Don't Mess Around With Mama Bear

Day 87 Sunday June 17, 2017 Miles: 915.7 - 925.0 9.3 Time: 10:35am - 4pm Weather: Cloudy and hot Tenting at Big Meadows Happy Father's Day!!! Poor Bruce had to spend it without his kids and helping Shortcake and myself. At least we took him the Cracker Barrel for breakfast even though he drove. The next best thing besides spending his day with our awesome boys though was to be able to spend it in the woods hiking with me. Before he could do that though he had to secure a tent site for Shortcake and myself. After the last two nights of planning gone wrong we decided to be a little more prepared for the end of the day. After Batman dropped us off at the trail head he drove to where we wanted to end and got us a tent site before they filled up. Then he hiked south to meet us. We had another short day of miles planned due to another late start. By the time he did his chores for us he didn't have much time for boots on the trail. But it was just the right amount needed to see the best sighting so far on the trail. Here is with about 2.5 miles left to go. As the three of us hiked on to end the day Shortcake was in the lead, then me and Batman in the rear. All of a sudden Shortcake stops and is all excited! I see it too! Not one, but two bear cubs and their mom about 20 yards away just off the trail. Woo Hoo! Mama Bear gives a grunt and the little ones scramble up the tree and then a third rascal cub comes running and joins his siblings. It was quite a sight. We couldn't pass they were less then 10 yards from the trail where we needed to go. But we didn't. We watched them and she watched us intently. I thought maybe if we bushwhacked a wide birth off trail we'd be fine. But as I proceeded to go forward Mama Bear took two leaps up the tree then let out two ferocious roars that I could feel in my chest. It was enough to have us back peddling to a safer distance. We decided to back track a quarter mile and have a snack. After our rest we continued on. The cubs were still in the tree but The mom was nowhere to be seen. I did not even stop the second time for a picture. He rose was enough to tell me you don't Mess around with Mama Bear.

Happy Hiking