group gathered every year in the Mystic Beach wilderness on the Oregon coast. 

She could retreat and read if she needed some peaceful time. The family often got into heated discussions and political debates. Adriana welcomed the idea of escape.

After dinner she and her cousin Rockabilly poured over the book “Believe in the Sasquatch,” by R.E. Ally.

When Adriana said “Let’s go out and look for it tomorrow,” Rockabilly smiled and nodded. These reunions could be dull. 

They were supposed to stay and visit but they could not resist the temptation to get outdoors and explore. Later they were so glad they gave in because their lives were enriched by the experience.

By afternoon they were out in the Sasquatch wilderness high on a peak overlooking the ocean. After rounding a bend in the trail, Adriana and Rockabilly froze, eyes riveted. Cold fingers of fear crept up Adriana’s spine. Her shaggy dog, Baby, was motionless, peering into the fog with wide eyes beneath the grey fringes too.

In the thick morning fog, swirling like smoke, the giant Sasquatch stood thirty feet away, its lumpy form, with a height as tall as the Douglas Firs.

"It's as big as King Kong," whispered Rockabilly, his voice quivering.

"We only come up to its ankles," said Adriana. Her mouth was so dry she could barely get the words out.

"The head is way up in the sky with the tree tops." Rockabilly's voice was breathless.

The silhouette showed a half-human, half-ape shape. A low rumble reached their ears, echoing through the wilderness. They turned and ran full speed back along the trail, gasping for air, stumbling over ruts and tree roots.

When they got home Adriana and Rockabilly sat by the campfire outdoors and discussed what to do about the Sasquatch.

 Later that day Adriana could no longer resist the call of the temptation to return.

“Should we go back to investigate?” Adriana’s tone was serious and she looked into Rockabilly’s eye.

Rockabilly’s long silver hair fell halfway to his waist. His wrinkled face expressed the wisdom of many years at the Mystic Beach rainforest wilderness.

Rockabilly gazed back, looking into Adriana’s eyes with a searching gaze. “She’ll never be happy unless we get more answers,” he thought.  

Out loud he said, “I think it’s ok. Lets take some friends too.”

One Spring morning they got up early and hiked the Mystic Beach Trail, winding their way from the ocean up the mountain to the highest point along the coast. 

The density of the rainforest there was said by scientists to such heavy growth that the biomass weighed more than an equal area in the Amazon Rainforest. They understood why Sasquatch chose to live there. 

Adriana wore a backpack with snacks and her Sasquatch books. If they didn’t find anything today they could have a picnic and she would read to them from a book titled, “Life is Better in the Woods” by S.A. Squatch.

 After the Sasquatch encounter she obtained a copy of “The Scientific Compendium of Big Foot the Sasquatch.”

She also had the handy paperback copies of “Diary of Sasquatch as Told to Me,” and “Wisdom from my Friend Sasquatch,” by T.R. Emerald Ellery, also known as TREE.

Ana carried her powerful camera, ready to capture the Sasquatch photos. J.B. had his video camera so they could get a movie of the Sasquatch. 

Ana’s teenage twins, Lily and Thomas, completed the two legged members of the group. Lily held her chihuahua, Tinkerbell, who wore a red and white doggie sweater, against her shoulder. Tinkerbell’s big eyes watched the larger dog, Baby, whose flowing grey locks half covered his dark button eyes. 

Ana also carried her marine horn, a device she used for protection. One blast could be heard a mile away. The unexpected assault on the ears would startle the Sasquatch if it advanced toward them, and give them time to run away.

Rockabilly also carried Bear Attack Spray, figuring the Sasquatch with its big hairy shape was a little bit bear like. The spray canister had a trigger button and when pressed a flow about 6 feet wide of yellowish spray exploded for up to 30 feet. Enough to keep anyone or anything at a distance. 

“Remember,” said J.B. “Those footprints we found were huge. The claws were long. And the hairs caught on the tree were real. Be careful.” His face looked solemn.

“What was that sound?” said Lily. Her grey eyes under the dark bangs searched the forest. Tinkerbells’ eyes looked big too against her short, pale chihuahua hair, as she burrowed into Lily’s arms.

Everyone paused to listen and look around. 

They heard the ocean waves bursting against the volcanic rock stacks at the nearby beach. The air was fragrant with the odors of the Douglas Firs and other growth in the wilderness. The morning sky had a cool, bluish lavender. To the east, over ridges of mountains, rays of sun near the horizon cast shadows across the valleys.

“’This is Sasquatch country,” said J.B. “You can tell. Sasquatch could be anywhere now, right around that corner in the path.”

Adriana drew in a deep breath. A tingling crept over her. She held the deep breath for several seconds and let it out slowly. 

“Take it easy, everyone,” she said. “We need to stay calm.”

Rockabilly started to hum and began to improvise a song, singing softly,

"Take it eeeeeasy, And when it’s breeeezy…don’t let the sound of your own mind…take you somewhere you can’t find…”

“SSSShhhhh,” said Adriana. 

Rockabilly’s flute voice sang softer, barely above a whisper,

“Ooooh, Sasquatch,

With beating heart and shaggy hair,

Sasquatch sniffs the morning air,

Crossing streams and mossy glades,

Where shadows fall and light cascades.”

Rockabilly finished singing and hummed softly under his breath.

“Ouch,” he said, picking up a small Douglas Fir branch.

“Who threw that?” He looked around and everyone stared blankly back at him.

