The night of the 24th, a series of unbearable events occurred.
Seriously guys, it was bad news bears.
That's right, Mr. Bear paid us a visit while we were camping.
But! Before we get into the un-happy camping, let's talk about the happy camping that took place.
Tuesday after work, we met up with Rachel & JP and drove up American Fork Canyon to the Timpanooke Campground, campsite #14. We quickly set up our chairs, and enjoyed the beautiful view. Seriously, we had the most breathtaking view of the mountains and the trees.
We had a grand ole time cooking hotdogs, playing catch, exploring the creek, roasting marshmallows, and talking around the campfire.
While we were preparing for dinner, the site manager stopped by our campsite to notify us that the night before, a cougar had been seen running through our campsite. He also to us that a bear had been frequenting the area. But not to worry, he said, and reminded us that this in fact this was their home, not ours. Uhhhh, thanks Mr.!
We felt safe as we ate dinner, collected firewood, and chatted around the campfire. Before we went to bed JP made sure that we all change our clothes and that we spit in the same cup while brushing our teeth so we could put it in the car... Don't want any bears smelling our minty fresh toothpaste! And with that, we were off to bed!
I had only been asleep for about 45 minutes, when I was woken up by JP. I lifted my head, confused, only to see him mouthing the word "BEAR" and pointing outside. I turned to wake Justin, and right as I did so - SNAP - I heard a branch break right outside our tent. Justin looked up at me, his eyes asking "What was that?!" I told him JP heard a bear, and then we all heard it - a deep grunt, right outside of our tent. All of my senses were tuning in, my heartbeat quickened. I looked over to see JP laying over Rachel, clutching her for dear life. I told myself that we had to keep calm. We had to be quiet. I suggested that we all say a prayer - and we didn't stop praying. Again, the bear grunted, only feet away from our tent. I put my fingers to my lips and motioned everyone to be quiet. I told them he wouldn't attack us unless we gave him a reason. We could hear him walking around, branches snapping and grass rustling. He was to the left, in front of us, then on the right... and then, it became very quiet - we didn't know why - but we knew he was still out there. We laid there motionless.
Minutes when by, and then, something galloped down the hill, jumped right over the corner of our tent, and stopped in the field. We all tensed up, too scared to move. My entire body was shaking. Whatever was outside was walking through the tall grass around our tent - but then, it began grazing. I looked at Justin and he mouthed "Deer?" I looked over at JP, only to hear another one walking right behind us, and maybe another off to the right. JP held up two fingers, and I nodded, pointing in the directions that I heard movements.
About 20 minutes went by, and I started to feel more peaceful. But all too soon the deer/moose/elk/whateverwasoutside spooked and ran off. I was becoming sore from being perched up on my elbows, but I was too scared to budge.
JP suggested we make a run for the car. I looked to Justin and back over the Rach & JP and whispered that we needed to have a plan. Then we heard more rustling outside of our tent. We laid there in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Justin said that if he didn't hear anything for another two minutes he was going to try to open the tent. Two minutes went by, and Justin reach his hand toward the zipper. JP held the zipper tight while Justin pulled, slowly. He probably had opened the door 3 inches when we heard noises again, and froze.
Then, we heard a something different - something jingling as it walked. Justin said it sounded like a dog - and then it shook and we could hear his ears flapping back and forth. What?! It pranced off, jingling as it went, and Justin decided it was time to leave the tent. He unzipped the door just enough to poke his head out. He didn't see anything, so he unzipped it a little more. He motioned that the coast was clear, and we all made a break for the car.
While we were in the car, we saw a camper walking from his site to the bathroom, and we drove over to him. He asked us if we had been hearing crazy noises, and said that his group had been up for the past hour+half and had heard branches bust and movement right outside of our tent. He asked us if we thought it was the mountain lion that was in the camp the night before, but we told him we were pretty positive that it was a bear. Along with some deer... and a dog? He told us that there had been news of a runaway dog in the camp, which at least explained that one.
We staked out in the car for the rest of the night... I tried to sleep, but my stomach was twisted up in an evil knot, and my heart would not calm down. Finally morning came, we got out of the car and noticed berries in the field next to us, and then we saw our evidence - an area about 7 ft. from our tent where the grass had been matted down by something BIG. The bear had laid down RIGHT outside of our tent! We also saw areas in the field where he had blazed his own trail, explaining all the branches snapping.
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| Seriously this picture doesn't even do it justice, but next to the rock is the matted down grass, and then the other view shows you how close the rock was to our tent site. I promise it happened - don't be skeptical of my crappy cellphone picture. |
All in all, it was definitely the most exciting, terrifying, exhilerating camping trip I have ever been on. JP swore off of camping for awhile - and although I was absolutely terrified the entire night, I still love to camp... Justin cracks me up because he talks about it as if it was the funniest thing ever... And because he makes this face. Oh how I love him!
I know that we were being protected that night, and that our prayers were answered. I'm grateful for the power of prayer, for a loving Father in Heaven, and for amazing friends.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
