Hey folks, welcome to my world. No run Friday, I was pretty slammed with work and trying to get home for the weekend to do post-maintenance test flights in my plane after having the engine worked over these past couple months. So I plan to get up and run tomorrow morning. 

In the meantime, I see that the Friday thread is full of bears, and an awful lot of comments and questions from our barefoot veteran...and maybe from a few others, so I'll try to respond here...if I miss some please don't hesitate to draw my attention. 

Having a Grizzly Bear right outside your office must a bit unnerving at times - though spellbinding too no doubt.

I take a turn as the manager of Brooks Camp every summer. I was out helping my staff before my turn as manager, so I was sleeping on the July manager's couch. Our joke is that the bear walking by on the beach out the window keeps messing up our view of the lake.

I love watching the bears, too!  Thanks for posting the link, Troy, even though you're killing everyone's productivity today!

Apparently somebody from CNN called somebody at explore.org to let them know they'd be getting a bill in the mail for all the lost time created by the webcam. Also apparently, they were joking.

Meant to run 5; watched the bears instead. Curses, Troy!

When we are going to run, the big problem is that we have to get across the river, and there are often bears in the way. So on the way to a run, we can get stuck watching bears because they are the roadblock.

How old do those guys get?

We have documented ages of more than 30 a time or two, mid-20s is usually considered pretty old, low teens is sort of what I would consider in their prime.

Will your 23 miler end at Brooks Falls?

Probably just at the river mouth, so downstream of the falls. That way we can walk across the bridge to our cabins, take hot showers, and start the post-run festivities...that would be the napping...

Gosh, they are cute and I have the page minimized to the corner of my screen so I can work and watch at the same time.

Apparently in the first few hours more than 6 years of time were spent watching the bears. After another 24 hours, the total time spent was more like 24 years...so yes, we are apparently killing productivity everywhere.

Troy - have you ever heard 'em called "cute" in person, or, I mean,  in bear,

Actually yes, pretty much every day at Brooks somebody says that. But there are some other responses as well. Because the bridge across the river is a floating bridge and you have to walk up to it at ground level, we try to manage the river crossing activity to keep people from walking into bears at close range. But sometimes we have to make an effort to move bears to facilitate traffic, both because the dinner service is time-limited at the lodge and people need to eat, and because people have scheduled flights and we try to make sure they can get to them. Thursday night a bear was resting down in the area near the bridge, but we were able to work around it and keep people moving. But then it got up and moved and laid down right in the path near the end of the bridge, where we couldn't work around it. We gave it 30 minutes to evaluate whether it was really going to stay or not, but then we had to move it. So I took one of my staff and we walked up to this resting bear, making noise and being irritating, until it got up and moved off. Then another bear was coming up the beach toward it, so we got out of the way. Sadly, the second bear laid down to rest, but it turned the first bear around and it went back and sat down in the previous place. So we again went up to move it, and this time it walked over to the end of the bridge and sat on the decking. So we went and again moved it on. At this point we were directly across from the lower platform in plain view of the 60 people waiting to get across for dinner and flights, and the bear was getting a little agitated, and after snapping off some grass, it swung its head down and bluff charged us, swatting at the ground. We stood there watching its little tantrum, then when it got ready to try again we beaned it with rocks, after which it moved on away, agitated and frustrated. Sorry bear. It is a little subadult. We don't do that to large bears, but then large bears don't come down around camp much anyway. I very much expect to see that whole charade on youtube as well...probably accompanied by some phrase such as 'idiot rangers...' But the people getting off the platform didn't seem to think it was cute when it was charging us. But that was a fairly rare exception. They really are cute, in an 'I could rearrange every bone in your body if I felt like it...' sort of way.

Stoopid bears.

Get back to work, Erika!!!

okay troy, how did you guys to it?

We answered the phone when the Annenberg Foundation called. After explaining to them that we'd already tried it, they explained to us that they'd already successfully done it in other places...so after lots of work on the parts of many people but not really any on my part, agreements were agreed to and they came out and did it. It is really all the work of explore.org, part of the Annenberg Foundation. We benefited from their ability to wade through red tape and make it work.

where is it?

Front lower left of the falls platform, which didn't exist in your time here.

could a bear claw it down?

Probably if it was their top priority in life, but it is pretty high, near 11 feet. They would have to work pretty hard.

do you have to change batteries?

Power is solar, so should be good for the long haul.

is it some sort of autofocus on a moving bear. . .that sometimes focuses on one bear and other times a vista with the falls?

I understand there is actually a place where people have control over the camera, some university, so the changes to the view are conscious on the part of another viewer.

Whats the water velocity off the falls they stand in?

Don't know. You got me on that one. I guess I'll have to wade out and measure it.

(don't wade out and measure it though).

Or not.

Have you ever seen anyone in scuba gear in the water too?

No, but I've snorkeled the lower river before to map salmon spawning distributions...had a couple bear spotters working with me on that one.

How fast can you run?

Probably a little over 20 mph.

how fast can they run?

Probably a lot over 20 mph.

Is there an elevated viewing platform or sometning nowadays?

Yes, built in the 80s I believe. There are actually three platforms, but the falls platform is the one that has the action in July, so that's where the image is from at present.

what's the most down there fishing at one time?

This year I've heard 19. I've seen 25 before. I've heard of numbers near 30 from other folks that are out there more than I am.

I guess it makes winter worthwhile.

Winter is always worthwhile, I love winter. At least the cold clear days.

thanks.

