Fight or Flight

My close encounter with a rather large BEAR this evening. Yes, that's right, a BEAR!

I took back the Jeep to *rhymes with Bonnie*, and when I was just about to leave the garage, I heard quickened footsteps on the rocks of the steep driveway... just before the cement starts at the top. What was the noise? It was a freakin' BEAR, a rather large brown bear, moving at a pace that was faster than running, but not running... a jog I guess it would be. Do bears jog? Anyway, I about peed my pants AND crapped myself, since he was probably no more than 15 or 20 feet away from me! Thank God I was just inside the garage where it was dark, since a storm was rolling in, so he didn't see me. (I've heard they can smell you at a 3 mile distance, however, so I guess he knew I was there.) =-0

My initial reaction? A very loud gasp, followed by panic. What I am suppose to do when I see a bear? I know you don't run... do you put up your arms and act bigger than he is... stare into his eyes? No, I think that's for mountain lions... Yes, panic is what I did. He goes over to Barney (my car), still too close for my comfort... as I back slowly into the garage, hearing my heart beating in my ears, feeling it on my temples... and start to go inside. CRAP! Shut the garage door... DUH! Thankfully, the button to shut the garage was nearby, so I pushed it and ran inside. Then like a the Roadrunner in fast forward, I run through the house and to the top floor to look for the bear. ACK, he's gone. Where has he gone? Is he on the back side of my car now, where I can't see him? Did he get into the garage before the door closed? Did he go up the mountain-side where I cannot see? Or, maybe he went down the hill from where Barney was parked and into the neighbors yard. (Not very comforting either, since it's still too close for comfort.)

I stayed inside for a while and decide to make a couple of phone calls, one of which was to my Sister and Brother-in-Law to tell them what was going on. Of course, K starts cracking up and thinks I should call 911 to have them come and get the bear. I don't want to move him, or scare him, or displace him from his long-time home... but, GEEZ!!! WTF? I didn't think this was an option, since he didn't hurt me, try to attack me, or anything of that nature. I just wanted him to "go in peace," so I could then go home as well.

I couldn't just hang out there by the window all night, so I had to "grow some balls" and get going. First, however, I had to make sure he wasn't in the garage. (I sure didn't stick around to wait for the door to close and make sure he didn't come in!) I think this was the scariest part... and, no, he wasn't in there. WHEW! Then, in the midst of a large thunderstorm and unbelievably hard downpour of rain, I ran from the front door to my car... all the while yelling at the top of my lungs... "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Please go away Mr. Bear! Pleeeeeeeeeeease go away! You scared me enough already Mr. Bear! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" (I was told by J that making a lot of noise will scare him / keep him away.)

I've seen several deer, a couple of foxes, and a skunk up there... but now with this bear sighting... I'm not in a hurry to go back up to the Wild Kingdom they call home. I'm seriously spooked, and cannot believe I was that close to a wild bear, and I'm here to blog about it!

Thank you, God!