After my last entry, we ran to my supervisor, Beth's house. We ate delicious burritos and played Balderdash and Catchphrase! SO FUN!
The next day was pretty slow at work. But after work was AMAZING! Jonathon, Shanna and I decided to do a 5 mile hike I had really been wanting to do around Beaver Pond. (Mom, this is the hike I started on and you didn't want me to go. The further explanation of what happened on this hike will probably make you happy it started raining and I had to turn back.)
First, and foremost, it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Such gorgeous scenery! And we came across SO MUCH wildlife. A coyote, a grouse, several elk, two deer, and two other exciting animals.
About 2 miles from the end of our hike, we came to a spot in the trail that was PURE MUD. I wanted to walk right through it, but Jonathon and Shanna thought we could go around the outskirts. As we move around, I look to my left and see a massive brown figure lumbering through the brush. Yes, about 20 feet away was a full-grown Grizzly bear. He did not seem to notice us. Or he wasn't interested. Luckily, no cubs. I calmly told my hiking partners "Oh! There is a bear. Let's just walk quietly but quickly across the mud." And so we did. I took a moment to snap a picture.
After escaping, we quickly began singing to let the grizzly know where we were and that we were moving away. We were so relieved. Until a little more than a mile later.
As we turned another corner singing, our final animal visitor stood in the middle of our trail. A black bear stopped in its tracks and stared right at us. We definitely had its attention. And once again we were far too close.
I knew we couldn't double back because there was a Grizzly. And I knew we were sitting comfy with two things of bear spray. So I decided the best approach would be to shout and be loud in order to drive the bear the other way. (This would only work because it did not have cubs. When bears have cubs, such actions would may provoke her.) Luckily, this plan worked, and the black bear moved up the hill and over. As soon as it was gone, we finished the last part of our hike.
WHAT AN ADVENTURE! By this time it was 8:45. We rushed into Gardiner and grabbed some grub at the Two Bit. Delicious!
I think I've had my fill of bear encounters. Hopefully that was the end of it!
Today I got up and ran into work. I did some quick research on vertebrates and invertebrates to prepare for my first Skype conversation! I ran over to the visitor center and prepared for my Skype convo with 60 4th graders in Walpole, MA. IT WAS SO FUN! We had such a fun time over Skype. Our 30-40 minute session turned into an hour! The only question they asked that I did not know how to answer was how fast water shoots out of Old Faithful. None of my supervisors even knew! I'll have to do some research! From there we ran to Canyon for the Wildlife Olympics. Trudy, Alexis and myself went and it was, once again, so much fun to work with the kids!
Now Jonathon, Shanna and I are chilling out at the Tumbleweed before dinner. I think we are going to have a chill night because they had a busy day! Yay!
The Skype setup with Beth and Alexis.
Lots of props!
The computer! There is a box below with pelts, paws and bones!
Alexis and I went roving (when you walk around and answer questions).
The start of our hike around Beaver Pond!
This is when we knew it was going to be a good hike!
Beaver Pond!
So pretty!
More pretty!
Love these people!
( :
Coyote!
This is my terrible attempt at the picture of the grizzly. I was walking backwards, pulled out my camera and shot. No zoom. He is EXACTLY in the center of this picture...but all you can see is his back. He was down a little incline from us. I can show you this picture on zoom sometime if you don't believe!
I snapped a picture of the black bear as his retreat from us was almost finished!
Wildlife Olympics setup at Canyon!
A elk calf underneath a porch nearby. Mom was nowhere to be seen, so I snagged a photo!
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