Bear-anoia

Closure along on the side of the park road

Well I finally approach the end of my 4-day weekend, or my "mini vacation".  I didn't do much, considering the resources available to me!  But it was a good relaxing long weekend regardless.  I did a lot of thinking too.

Friday I was going to go for a long bike ride.  Instead I rode to the post office, picked up some new alaskan stationary at the bookstore, and spend my evening relaxing and writing letters.

Break during my bike ride at a pull out

Saturday I was going to go for a hike!  BUT instead decided to go for that bike ride I was going to go on Friday (yes, some of this was in my previous post, bear with me!).  I rode from C-camp to Savage river and back, approx 24 miles.  A good first ride given that I haven't been on a bike in over 6 months!  Saturday night was a work BBQ.  I was quiet, as usual, and in an odd mood.  I was severely missing Idaho and the Rockies Saturday evening, and my mood reflected it. 

Sunday morning I got up early and decided to do the Mount Healy hike and take the Rock Creek Trail as a connector to get there.  Both trails are established, so I felt comfortable going alone.  40 mins into my walk on Rock Creek Trail, I heard loud aggressive rustling in the woods. I quickly yelled "Hey Bear" and started walking back down the path I had walked up on.  I kept saying it loudly and heard the rustling again briefly shortly after that.

I can't tell you if it was a bear or not.  "Tri-pawed" had been sighted the day before on that trail, so I was super sensitive to sounds in the woods.  But it startled me enough that I no longer felt comfortable hiking alone, so I hustled back to came singing "Hey bear" until I reached the road.

Bear we saw on the first day on the park (from a safe distance)

I told my roommate about it, and she suggested I had "bear-anoia" from my previous charge.  It made sense.  I was bummed, but at the same time glad it had happened so early in the season.  Given my lack of experience in bear country, I figured I probably should be hiking alone, and I should be super sensitive to my surroundings.  I had hiked numerous times alone in Idaho, but I never had to worry about mammals.

Regardless it was an odd feeling.

I decided not to let it get to me though and took advantage of my other opportunities.  I ran with Timber that afternoon and set a positive mental status in my head.  I can still hike with other people later on, and I'll still get to see lots of the park numerous times via my field work.  In the mean time, I can focus on other important things to me.  Like volunteering, reading, and getting back in shape (via running and hiking).

Monday I relaxed in the morning, then went on a 6 mile job/walk to the post office.  I unfortunately had no mail waiting for me, but I felt pretty accomplished once I made it back to C-camp.  I even got some reading in, which was great.  :)

I think the idea of "bear-anoia" is going to stick with me for the whole summer.  And lets face it, I don't want to get comfortable in bear country anyway.  I just hope it doesn't lock up the adventurer on me....

"Maybe the sun will shine today,
The clouds will roll away.
Maybe I won't be so afraid,
I will try to understand,
Everything has its plan either way."