A very tall figure in Athens County, Ohio

It was in July of 1980 just outside the town of Nelsonville Ohio. I was in college there at Hocking Technical college (HTC). It had been hot during the day so around 9:30 PM two of my friends and I decided to walk into town to get some snacks at a store in town. It is only a ten minute walk down the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway tracks into town. The temperature had dropped to around 72 degrees. On the way back from town heading towards our dorms we crossed the railroad bridge across the Hocking River. This is when we saw it. We had crossed the bridge back around 150 yards just east when we saw ahead of us a dark silhouette cross over the tracks going to the right. It blocked the light from the streetlight which was still a ways down the tracks. We kept walking and around 50 yards later we smelled the odor of "wet dogs" which was really strong. I looked over to my right and just about 10 or 15 feet away was this creature. I am guessing it to be around seven feet or so because I looked up when I saw his eyes shining in the cool moonlight. I couldn't believe my eyes. I dropped my groceries and ran like the wind. My two buddies were right on my heels. We ran all the way back to our dorm which was not very far. My buddy Kerry talked me into going back in my car for another look. I agreed reluctantly. When we got close to where we had just saw it the hair was standing straight up on the back of my neck, I was sweating profusely, and I was scared to death. We all were! When we got close, I stopped the car and couldn't go any closer. I didn't sleep at all that night and the next day there was an article in the Athens Messenger reporting numerous sightings in the area. I am not crazy or on drugs ....just fortunate. I have become very fond, but still scared of Bigfoot.