This story comes to us from Robert in Muskegon, Mich. The title says it all, though Robert has also enclosed some pictures of the event described below.
Last fall, my wife and I visited the Pictured Rocks National Lake shore of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was late October, and the morning was chilly and rainy. We decided to attempt a lake shore hike which promised beached shipwrecks and a haunting light house. We were dressed warmly underneath our rain ponchos as we began our journey across the sandy, and sometimes rocky, beach. The waves were crashing against the shore, and the wind was determined to get us wet and cold despite our efforts otherwise.
As we hiked, we noticed several sets of bear tracks, some much smaller than others, indicating a mother with her cub, all though it was hard to determine when, as the rain and wind was minutes from completely erasing the paw prints. Once at the light house, poised atop a small cliff, we carefully searched around the abandoned stead for any other signs of bear. After taking many pictures we decided to make our way back.
As we retraced our original hike, the sky cleared enough to let the sun occasionally shine through the clouds, warming and drying us. At first we just walked around ignorant of our surroundings, taking pictures here and there. Then, completely on accident, we noticed that there were fresh bear tracks in the sand, meaning that a bear had been following us up along the cliff just out of sight, returning to the beach when we climbed up to the light house!
We decided to follow the tracks; my wife searched along the beach, as I wandered up the hill amongst the brush and trees, and ultimately out of site. My wife realized that she was alone, and switched to follow my tracks hesitantly up the hill. I couldn’t resist; even though she moved with nervous anticipation, I made a low growling noise, imitating the bear we were looking for. I had to resist laughing and giving myself up as she franticly called my name, her eyes shifting from the brush to the beach, as if trying to navigate an escape. I then growled even louder, which resulted in her running; screaming and crying for me down the beach.
Wow, I had no idea my bear imitation was that convincing, feeling terrible, I immediately went after her to reveal my joke and offer my apologies and comfort. One thing is for certain, she has a much better appreciation for my joke in retrospect than she did at that very moment!
Thanks, Robert, for that tale.
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Related posts:
- Photo: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Sailing the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Small Mouth Bass at Sleeping Bear Dunes
- Polar Bear Cub
- Skipping Rocks on the Lake