Today I went to Big Basin State Park. It is a very wonderful place, with redwood trees taller than I have yet seen. They go up forever, and you can't see the tops.
The walk went through different landscapes, forest and open heath, with lots of gorse.
The views at the top were wonderful. The Pacific Ocean was in the distance, covered with a swirling mist. It looked like we were standing miles above the clouds.
I was wearing my Loch Lomond baseball cap, which I intend wearing when I get to the 'real' Loch Lomond next month. It has the embroidered image of a mountain lion, which I think will delightfully confuse the locals. Having been reassuring myself with how unlikely it is I will ever see one of these scary beasts, my walking companion today told of the time when they were walking alone in a forest. They heard the give away crunching of leaves alongside their path. When they stopped to listen, the crunching stopped. When they started again, the crunching started again. A bit further down the path they were confronted by a mountain lion, staring them in the face. Fortunately, it responded well to a bit of a chat, in a firm tone, and turned and walked off along the path. My companion sensibly decided to turn round and walk back.
Today I realised there had been another threat that I had filed away deeper in my mind. It came to light when trying to throw away my icecream stick. The bins were 'bear proof'.
Yes, 'bear proof'.
There was a cheery cartoon of a bear paw print to press the point home. I was rather glad we were on our way back, and felt quite relieved to get back in the car in one piece.
I shouldn't be surprised by the thought of bears, after all, I did grow up with Yogi Bear, and I think he lived somewhere round here.
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