“Not me,” came the murmurs.

“What’s that?,” Adriana said.

“What?” Several voices asked.

“Is someone there?” Adriana’s voice was loud. “Come out so we can see you?”

A creaking, growling sound came from a thicket of shrubs and trees.

“Look, a leaning tree is scraping against the other tree. I think it is about to fall. Run,” said Rockabilly. Despite being blind in one eye, he knew the forest and its language. The sounds of trees and wildlife talked to him with their unspoken words.

They turned and ran, taking a smaller trail that branched off but led them farther from the falling tree. Scraping and crashing sounds came from behind.

“We’re being followed,” yelled Adiana. She pressed the button to blow the marine horn.

“OOuucchh!” came yells from the others while they covered their ears.

“pppsssshhhhhhhhh,” came the sound of the Bear Attack Spray as she pushed the trigger and pointed it behind them. The wide yellow fog of spray filled the air and hung in it.

“There it is,” screamed Lily. She pointed at a dark shape in the swirling fog 30 feet away. Ana pointed her camera and hit the photo button. J.B. held up his video camera and touched the on arrow.

“It’s only a big tree stump,” said ‘Rockabilly. “Come on everyone, calm down.”

They headed back to the main trail, giggling now at themselves.

“SSShh. Wait. I really do hear something,” said J.B.

They all made themselves breathe lighter and more quietly as they strained to hear better.

“Look,” whispered Rockabilly. He pointed at a steep slope on the mountain and they saw a rocky cave.

Coming out of the cave was a large black bear and a small yearling cub from last winter. 

“Stay quiet so Mama Bear can go away with her baby,” said Rockabilly.

No one moved, not even to take photos or a video.

A mama bear could turn dangerous if she felt the need to protect her young.

Slowly, with a relaxed pace, the large bear and furry little bundle disappeared into the dense greenery.

“Whew,” said Lily. “I’m shaking. Can we take a rest?”

“Good idea,” said Adriana. “Let’s hike back down to the beach and build a campfire. I’ve got marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars, plus some other treats.”

An hour later they were sitting on driftwood logs around a circle of stones on the sand with a fire glowing. The waves of Mystic Beach rolled in and splashed on the beach.

“I’m so glad we went out today to look for Sasquatch. Now I’m at peace, knowing there is no one like that out there, only an old tree stump,” said Adriana. She sighed and stretched her legs out on the sand.

“Ana, what kind of photos did you get?” The question came from Adriana. 

“Oh, almost forgot about that. I took a photo of the big tree stump we saw,” said Ana. 

She took off the camera hanging from a neck strap and touched the button to reveal the recent photo.

“What’s wrong?” Rockabilly asked. Adriana’s mouth was hanging open, and her eyes were wide.

“Let me see that,” said Rockabilly.

Everyone heard his quick intake of breath. His mouth formed a circle shape and he stared.

The group scrambled to cluster around.

They stared at the camera screen.

“It’s Sasquatch. I knew it,” said Adriana.

A hairy beast, half man, and half ape, stood in the forest fog, as tall as the Douglas Fir trees. It was so much bigger than they expected. The Sasquatch was looking toward the camera. The creature did not have a threatening expression.

The face looked friendly and curious. Smiling, it was leaning over, and appeared to be holding out an offering in its front paws. The massive teeth showed as the Sasquatch gave them a shy grin.

Despite the friendly overture Adriana, Rockabilly and the group could not control themselves. They turned and went tearing along the trails, stumbling and running into things, until they came out onto the Mystic Beach again.

That evening Adriana and Rockabilly considered the meeting with Sasquatch while they sat in the light of a peaceful campfire.

"I think he was trying to be friends," Adriana said.

"Maybe he's shy." Rockabilly pictured the expression on Sasquatche's face.

They both felt filled with a sense of wonder and awe.

And that is how Adriana’s new book, “Thanksgiving with Sasquatch,” came to be written. Now it has become a family Thanksgiving tradition to listen to the story and look at the famous photo of Sasquatch taken by Ana.

Now, instead of family squabbles and heated debates at Thanksgiving, the relatives have a new tradition. They sit around a campfire at Mystic Beach under the stars, bundled up in coats, and roast marshmallows, while they listen to Adriana and Rockabilly tell the story of Sasquatch again.

The flames throw shadows and the silhouettes of the Douglas Firs touch the sky and catch the moon. The ocean makes the music of the waves and the trees breathe fragances of Firs into the air. Rockabilly sings the Sasquatch songs and acts out the scenes while Adriana's voice drifts through the evening.

She begins the story with "It was a quiet Thanksgiving on the Oregon coast when I gave in to the temptation to sneak away and search for the Sasquatch. I'm so glad I gave in to my impulse. Meeting Sasquatch left me with a sense of wonder and an even greater love for the Oregon coast."

On Thanksgiving Day Rockabilly, Adriana, Ana, J.B. and the whole group hike up to the top of the highest peak along the Oregon coast. 

They take a Thanksgiving offering for Sasquatch and leave it on one of the old logs. In case Sasquatch can read they leave a note that says, “To our friend, Sasquatch. We are giving thanks for you.” 

They have not met up with Sasquatch again. But many hikers say they have heard its rustle in the forests and have seen its shape in the thick mists of the mountains.  

If you are hiking there too, the movement of branches and stealthy sounds behind you could mean the shy Sasquatch is following you, trying to get up the nerve to make a friendly approach.