I have a million stories that start with, I sat next to a person on a plane once, and almost as many stories that start with, "I had this client once."
On the way back from Seattle I sat next to a woman who had been in Washington state for an off road marathon. 26.2 miles on national park or forest service trails, through the woods, up and down mountain sides. I am a former runner, when I stopped running the fat man caught up with me.
She got to talking about it, and said for the first time in her life she had seen a bear in the wild. She was running along at about the 20-mile point and someone yelled "BEAR!" Then they yelled, "BEHIND YOU!" She said she looked over her shoulder and there was a Mama-bear and cub, crossing the trail, she had run past seconds before the bear crossed the trail. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. Mother bears can be very protective, never get between a mother bear and her cubs. She will have a running story to tell for years to come.
Have you seen a bear in the wild?
Not the four legged kind :) One ran through a few campsites, including ours, at Yosemite a few years ago. We never saw it. The wildest we ever got was a skunk walking right past us one night while we were stargazing in Palomar. We stayed still, and it minded its own business. Beautiful critter. The mugger squirrels were a pain.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who wanted to see bears. He went camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains, spread tuna fish around the campsite, and saw nothing. I drove through and one ran across the road in front of my car.
DeleteI've been known to have fun with the 2-legged bears. have never seen a 4-legged one in the wild yet.
ReplyDeleteA two legged one coming your way in a couple of weeks.
Deletegee, I wonder who THAT might be? now let me guess...
DeleteYes, I've seen bears in the wild occasionally when going through the Canadian Rocky Mountains park areas like Banff and Jasper. But luckily, I've only ever seen them out a car window, not face to face on a trail. It's the main reason I don't go hiking in the mountain parks, actually. I'm scared to death of bears. Cougars also attack a certain number of people every year too.
ReplyDeleteI recall one time stopping for a bear on the side of the road, grabbing my camera and saying as I got out of the car, "I wonder if this is a good idea?" The bear lopped off into the trees - I did grab a quick picture before it fled.
DeleteNever... well in national parks from the safety of the car, but that's it. And I hope to keep it that way.
ReplyDelete2- legged?
Delete2-legged... Well, I've SEEN quite a few.
DeleteNot enough anyway.
ReplyDelete