Close Encounters of the Bear Kind

When you first go into a National Park like Glacier, Yellowstone or even the Smoky Mountains, one of the first things you are made aware of are Bears. You're cautioned to watch and enjoy them from afar. During the years we lived in Tennessee, we often watched "tourists" enter into the "space" of a Black Bear. We've even watched family members and friends rush across open meadows to get a better look or a picture. Fortunately, we never saw anyone seriously threatened by a bear.



Black Bears are one thing, Grizzlies are a whole different story. The Smoky Mountains had Black Bears. Yellowstone and Glacier have Black and Grizzly Bears. I carry two cans of bear spray in my truck. They don't do a heck of a lot of good in the truck!!

This morning, I took a really pleasant bike ride on one of the paved bike paths near Apgar Village in Glacier NP.



I had ridden almost to the end of my route where the truck was parked, a total of 5 miles. Yep, I said 5 miles. I actually felt pretty good and thought about going even farther.

When all of a sudden, I looked up from where I was focused on the route in front of me and saw on the bank to the left of the bike path, a freakin bear!!!! He saw me about the same time and as I locked up my brakes we both just froze. If I hadn't locked up the brakes or if he hadn't stopped, I would have hit him broadside. It would have been his fault because I was on the right and I believe that gives me the right of way. It was funny, because my first thought was that his face looked just like the one on the Teddy Bear I had when I was little. My second thought was "oh, crap"!!! Since I was taking a bike ride, I had left my bear spray in the truck. Never, again!!!

Well, he decided I looked either too tough or smelled to bad to mess with, so he started to amble across the path in front of me. Now, I'm not talking about way down the path, I'm talking right in FRONT of me. By now, I've regained my composure and since it appeared he was scared to death of me, I felt it was a good time to take some pictures. Of course, the camera was in my camera bag and turned off. Well, by the time I got it out and turned on, he was starting off into the woods. Obviously, he was a real wimp and knew if he messed with me, I'd kick his tail. Anyway, following are some of the pictures I did manage to get. Next time, I'll have the camera out and ready. You may have to double click the picture to see him very well. And, no, the camera wasn't shaking - just a cheap camera.

Oh yeah, fortunately, he was a cinnamon colored black bear without any cubs and he wasn't a Grizzly!!!





Well, after my nerves had calmed a little I decided to go fishing this evening. And, I ran into this little varmint that was PO'ed because I didn't have anything to feed him. I felt more threatened by him than the bear!!!!



A couple of weeks ago, we saw our first Black Bear. It was down over an embankment and the following pictures were taken with a 10X zoom lens. We must have watched it from afar for at least 30 minutes.

I have always hoped that I would see a bear up close and personal with no unpleasant results. Well, I still hope to have something like this happen again, but I want to be better prepared and hope to come up with some better pictures.

Caution!!!!