Do the bears come out at night?

Part 3

After a leisurely lunch in a clearing in the Wind River Mountains, we mounted our horses again and said farewell to the wagons, which had during lunch acquired even more riders.  They were going on a narrow paved road; we were headed up a steep dusty trail through the pines. 

We were actually in the Wind River Wilderness Area at this point.  All motorized vehicles of any sort are banned.  The only human-made noises were our own voices.

Occasionally, we would capture a full frontal view of the Tetons to the West.  Not only were they breathtakingly beautiful and snow-capped, they were also directly across from us at eye view.  No need to look up, as I did in Jackson.

Finally, after a few more hours of riding, we came to an open meadow where the wagons were.   We could smell it before we got there.  The stove/barbeque on the chuck wagon was fired up and dinner was cooking over hot coals. 

Bless the cowboy/guides/wranglers.  They took our horses away and did whatever horses need after a long day plodding up and down mountains carrying insecure riders  And the meadow was large enough that the horses were kept some ways from us.  We wouldn’t have to worry about stepping in horse droppings.

The “housemother” rang the dinner bell–it was an old fashioned school bell.   I don’t remember what dinner was–maybe grilled chicken and/or steaks and/or hamburgers.  We were all so hungry by this point that it could have been grilled jellyfish and we would have gobbled it down.  Riding horses works up an appetite.  It is not quite as passive as it looks.

While we were eating our cowboy/guides/wranglers set up tents for us.   The one for me was not far from a marsh-like area near a low point in the meadow.   And maybe 20 or 30 feet from the next tent.

The mid-summer sun was beginning to set.  Then, as darkness came upon us, we lounged around an open fire talking.  Someone asked about wildlife and the next thing we knew we were hearing from one of the cowboys about the deer and elk and bears which roamed these mountains.

Bears?    Bears?

Immediately I remembered every horrible story I had ever heard about bears attacking humans in campsites.  There went my adrenaline again. 

I don’t remember who talked about what after that.  Bears were on my mind. 

A little later we all headed for our tents for the night. ” Oh”, I thought, “my tent is at the edge of the group.  A bear would get me first.  It will come out of those reeds and slash through my little blue tent and — too horrible.  I can’t think about it.”   But think about it I did.

Fortunately, a long day’s ride not only builds a big appetite, it also makes one tired.  Thank goodness.  I fell asleep almost immediately and was not awakened by any marauding bears.  It was the smell of fresh coffee being brewed over the fire that woke me.

Tomorrow…what happens at 11,000 feet.