Griz!

Well, it seems I didnt have to resort to the "slathering myself in salmon and honey" thing to attract a bear!

On the ride back from Inuvik, it was a lovely sunny day with great views. As I rode through the high country I was lucky enough to see two Grizly bears rummaging around in the tundra.

One of them was quite close, and then it got closer...

I took some pictures but I decided that it wasnt actually one of my highest priorities to get "really great" photoes, and when the bear got to within about 25m of me... I moved on :))

They are apparently VERY quick on their feet when they want to be and can even outrun a race horse which is about 70 kmh!

I was sitting there on the bike by the road side with my little camera out pointing at the bear and doing my own very rapid internal calculation of - Can I drop the camera, grab the bike controls, slam it into gear, and dump the clutch, and get up to 70kmh BEFORE that bear covers that short distance between us?... OK, hes a bit closer, how about now?...etc.

Im pretty sure that the bear had other tastier items on his mind but I wasnt sure, and I didnt want to find myself suddenly involved in "agressive negotiations" over his dietary preferences!

My only defenses were my riding clothing (pretty sure claws and teeth would deal with my clothes in short order), and other than that, I had my verbal powers of persuasion, and the last-ditch option of "soiling myself"... A list thats not really in my favour...

I could just see how the polite conversation would go:

I say, now you just stay over there.
sniff snuffle.

No, you wouldnt find me interesting... Try a berry or two off that bush.

shuffle grrr

Now, hold on there a moment, Im sure the berries are nice and tasty.

growl

OK, OK, fine I accept that you know what you want better than me, and that perhaps you are rather tired of berries and want to try something different, but you really wouldnt like me... Im not ripe, Ill taste sour! Perhaps you'd prefer a Snickers bar rather than me?

Growwwr

Now steady on there,...Oooch, thats quite a firm hug you have, Please put me down!, I really must insist!

Grrr, Tear, Munch

I say, that rather smarts!... now youve done it, Ive soiled myself... Now I really do taste bad!

...

etc!

Not a good ending to my trip,

So, I rode on :)))