Bubble in the desert

A blog I started whilst on a GE "Bubble" assignment in Nevada. I'm back in Cambridge (UK) now but still miss the desert and my friends out there.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Slightly worried about wildlife

I've become quite relaxed about my proximity to bears but it seems, I still haven't become completely relaxed about the whole thing.

I'd just got into bed about midnight last night when I heard something upstairs, outside my front door (a flimsy wooden affair next to a flimsy window - well, flimsy to a bear at least).

By now I know what people sound like as they walk along the wooden walkway outside my door. They sound loud and 2 legged. Bears, though heavier, have big feet and walk on all fours, so they are pretty quiet.

As I lay there last night I could hear some rustling, like some furry butt brushing up against my door, next to the chest that's outside, to hide from the whistling wind. I think if this had been a small animal, like a raccoon or a coyote, I wouldn't have heard it. So, I figured this was a bear.

As I was falling asleep I was reasoning that the bear could probably smell what was in my fridge (their sense of smell is about 20 times more powerful than a dogs). I figured that after a winter sleep the poor thing is probably pretty hungry. In a very small number of moments a little push at the door would grant it access to my upstairs (I sleep downstairs from the front door). In this scenario, my only exit would be via the front door, upstairs. So, I had stashed my bear spray downstairs, just in case. Oh, but I had left it upstairs (drat) leaving my only 'weapon' as an electric toothbrush or perhaps hair clippers.

I thought I should probably just go upstairs and open the door and chase off the bear. But then, do you really want to open a door right next to where a bear is standing? I could open my blinds and look out of the window but then, I would need to quickly and confidently act, or, it could just come through the window!

In the end I just rolled over and went to sleep. Disconcerted. I woke up, so everything must've been fine. However, on walking to my car I noticed that for the first time this winter the bear bins were secured properly. Someone else, it seems, was aware of our little visitor in the night.

I think I will make sure I have something in my hand that I can throw as I creep home in the dark tonight, jangling my keys and singing 'rocky mountain high'.

1 Comments:

At 2:51 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please don't sing that song Carl. ;)

 

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