The Pine Springs Hilton, Book Cliffs, UT...
Eating Hal's fried onions and potatoes...
Riding ATVs and/or snowmobiles...
Scaling steep slopes...
In search of black bear dens...
Tranquilizing bears...
Taking data...
Snuggling the cubs...
Posing with the yearlings...
And having a really great time with Bear Crew friends.
Overall I consider myself a pretty low-maintenance wife. I don't ask for much, however, the once-a-year highlight for me occurs in early March when the annual bear denning trip comes up. It is about the only time I get entirely to myself, to enjoy an outing with friends in the great outdoors. Last year I felt way too sick to even consider going (thanks to pregnancy hormones), plus it was the weekend of Ian's baptism and that had priority, and I really didn't have regrets. But the time has again arrived, and I am a bit depressed that I am unable to go. Having a 6-month-old (along with 3 other children) doesn't exactly coincide with participating this year.
I hope that my children someday realize the sacrifices I make for them, like missing bear denning trips...sigh...
4 comments:
My dear wife,
I am very sorry you were not able to go snuggle bear cubs last weekend! Thank you for taking such great care of the four crazy cubs in our little Logan den!
Love,
Hubby
P.S. I hope next year you can visit the bears!
April,
I share your enthusiasm for bear camp. Sleeping outside on a flatbed trailer, waking up in the morning to find fresh bear tracks 10' away from our "sleeping camp" trailer bed.
Although I didn't do the cooking, the bear bait looked mighty fine, and you may have missed that sweet smell as well.
Riding the four wheelers was definitely fun, and so was climbing the mountainside to meet the bear you had captured and named after me. But my most fun was exchanging greetings with Randall the Bear, where you encouraged me to come in closer to where I could see him better. He answered "Hello", and held out his paw to shake my hand. The mountain shook with the intensity of his reply. I shook with the intensity of his reply. Then I jumped higher and further than a man is supposed to, landing about 20 feet away and down the side of the mountain. I don't remember stopping, and I don't remember riding the four wheeler back. I don't know how you guys ever got back, and I don't think I slept over again.
So I'm glad you enjoy bear camp and wish you well whenever you can go. I'll send greetings from Wellington!
Grandpa Young
Grandpa, You're confusing the summer trapping season with the winter denning season. But they are both fun, and we do remember how excited you were to meet that bear! The crew doesn't trap in the summers anymore. They are keeping tabs on just a few radio collared females these days.
Next year!!
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