Beastly Bruin by gracie [ biker beaver part 2 ]

        He had on a pair of knee high lumberjack boots only half tied, the red strip around the top of his gray wool socks was faded to a pale pink. His double kneed pants were stained and darkened with dirt and pine sap.  Both pant legs were cut up to the knees and I could see the black hair curling over the tops of his boots. His belly looked hard behind the belt buckle shaped like a McCullough chainsaw. The wife beater t-shirt had
holes burned in it from the ash of the cigar wedged between his rounded and worn teeth. His unbuttoned yellow and black flannel shirt was half a size too small, both torn sleeves hanging loose around his massive wrists had the stain of blood, berries and booze discoloring the bright yellow. squares! His hat-I had seen that hat before-it was leather with a wide brim and a band made from the skin of a rattle snake. Yep, there's the eagle feather, just like the biker beavers. I could not look at his eyes staring at me over his long black nose;dripping snot, flaring in and out sucking my scent out of the air. I was chilled to the bone, yet mesmerized by fear of this new critter standing on the shore of Lake Jocassee.

          The Turtle man was speaking softly, "I'm getting some good pictures of the bear. First time I've seen a bear in the wild like this. This is really neat!!

          Fear is clutching my heart and I'm having trouble breathing. I don't want to, but the draw is unmistakable -I look into his eyes! Shining black coal, rimmed with blood red, surrounded by the dirty yellow of a long time smoker. The fire in his eye smoulders as his look burns into my soul and he says, "The beaver boys told me about you. You're yeller!" I try to make light of it and say, "I am a yellow lab, but I think of myself as blonde. Blonde and beautiful!" He raised to his full height and roared-the sound-like a flash flood in a narrow canyon, the trees bowed and the lake shook, water splashed into the canoe as we thundered  back and forth.

          "Gracie be still, you're going to scare the bear."                     
          "Wow! Where did all this wind come from? I can hardly keep the canoe still."
         
          I drop to the bottom of the canoe and stick my nose in the bow so he can't see me. Seventy pounds of quivering dog, squirming to get out of sight! The canoe is rocking and banging, I think I hear him say,"One day!-one day you will be ours!"  I don't know what I've done to the biker beavers or to this beastly bruin. I sure don't understand the Turtle man. Why? Why does he not see what I see? Why does he not hear what I hear?

BEAR-----Looks like a normal bear to me!

          Gracie    and     the Turtle

Canoe-Camp-Content 09-13-2011

          The day started slow, just could not get motivated to get going.  Only had a couple of errands to run and then could get ready to go on an one night camping trip. Finished my errands and stopped at the store to buy some hot dogs for my supper, got a few other food items and twenty dollars. [ I am always amazed that I can ask for money and the clerk just hands it over to me-Where does it come from?]  Finally loaded up the truck, loaded up Gracie, and pulled myself into the cab. Still not acting like a man who had been anticipating this trip for two weeks. Sometimes a body is just tired. As late as it was we stopped and ate a sub before heading to the lake. Put in at 1:00pm- Jocassee about 20 feet below full pond and lots of shore line showing, we made our first stop at 1:51pm 2.2miles from the boat ramp. Knowing that we had plenty of time to get to the camp site Gracie and I took a long break, playing in the water and soaking up the sun! Paddled with a steady stroke, making good time moving on the clear quiet water. We were slowly and quietly following the shore line heading toward  the bridge that crosses over the Toxaway River, this is just as you come out of the narrow part of the lake crossing the boarder into NC. Off to my right I see movement near the tree line and a big ole bear is wandering out of the woods and into the open space between the water and the woods! Well shut my mouth! Never have I seen a bear in the wild before. Slowly get the camera and start taking pictures. He never even looks my way.

                                                                            

        

Black Bear - Lake Jocassee

          The bear is gone and I am thrilled to have seen him, this is by far the highlight of this trip. We paddle on up toward the bridge where we hope to camp on top of this bluff over looking the lake. The closer we get to the bridge the harder to paddle, the Toxaway river is flowing fast because the lake is so low. Here is no lake just river. Can not get to the bluff so we just find a place anywhere and hope the Camping Police don't show up. [They don't ]  I get the camp set up and we wait for the full moon to rise. We traveled ten miles this afternoon and I'm sitting in the chair soaking in the wilderness, Gracie is sleeping near me.  There is a log that appears to be moving across the lake with a purpose and direction in life, I don't think logs are capable of that! I get my binoculars and walk to the shore line looking at this moving log which is not a log, but a mama bear and her two cubs! Does it really get any better than this????  I watch as they come on shore and walk a little ways before trailing off into the woods. I am so sorry that my camera, even with it's zoom lens was not able to get a picture. What is better than seeing one bear?  Seeing four bears!

Campsite from shore.

Lake view from tent.

          After dark we built a small fire and roasted a couple of hot dogs. It was fun to put a fire pit together in the sand, plenty of rocks for the circle and plenty of dead wood laying around for the teepee style fire. Used my big sheath knife to cut a stick to roast the dogs with--NOT Gracie-- and then used it to cut open the package of weenies. Only mention that because I always take the knife, but never really need it except to open food packs of some kind or the other. Normally eat freeze dried food, but to night was special.

On the Beach Vacation Week

          We had a great vacation in the city of Savannah GA, ate lots of food and saw all the city sights. AND went to the beach on Tybee Island!!!!  That was the coolest part, sitting on the beach and watching the waves crash onto the shore. A couple of days the wind blew hard and we didn't even open the umbrella, just soaked up the sun. The last day was just a picture perfect day [sorry we took no pictures]. Light breeze blowing and not to hot!

          View from the beach chair-through the squinted eyes of  a mountain man disguised as a tourist.