Yahoos do the weirdest things out there in the mountains.

There is a spot next to the Appalachian Trail that also has a road that runs along a huge meadow and is used by the locals.

During one trip, and shortly before hunting season was scheduled to begin, they made themselves known by storming back and forth along the narrow dirt road with their giant trucks and barking dogs and doing a lot of whooping and yelling.

We’ll show those namby pamby backpackers who is boss around here, is what I imagined they were thinking.

It was that behavior that led me to believe they were the ones behind the mysterious box planted next to an established campsite not far from that road.

Victor and I arrived early to snag this particular campsite as it was nestled under some trees and had a great view of the meadow.

I was in the process of setting up the tent when I noticed one of those plastic, Rubbermaid tubs under the tree.

That was an odd find, but I decided to investigate.

Bad idea.

I opened the lid and found a dead cat curled up inside.

It might come as no surprise that I packed up the tent and moved to another spot.

We spent that night being serenaded by coyotes. Victor — a dog that nearly goes catatonic in a rainstorm — did not seem bothered by their howling at all.

I was. Coyotes sound sort of like angry monkeys on the prowl.

The next day we returned from the day’s hike to find a young couple putting up a tent at the campsite with the box. They had a child about 18 months old who was toddling around while they set stuff up.

Fearing the baby would find the box, and worse, open it up and touch the dead cat, I went over to warn them.

They grimly thanked me for the information and continued to set up their very large tent.

Victor and I went on back to our campsite and we passed the evening with dinner and a book.

The next morning we were packed and on our way before 8 a.m. and had to pass by the couple’s campsite.

They were gone.

So was the box.

I don’t know what happened to either, but there it was. Maybe the dad moved the box somewhere else. Perhaps the mom got spooked in the middle of the night by the cat ghost and they left. I’m sure the yahoos had a good laugh over that one.