I sleep really soundly, unless there is a strange noise that doesn't belong--like a skunk in the dining room eating the cat food, a raccoon in the kitchen eating the cat food, or a bear in the parking lot eating my motorcycle. Yup, it happened at around 3:00, the morning of June 11 in Seward, and though I heard the bear pounding on things and walking around, I didn't know he decided my helmet was a play toy.
When Josh woke up half an hour later (I was still awake thanks to the adrenaline rushing through my system) and said he was going to the bathroom, I said, "Take the bear spray!" he replied that he wasn't going that far. Oh right, that whole, "I'm a boy, I pee where I want" thing. The next morning, Josh was out of the tent and heading to the cooking area. I emerged from the tent a few minutes later to Josh walking back and telling me a bear had gotten to the bikes.
WHAT!?!
He said they were fine, but I should go look. My bike was on it's center stand (this is a good thing. Had it been on it's side stand he would have knocked it over) and he moved the back end of the 500lb bike over several inches. The bear chewed one of Josh's grips, and then decided it didn't taste very good. (This is, of course, all assumption as I did not actually talk to the bear about these things!)
The bear tried my seat and apparently came to the same conclusion.
He also played with my mirrors, smashing them both into positions they should never be!
And the helmet. I think he thought it was a toy. He scratched the shit out of the left side, pulled the center padding out, (which is easily put back in but now has a greasy bear nose print) and chewed on the back padding. Thankfully, the chewing at the back missed the wires for the Sena headset, and other than a few scratches it came out relatively unharmed.
I guess I have two things to say: 1. Better the bikes and helmet than us! 2. That is as close to a bear as we need to come.
Maybe the Bear saw all the stickers and decided he didn't want to be part of a sticker on your bike and let it go at that. Glad that was enuff of bears for you. Mom
ReplyDeleteThat looks like some gnarly scratching on your helmet, bikes, etc. Does bear spray really work?I am surprised a bear could move a big bike like that and be deterred by bear spray!
ReplyDeleteYou know what they say about how to tell Grizzly Bear poop from normal Bear poop? Grizzly Poop smells like bear spray...
ReplyDeleteBlack bear poop is full of twigs and berries, while grizzly poop is full of bear bells!
ReplyDeleteBear spray is super potent pepper spray. There have been stories of it stopping bears. If a brown (grizzly) bear attacks, you are supposed to cover vitals and play dead. They usually just want to play with you. If a black bear attacks, you are supposed to fight back because they want to kill you. You aretold to go for nose and eyes if attacked,because those are the most sensitive spots,so i guess it makes sensethat the spray may deter them. However, in the wrong wind, you may get a snoot full of the spray yourself andthat would not be fun.
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