My pleasure.

ps - are they stupid too getting like Yellowstone bears? 

I don't really know enough about Yellowstone bears to even answer...

So thanks for asking, yes, the post-maintenance test flight was done tonight, found a couple squawks we sorted out, and things seem to be going well, it flew nice. Going for a run in the morning, then back in the air for engine break-in.

Enjoy the bears, the activity will change remarkably over the next week, as the salmon run is tapering off. 

That post was by far the most interesting post I have ever read on this forum, which means either that Troy has to post more often or the rest of you need to elevate your game.  Thank you.

 

My RP is back and today we celebrated with an easy 5 miler.  I changed my mind about racing a 5K today as the entry was 30 bucks!  Think I'll run long tomorrow now that I am rested.    Spareribs

I hate it when the wise one really is wise, but me too.

Mine's $30 too but it's 8K and has a parade, to say nothing of goddesses galore.

Used to be able to do two marathons for that price, but no parade, . . and few, if any, goddesses.

.

However, I never heard of anyone throwing rocks at a bear and living to tell about it.

Please post the video of that if it gets up somewhere.

ps - do they keep fish counts into the Brooks River anymore?

I got no game, Ribs.  Some of our 5k races cost $30 on race day and that's annoying.  Had a good run, 5 miles with 6 strides, and it was one of those days where I thought the heat would get to me, but it didn't!  I was happy to find when I updated my log that I'm going to have the most monthly miles so far this year.

rhoon's Q & A was extremely interesting.

Nice long runs for breger and shadow.

This morning, it was in the mid to high 60s, there was a light wind, and it was humid.  I got in 3 miles at an 11:14 pace.

A good day and good runs for all.

TomS

rhoon phast great Q&A!  I too killed some work time looking at the bears.  But when none caught a fish for a bit I, sadly, gave up.  Cute ears!  Err, on the bears that is . . .

I need help folks.  I have racked my brain for a song with Spareribs in it.  (Yes, pun intended!  )  Not a one that I can think of.  Somebody around here must know of one.  Help!!

enkephalin I am going with Holly S. here, where would one find a Korean soap opera or heck any Korean TV show.  If you did find it how would you understand it unless you spoke Korean? 

Mike E look at it this way the more you do that you do not know how to do the more you expand your skill base.  That, I would imagine, just increases your value to any firm.

tetsujin209 that was a great list of questions!

SteveP I hope you are still here post lightning run!  I guess in a forest with lots of high trees you are pretty safe.  Still, it would make me nervous.  On the other hand, I recall getting caught, a long time ago, by a thunderstorm in the middle of a 18 mile run and it did not turn me around!  Maybe, I should switch permanently to that zombie cat avatar? 

A lot of news today.  First running.  Ran the local 4.683 mile race today.  Cheap race!  You can buy into the whole 10 race series for $30 or pay $5 per race.  So, all of you looking to avoid $30 5k races come to CT!   Alas, I did very mediocre.  I have to get my act together and start training again with some seriousness.   My friend who is coming to run Amsterdam with me this October is doing her first 20 miler tomorrow.  Me?  I have not done anything over 15 for over a month!  This week 16 it is.

In non running but, I think more interesting news, last night my DW and I joined the couple that is coming to Amsterdam with us to watch their DD perform at the Alvin Ailey school.  This is not your ordinary school performance.  Just getting into Alvin Ailey is an accomplishment.  They have a very deep applicant pool and you have to audition for entry.  Last night's performance was to celebrate the end of this year's intensive summer program.  There were six numbers altogether and the time flew!  The choreography, the music and most of all watching these incredibly talented youth dance was just incredible to watch.  Our friend's DD is just 16 and the youngest person admitted to the summer program this year.  The girl is amazingly talented.  Heck, the whole student body is.  But, some are clearly good enough to make a living with dance.  But, admittedly, most while extraordinarily good will for one reason or another need another career.  Right now, though, our friend's DD seems on the way to becoming a professional.  She has everything she needs to succeed in the business: a willingness to work at it, talent, body type and overall beauty.  Just a great evening.

Good info on the bears.  I had a couple of questions come to mind.  First, how are all those bears finding out about the good fishing in this particular spot?  Are they using social media, can they get cellphone reception up there to call one another, or do they have to just put some posters up on the trees?  And, did anybody get signed authorizations for putting them on camera?  If not, I bet you hear from an angry manager, publicist, or attorney. 

Enjoyable stuff.  Thanks.

Piejones sighting...hurray!

Just read this on Facebook about Leslie: Leslie finished the Mt. Hood 50 in 12:13:41! She was 107th overall, and 13th in her age group!

Great work Leslie!!!!

Twocat, that must have been an amazing performance. Great job on the race.

Tramps, I did watch the Olympics.  I enjoy the earlier part of the ceremony. I was up until 12 last night, so waking up at 5 for a run was a mistake, I went back to sleep until 6, then I went for my 10 miler run. Legs felt great. I think my legs are back.

Quick posting here since I have a house full of out of town visitors. Our friend Dr. Joel is a very accomplished singer. He is performing tonight at the local winery, so we are all getting ready to go to the performance. Today was the "official" birthday meal for my wings. It was BBQ ribs plus burgers for those who do not enjoy ribs, various types of salad and an array of seasonal fruits. BBQ ribs once again stole the show. None left (and I thought I made double the amount I would need).

Off to enjoy some wine at the winery and to enjoy the concert!