Categories
Uncategorized

Day 2 Bears, Bison and Beurocracy

This morning was all about the bears, in fact it ends with bears too but more on that later…

I woke at 4am local time and could not get back to sleep, my body is adjusting from uk time and thought it had a lie in. I googled what time the local Walmart opened as I need supplies. I was there at the door on the dot… 6am. One of the essentials I bought was this

Bear spray

I think it’s some kind of deodorant I have to spray on me, I’m sure I will figure it out.

The next stop was the park entrance where they gave me an A4 sheet of paper with big writing telling me how dangerous Yellowstone is and I should go home and wrap myself in cotton wool immediately. I may find a use for that in the woods if I cannot find some moss.

Several miles later the empty road suddenly became traffic central, cars parked both sides, everyone out of their cars (was I the only one with a bit of safety paper!) And they were all pointing their cameras up the hill. I say all but in reality about 1/3 including me were looking perplexed. Theres nothing there! I asked somebody what they were looking at and after a few golden shot style left a bit right a bit instructions i found the bear, cowering behind a tree stump. Well, i can’t blame him there were a lot of us watching. Here is my photo and i can assure you there is a bear in it somewhere, possibly doing what bears do in the woods.

At the park entrance I asked for a backcountry camping permit, apparently you need a government official to give you permission, a permit, to do anything in the land of the free. I had to go to Canyon Creek for that, 1.5 hours later I was told they were closed and to either go North 1.5 hours or South 1.5 hours. She did give me a fishing permit though. 1.5 hours later I had my backcountry camp permit and by 2.30pm I was at the trail head, backpack on and ready to go. (Good job I started early) I am now set up camp about 4 miles from the nearest road beside a massive lake and seen nobody else around. I will let the photos of the day speak for themselves. Please try to get to the last one.. it’s that bear.