Nightmare Fuel...A Bear Stalked A Family On A Hiking Trip
As always, let's first say that it's terrific these people lived to tell about this. Animals, especially bears are not to be fucked with. Absolutely terrifying. I was legit sick watching this. Maybe it was being told about Grizzly Man documentary in college, or being on the internet and blogging different stories involving bears causing chaos but bears scare me... shit they terrify me. Watching this video I was in the horrible in between of not being able to shut it off, and sacred the entire time the bear was on the screen.
Once I realized the family was safe I started to have my takeaways. First off ... I cannot believe these people stayed this calm during this. I guess that's the key in these situations. I've always read or heard that if you interact with a bear you can't run and you should try to make yourself wide, I never really believed it worked until just now and I saw it in action. If it was one person by themself it would be scary enough, I can't fathom having a family to worry about in this situation. Terrifying. Credit to them for staying calm... likely the difference between experienced hikers and people like me.
Speaking of hikers, I'm all for exercise but you cannot convince me the people who go hiking for weekends and live in the woods aren't crazy. You also can't convince me that any of the smells, the experience, the views or the exercise is worth encountering a bear and potentially become a lunch special. No chance. You know where else you can get exercise ? A treadmill ... in a gym with walls ... in a building with no bears. There are very few things I would risk my life for and exercise and one of them. Do sit ups on the floor of your bedroom in the morning instead of deal with a bear the size of a Chevy Silverado (great truck by the way). Also it's almost football season ... watch the game, missing a weekend on the grid iron for hiking is lunacy behavior.
Lastly, apparently just yelling "Hey Bear" is a move that will keep them away? I know these people know more than me and it did prove to work out but that had to be a coincidence right? The constant yelling of "HEYYYYY BEARRRRR" makes me think she had to know it was going to work, but I'm still in such shock it actually did. What about that phrase keeps a bear ...one of the biggest and baddest animals out there away from people ? I'm shook.
Stay safe people.