Mama Bear

 So, one of my favorite things to do with Boomer is go hiking.  We hike alot at Carvins Cove.  There are lots of trails for hiking and biking...

This morning, Boomer and me set off for some hiking.  We went to the back side of the cove, where we have hiked before.  I notice right off that the trails are very overgrown, and there is not hardly any water in the creeks...but we hike on...

further and further into the cove/mountain.  About 2 miles in (or so) I hear noise in the brush.  I notice that Boomer has stopped walking and is staring intently at the brush.  I inch forward to get a better look (thinking it was a deer or raccoon) and to my complete shock...it was a black bear cub.

    FUCK

That means mama is close by.....so I nudge Boomer away from the cub and we start retreating our steps, as we went around a corner...Boomer again, stopped and stared.  I didn't hear anything, but was still nervous about bears...then like in slow motion...the mama black bear stood up out of the brush and stared at me....she was 7 feet tall or so...she just stared at me, I stared at her, Boomer stared at her...I noticed 2 more cubs around  her feet.....she was only about 40 feet away from me....Boomer, to his credit, did not charge, growl or even whimper...I reached slowly down, grabbing Boomer by the collar and we very slowly started backing up...Mama was still staring at me, watching....

Seemed like an eternity of staring at eachother (but in reality was probably more like a minute or less), and then a biker came down the trail...the bike spooked the mama and her cubs and she got back down and they sorta ran off....

I started walking as fast as I could back to my car....which seemed to be parked 100 miles away!!!! hahaha

you hear people saying "that their life flashed before their eyes", well that was me.  My thought was.."so this is it, I am gonna die by a bear mauling"....fuck fuck

So lesson learned....do not hike alone....carry bear spray and a walking stick....and don't piss off mama bear!

Mountain living....love it or hate it, always an adventure.

S