OK, we'll admit we have a fascination for bear stories like some people are drawn to horror movies. Bears are big, scary, wild, unpredictable, cute in their own ursine fashion. And did we mention scary?
We especially like the kind of stories with a happy ending, i.e., neither human nor bear harmed in an encounter.
Therefore, it was with great interest that we read the June 19 Outdoors article about the Alaskan triathlete who was bowled over by a grizzly sow with cubs while on a training run with a friend in Anchorage's Hillside Park. The men figure the encounter lasted only 15 seconds, but undoubtedly they'll remember it for a lifetime.
What really struck us was the second man's response. Thinking the bear was attacking his friend, he gave chase. Fortunately, the bear left without further ado. The man declined to be named in his interview with the Anchorage Daily News, because he hadn't told his children and didn't want them to be afraid to run and mountain bike on local trails. Seems the kids had already been traumatized by what was described as a "bad moose" encounter. He didn't want them to be so scared as to totally abandon recreation on the city's trails.
Hmmm. Surely we want our kids to overcome unreasonable fears -- of clowns, or the dark or speaking in public. But in this case, fear certainly seems reasonable, even healthy. If nothing else, we think being forewarned is being forearmed, not a bad idea when a four-legged large wild animal is in the neighborhood -- and bowling people over.
If a moose encounter is bad, imagine one with a bad bear.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.
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