Road Trip! - It was a 'Beary' Exciting Day

Bear #2 spotted at 1:30pm

I've gone years without seeing a bear.   I saw a black bear in 1967 and then had a real drought.  The next sighting was not until 2011 when I saw two of them on the same trip. 

This trip was different.  We caught the first sight of one shortly after leaving Rocky Mountain House.  My son noticed it lumbering across the highway in the distance.  That brief glimpse created a bit of excitement.  I could go home saying that I saw a bear.  Little did I know...

Bear #2 was spotted in a steep ditch.  The top of its head would pop up now and again as it grazed on the dandelion buffet in the ditch; stems sticking out from either side of its snout.

Bear #3 spotted at 4:30pm

 #3 was a bear on a mission.  It was wandering along the top of a bank.  As we watched, it did not stop for anything.  It walked right over top the young trees that were in its way; bending them to the ground.  At the time, I wondered what that bear would have done if the tree didn't bend.  It was amazing to witness this behavior. 

Bear #4 spotted at 4:45pm

 Bear #4 was seen fifteen minutes later.  It must have been the supper hour for them as this one grazed the ditch as well.  I noticed a small 'dimple' at the top of his head so I knew this was not a bear we had seen on the way into David Thompson country.  #4 paid no attention to the vehicles pulled over on the highway.  It kept grazing and moving up the slope.  Our vehicle was parked  about ten feet away at the closest point so I got a close up view of those big, brown bear eyes.

Bear #5 spotted at 5:00pm

Bear #5 and #6 were spotted together as a pair.  One crossed the highway in front of us and as the second one tried crossing, a vehicle came from the opposite direction.  Instead of allowing the bear to cross safely, the driver laid on the horn without stopping; scaring it back into the ditch.  

When that vehicle passed by, the bear tried once more to cross.  It took its time; checking out the rumble strip on the center line.  There was a tasty morsel in one of them.

Bear #6 spotted at 5:00pm

Bear #6 enjoyed the dandelion patch until Bear #5 made it safely across the road.  At one point, the dandelion greens got stuck in its teeth.  It used a paw to loosen them.

It was an amazing experience to see so many bears on a short day trip.  This definitely made up for all the years that I traveled through that area 'bearless'.  I was so excited by the sightings that I could 'bearly' stay seated in the truck!