Camping Swanking - June 28 - July 3

[Not Afraid]

My Bro and SIL live just outside Yosemite. A neighbor of theirs came home to find the side (kitchen) door of her house open. She positioned her car so that her headlight were shinning into the kitchen door. There was a bear in her kitchen, standing on its hind legs with the freezer door open, a tub of ice cream in its arm, scooping ice cream into its mouth.

My worst wildlife experiences have been with rodents.

[Alex]

I've never had a bad wildlife experience, they're all cool. And that includes the time we realized we were in a small lava tube belonging to a cougar, climbing a big rock and finding out that the whole thing was essentially a giant anthill, a bald eagle eating my hosts' cat, and waking up to rattlesnakes in places they shouldn't be.

The worst thing that could happen is you die. And I've never heard any dead people complain so I just assume it isn't that bad. Sure, some people complain about the dying part, but they're just whiners.

[Capt Jack]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

My worst wildlife experiences have been with rodents.

Oh! you just reminded me of another animal incident. my late wife and I were camping at the grand canyon. middle of the night, black as pitch outside.

something hits the tent that sounded like a pine cone falling out of a tree. then another, then another and another. I open the window flap and shine my flashlight outside. for as far as the light would shine (it was one of those big cop-type maglights, so it went a considerable distance) were, from what I could see, kangaroo rats or some other vermin all running in one direction. almost like a lemming migration. they were crashing into everything, bouncing off the tent and trees, knocking everything in the campsite around and making a rukus to beat the band. needless to say, wifey was freaked out beyond all consolation. I have to admit it was pretty F'in strange. a minute later, theyre all gone and its dead silent again.

she insisted we leave that morning and was well packed and sitting in the truck by the time sunrise came along. needless to say, that was the last camping trip for her.