Bearanoia and the Montana Mountains
We now carry bear spray with us. What a strange feeling. Three "mountain" kids traveling together and all of us are more-or-less completely inexperienced with bears. Yesterday, we stopped at a porting supply store for camping advice and I couldn't help but be thoroughly entertained as Jared had to ask the man at them store how bear spray worked. I felt pretty silly when Jared explained its proper use to and I wondered if I might have fumbled with it in a pinch had I not had said explanation. We're exploring new country indeed.
Camping has proved itself to be ridiculously easy in this part of the country. Free camping has lined either side of the road for the majority of our trek through Idaho and Montana. When we were in Wisconsin, we couldn't even get camping advice from the "outdoorsy" employees at AREI! In Montana, we had no problem procuring great advice for a free spot from one of the ladies at a fudge shop!
This morning we find ourselves camped at West Fork of the Clearwater, somewhere between the Montana mountain lakes of Inez and Alva. We have been becoming increasingly "bearanoid" as we start to notice signs of unfamiliar "bearish" noises in the not-too-far distance. As we sit and discuss these new feelings we all figure this bearanoia will soon pass and hopefully be replaced with a simple sense of awareness.
Today we should drift our way quite close to Glacier National Park, as I believe we're less than 100 miles away now. Dreams of bigger mountains and even bigger sky are soon to be fulfilled. Here's to moving northward and the anticipation of tonight's meteor shower...
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