My worst nature experience (that I can think of right now) really wasn't all that bad. On my last trip to Utah, I went out to Antelope Island. It was a beautiful day, when we decided to walk up... Oh, I forget what it's called Bison Point, or Ridge or something. Anyhow, there were a few gnats, but nothing to worry about. As we ascended, it got worse, but... we were getting so close! The view was supposedly breathtaking, so gnats... pshaw! They were nothing compared to what we thought we would see. As we get to the top, the gnat situation was bordering on unbearable, the view was so-so (probably because we were spending our time swatting at the gnats sticking to our sweaty necks) and the way down was steep and awkward with grandmas and grandpas trying to make it up the steep and thin pathway.

Once back to solid ground, we cleared as many of the gnats off ourselves as we could, got into the car, spent the day elsewhere on the island, went home, took a shower and... AAAAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKKKK!!! Gnats going down the drain. Which meant gnats in my hair all day.

And really, gnats aren't all that bad. But, now I've gotta go jump around the house because I feel gnats all over me again.

N.A. - firstly, I am gratified and relieved you will be standing watch over our campground all night - - for that is the only time you are likely to see a bear.

And, alas, Laurie can't go. So if neither zapppop nor Gemini Cricket are up for it (and can get a retail/restaurant weekend off work), I'm seriously not going.

It's not bears I'm really frightened of (but, yeah that 1 mm of tent nylon is to protect ME from seeing them, not them from getting at me).

I had a very scary episode the last time I went camping. Freaked me and my girlfriend out. We almost abandoned our campsite and everyone in it to be butchered by something evil and supernatural ... but instead watched over the campsite till dawn from within the safety (and escape-readiness) of our vehicle.


I won't be tent-sleeping alone ... ever again.

this will be my first camping trip "alone" as it were (even though I'll be far from alone). alone as in no family or other heavily armed members of a party to assist in the event of the unforseen UFO/mutant martian bear attacks.

I can hardly wait! :D

sounds like a great story! you have to come even if only to tell us the rest of that tale!

I like what the Ranger told us about bears before we went hiking in Denali:

"Prey runs. You don't want to be prey. Stand your ground, be big and be loud. "

Bears are also very lazy. They're kinda like giant cats.

On my last big campout up in the Angeles Forest, we had two of them wandering our site during the day. (It was a group campsite, but most of the group wasn't there yet, so there was a lot of open space.)

We sat back, and watched them. One tried to look in the dumpster, but then couldn't get it open, so just wandered off slowly. The other sniffed around an empty picnic table, and then decided that was too much effort, so just flopped to the ground right next to it to relax in the shade. It laid there for about a half hour, occasionally cleaning itself, and just hanging out.

We were about 30 feet away - it would glance at us from time to time, but couldn't bother getting back to its feet until it found interest in something else to do.

yeah, thats been more like 90% of the bear encounters Ive had as well.

"ooh a bear!"
"whats it doing?"
"not a heck of a lot"
"kewl!"

iSm... I want you to go, and if it means sleeping in a tent, then by golly I'll do it!

Yeah, we can't celebrate iSm's birthday w/out iSm!

Can someone add the bear box dimensions to the wiki? I know they're in this thread somewhere, but damned if I can find it...