After an hour or so walking through aspen covered trails, wildflower covered hillsides and jumping rocks along the dried up creek bed, we found the stream. Instantly the kids ran to the cold, deep, mountain stream pool and nearly collapsed into it's cool, regenerating water. Even Landon was trying to wiggle free from the safe hold of the pack on my back. Once released he kicked off his shoes and waddled into the cool waters.
After cooling off in the creek, Matt and his kids had to head back to town. My kids and I decided to keep making our way up the trail to the waterfall. After another 30 minutes or so Addi said, "I'm sorry Mama, I really don't want to ruin your fun hike, but I really, really cannot hike anymore. Let's come back with daddy so he can carry me to the waterfall!" And with that we turned back. It was okay with me. I was looking at the time and I really did not want to be walking down through that thick, aspen covered trail in the cool hours of the evening - that's the perfect time for the lazy day bears to start moving about.
I love with all my heart the solidarity of walking through the wilderness. The love the quiet, hot air. I love the peaceful rustle of the aspen leaves. I love hearing the stream in the distance and you just know you are close. As a mother, walking through grizzly bear country, alone, with your babies, brings on different feelings. Intense instinctually feelings that make your mind wander to worse case scenarios and how I would handle those scenarios. I think of it as muscle memory. I practice in my brain, repeatedly, so if the time came where I had to win a bear confrontation, I would in fact win. I don't let it ruin my time in the woods, but I certainly am prepared and any rustle of the brush or hearing an animal spook in the trees has me on high alert. It happened on this day. My heart rate was so rapid it put a wrinkle in my shirt (!), I squeezed Addi's hand, pulled her behind me and quick-drew my bear spray. Was it a bear moving through the brush in the middle of this hot day, I don't know, but just the sound of something moving behind us had me jumping! My reaction wasn't actually quite calm and did not cause Addi to get scared, but for a while I hiked with my bear spray out of the hostler, unlocked, loaded and ready to go!
The best part about the hike: we were not confronted or eaten by a bear! ;)
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