Green Gables Room 
Black Bear Cub 
The Watering Hole...I count 7 
I... almost was lunch
click on a pic for enlarged view
Sara & I took a four day trip to Heron, MT (150 miles south and 120 west of Fortine) to look at property at the suggestion of Richard who moved to the area from Fortine. He told us the area had a longer growing season (for a vegetable garden) than Fortine. Heron is just several miles from the ID border and the locals travel to Sandpoint, ID for supplies. We lodged at The Amber Bear Inn (B & Besque), owned and operated by Mike & Nancy (salt of the earth). We stayed in the Green Gables room (Ann of Green Gables?). Their inn is on 450 BEAUTIFUL acres. We saw a moose feeding in the marsh from the bedroom window, a deer with her new baby fawn from the dining room window...you get the picture.
The bear cub you see is about 2 yrs old(?). as it is on its own sans mom. He ambled to the back porch for a handout but it's against the law to feed the wild bears.
I took a solo hike up the mountain in back of the Inn on an old logging road. Just me and my camera...BIG MISTAKE! About 1/2 mile up on the dirt logging road a large adult black bear comes out from the foliage and makes a turn away from me heading in the same direction I was walking. He never looked left in my direction, so he never saw me only 50 ft away. I froze, and thought, I was lunch. My life flashed in front of me, there were things I wanted to do before I died (or got eaten) like, I never saw Toy Story 3 in 3-D. When the apoplexy passed, I took the pic but he was further along the trail and just turning the corner but you can make out the black spot in the pic. I felt like charlie Chan's chauffeur, "Feet don't fail me now"... I'm outta here.
Black Bears: They usually run away when they spot you. They know they're hunted so they want to put distance between you and them. Bears are individuals so you can't predict how they will behave. If on that given day he wanted to confront me, he would have. They can sense fear. If he looked in my direction, he would have a field day 'cause I was afraid, very afraid...well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
The first thing I did when we returned home...I saw Toy Story 3.
Great pics. That room in the Green Gables is gorgeous. The little cub is cute; I wonder if he'll be able to survive on his own.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I couldn't see much of him/her, the big bear was, I'm sure, not so cute. I would have been terrified. Do they have a good sense of smell? Is it possible he sniffed you and headed on down the path?
How did you like Toy Story 3. Our youngest grandson is coming soon for a visit, and we might take him.
Glad you survived the bear episode. Say hi to Sarah and stay safe.
Dano,
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the bear had smelled my sent, But they do have an acute sense of smell. I was not wearing any petroleum product & the mannor in which he came out of the bushes and slowly ambled on the dirt path led me to believe he was unaware of my presence. I'm alive to blog another day.
Sara thought Toy Story 3 was the best of the trilogy. I took a few cat naps during the movie which should adress your question. It's not a good 3-D movie as Shrek 3, so I advise buying the cheaper 2-d version tickets.
P.S. I read your blog several times/week, and still am enjoying the read/videos/comments.
Keep up the quality.