dual personalities

On Saturday I reported that son #2 made it to Kodiak Island. Since then he’s explored the area and had his first bear sighting, a mother and her cub!

Photo courtesy of N. Potter

This bucolic photo put me in mind of the great bear stories that my children loved and that I loved during my own childhood. There’s Winne-the-Pooh, of course,

and Rupert the bear.

And let’s not forget Little Bear — we read a lot of those books and watched the cartoon on TV.

Paddington, though very cute, never caught on for some reason.

Everyone loves bears, especially cuddly talking ones that wear clothes and are kind to children. I guess that’s one of the benefits of civilization. Once most people encounter bears in zoos or on TV we can forget how dangerous they really are. Well, at least as long as we avoid stepping on lines.

“Lines and Squares

Whenever I walk in a London street,
I’m ever so careful to watch my feet;
And I keep in the squares,
And the masses of bears,
Who wait at the corners all ready to eat
The sillies who tread on the lines of the street,
Go back to their lairs,
And I say to them, “Bears,
Just look how I’m walking in all of the squares!”
And the little bears growl to each other, “He’s mine,
As soon as he’s silly and steps on a line.”
And some of the bigger bears try to pretend
That they came round the corner to look for a friend;
And they try to pretend that nobody cares
Whether you walk on the lines or squares.
But only the sillies believe their talk;
It’s ever so portant how you walk.
And it’s ever so jolly to call out, “Bears,
Just watch me walking in all the squares!”
― A.A. Milne

Have a bear-y happy Monday!

*Teddy Bears’ Picnic

At least that way you’ll be armed if you meet a bear.

Son #2 made it to Kodiak Island after a long, arduous journey full of delays and bumpy rides. They arrived dramatically in a raging storm and without their luggage (naturally), but the skies soon cleared to a stunning blue, and voila — the view from their apartment.

Here is my son contemplating the view.

We note the long-sleeved flannel shirt with envy — I gather the highs on Kodiak barely broke 60 last week. Ah, for those rugged northern climes! Lest we give in to flights of fancy, let us remember what Jack London wrote:

“A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness. There was a hint in it of laughter, but of laughter more terrible than any sadness-a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the Sphinx, a laughter cold as the frost and partaking of the grimness of infallibility. It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life. It was the Wild, the savage, frozen-hearted Northland Wild.”

Nature is not friendly. In the 1950s a Kodiak hunting guide found a broken gun, a human skull, and a bear skull all next to each other.

There’s a story in those bones, but if you don’t want to write it yourself, you might dip into some arctic literature.

For those determined to get out there and hike the wilderness despite the risks, here are some basic rules of thumb:

1. Before you go, educate yourselves about the conditions: weather, terrain, bears, risks…
2. Be sure to sign in with park rangers.
3. Prepare for the unexpected. Weather can change rapidly, so wear layers and always carry a hat, gloves, and rain gear.
4. Carry a charged cell phone. Sure, you may get out of range, but better to have it than not to have it. Don’t use up your batteries taking too many photos.
5. Don’t forget matches, flints or other fire-starting equipment. If you get stranded, you may need to start a campfire to keep warm and signal rescuers.
6. Carry emergency rations: energy bars, nuts, fruit and water.
7. Carry a good hunting knife and/or a gun, especially if you are going into a really remote area (hey, I read that terrible story about the bear hunting a guy on a glacier where there was nowhere to hide. It would have been much shorter, and the bear’s death more humane, if the backpacker had packed a rifle).
8. Bug spray!
9. Proper footwear and blister treatment are essential.
10. Don’t forget a well-stocked first aide kit, including sunblock, butterfly bandages, antibiotic ointment, and a good emergency care manual. And don’t forget an Epipen if you need one!

Preparation may not save you from bad luck, but it will reduce the likelihood that you’ll have it. I am comforted by the sure knowledge that my experienced hikers take all the right precautions, have good equipment, and a healthy respect for their environment!

*Jack London