SRD here.. was thinking of switching it up but all considered I just don't have the energy. I continue on my quest to repair our well line, broken in multiple places right next to the house and beneath a 20' arbovitae that I've already limbed because it's become clear that it just has to come out and I'm just the guy to do it. I'm now 2' or so down(4' at the foundation) via axe, mattock, sledge and shovel and the thing is still damn sturdy. I really don't feel the need for a run, even if the monthly goal will be slightly out of reach.

qotd: Yeah, I'd say falling and cracking my head on a rock as well. No real dangerous animals here and I guess I'm about as solid as I'm gonna get on tick checking

Back home for a couple days then off for a couple weeks to Ontario. Still waiting on my special order of food from Packit Gourmet after a few of you mentioned it in the backpacking thread. Paid a kings ransom to get it shipped here before Wednesday. Still waiting...

Got in some great mountain biking up north and my early morning run today up there was promising as I think my legs are back now. Yay.

QOTD--No real fear on the trails, I do realize I'm just a slip on a wet rock from trouble anytime I'm out and about. There are some urban areas I certainly avoid when running the pavement.

 Thankfully she was seemingly just protecting a den down the hill possibly and never showed any aggressive tendencies...but still scary nonetheless.

Jamie--Black bears do not defend their den. If a bear was reluctant to leave an area it is more likely there was a nice food source nearby. (dead animal,berries, etc.)They sometimes will prepare a den site in the early fall and come back to it when it's time to go nighty night but more often they just locate a site when needed and do a quick prep. They will even occasionally leave the den under good conditions to do a quick walkabout but go right back in. The sows give birth in the den and the tiny cubs will nurse but once spring arrives all bears just head out the door and don't look back. it is extremely rare for the same bear to return to a den the following year.  Bears are not like foxes or wolves which will use the same site continuesly, leaving the young there while hunting, etc.

I've got a formerly used den on my property built into a hillside with the roots of a tree providing a semblance of a structure. I have partially dug it and reinforced it with planks to prevent a total collapse of the site hoping that one of these winters when I snowshoe over there and poke my head in I'll be face to face with Yogi. 

Monday was a SRD.  Today I got in 4 for a quick "instant run".  (Gosh, I hope that QoN doesn't see this.     .)

qotd:  I know that it is totally irrational and such a remote possibility, but whenever I do early morning runs by myself in California or Colorado I have this fear of Mountain Lions.  I tend to make a lot of noise on those runs.

 

 

 

Jamie--Black bears do not defend their den. If a bear was reluctant to leave an area it is more likely there was a nice food source nearby. (dead animal,berries, etc.)They sometimes will prepare a den site in the early fall and come back to it when it's time to go nighty night but more often they just locate a site when needed and do a quick prep. They will even occasionally leave the den under good conditions to do a quick walkabout but go right back in. The sows give birth in the den and the tiny cubs will nurse but once spring arrives all bears just head out the door and don't look back. it is extremely rare for the same bear to return to a den the following year.  Bears are not like foxes or wolves which will use the same site continuesly, leaving the young there while hunting, etc.

 

I've got a formerly used den on my property built into a hillside with the roots of a tree providing a semblance of a structure. I have partially dug it and reinforced it with planks to prevent a total collapse of the site hoping that one of these winters when I snowshoe over there and poke my head in I'll be face to face with Yogi. 

Thanks for the info.  That is interesting.  This was a few years ago (2012 I think).  The bear was probably startled by me from a good food source.  She or He did not move more than 30 yards from it and sat down, staring at me for 5 minutes until I found the courage to take off down the trail.  I talked to a guy that described the very same situation a year later in the same area.  We both thought it was the same bear.  I guess that is why I thought the bear was defending a den.   I guess as long as I do not try to steal the bear's snacks, I should be ok...