As John and Paul sang “We’re on our way home” on the Let It Be album, so did we find Mark and the boys successfully escape the elderly crocodiles upset over getting interrupted in their retirement cove. Mark and the lads landed ashore where they found Duke, Jeannette, and Cherry. Cherry was surprised to find out that Mark had bugged her truck, supposedly so he could find his way back along the river that happens to run by Lost Forest. Yet Mark claims to be a woodsman.  As expected, the boys were none the worse for wear and really enjoyed the adventure. De-bait team member Duke expressed surprise his boat was still intact, even as it looked to be drifting off on its own.

Is this the end of Rusty’s second (failed) cryptid hunt adventure? I’m guessing it is, except for maybe a few more days to wrap up loose ends. But wait! Mark Trail stories rarely wrap up loose ends. In fact, loose ends form a standard part of almost every Mark Trail story, going back for years. I think most Trailheads are still wondering whatever became of Tricky Dicky, I mean Dirty Harry, er, Dirty Dyer. Will Rivera resurrect him some day? Probably not, since Dirty was a more serious bad guy than the goofball villains that inhabit Jules Rivera’s version of The Trailverse. And speaking of loose ends, I’m surprised we don’t see more of Kelly Welly. I really thought Rivera would latch on to Kelly and give her a more prominent role where she could hold her own instead of always winding up as Mark’s foil.

We’ve been here before. Rivera did a Sunday strip back on June 6, 2021 about mountain lines (aka pumas) in general, but did highlight P-22. Well, today’s nature talk focuses exclusively on the now-deceased mountain lion. But referring to the animal as “Hollywood’s Best Leading Man” is misplaced, owing to the biological impossibility, even if the comment was meant as an innocent pun. “Hollywood’s Coolest Cat” might have been a better moniker.

So, why P-22 again? Turns out that P-22 was struck by a vehicle last November as it tried to cross a highway in search of food. He was later captured by authorities and examined. Veterinarians noted that, in addition to damage from the collision, his advanced age, infirmities, and debilitating ailments (e.g., kidney disease) led to the decision to euthanize him this past December. Comic strips are written several weeks, if not months, in advance, so Rivera wrote this shortly after P-22’s death.