Grizz Tracking: Day 2

After brushing up and learning a few new skills, like hair identification and scat ID, we were off to the field to put them into practice. Scouring fence posts, tree rubs, barbed wire and berry patched, we fine-tuned the difference between black cow hair and black bear hair, elk hair and grizzly hair. What a skill!! Hiking in the woods will never be the same.

With our GPS’s fired up, each team set out for their daily hiking mission. Our team was to hike up to Baldy Mountain and follow a drainage route down searching for Grizz signs. Reaching nearly 10,000 ft in elevation, we followed elk trails, more like an elk highway, up to the peak. Branching into two groups, we followed the ridge line West. Whitebark pine was in abundance and producing cones, a fantastic find as it is a grizzly food source.  Elks bugling and swarms of magpies socializing on the mountaintops, we made our way across the ridge enjoying the stunning landscape before us.

Grizz Tracking W/ Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation

After mild adjustments and a bit of quality control, I managed a sleeping bag bunged to the handlebars, a red duffel bag strapped to the rack, and my blue day pack secured to my waste. I was off to track grizzly bears in the Centennial Mountain Range.

Ten of us met up in town, a crew who had just introduced themselves. We had an EMT, a second year MSU geologist, a bartender, wildlife gurus, and adventurers of every sort. After loading up the trucks, we drove off into the sunset excited for the adventure ahead.

Trumpeting swans greeted the morning sunrise and I stretched out of my cozy hammock, marveling at what adventures lye ahead. The scenery couldn’t have been more spectacular. We were camped at Red Rock Lake, towered over by the peaks of the Centennial Range: Baldy, Taylor, and Sheep Mountain.

A quick breakfast and some coffee, to get the buzz on, and we jumped right into navigation, tracking, GPS skills, and Grizzly encounters. What do you NOT do if you see a bear… any bear? RUN, that is DO NOT RUN. See a black bear, ya get big, as big Big Foot, and make a lot of noise  @#)$&$  $!%&!^*!!!!!! 

That should do the trick… unless it’s the big boy, the Grizzly. He’s not so easily convinced by such nonsense. Rather, treat him like the school principal after you got caught doing something wrong. Avoid eye contact, talk in a calm and soothing voice, and slowly back away as if unnoticed. 

Love the World, Love Yourself

Sometime when things come easy, we don’t recognize them for what they are. This is especially the case for love, the confusing and most complex emotion we as human beings experience. There are so many ways to love someone, it seems to be a catch all word for expressing that we care about someone. Friendships have become more often acquaintances, but I’m blessed to say I truly love and care deeply about many of my friends, and know they feel the same.

One thing I fear is the shallow seemingly meaningless relationships we develop in our day-to-day lives, withholding engagement and sincerity in our actions. How are you suppose to get to know anybody when this is the norm? How is anyone suppose to get to know me?

I’ve been more alive the past couple days that I have been for a long time. I’ve been speaking and playing games with my friends from around the world through the world of online media. These wonderful people know me better than I do myself sometimes, and I trust them fully.  I love you guys! You bring my world to life :)

Daily Joys

When you travel, its easy to engage in your surroundings, to live in the moment and take in every detail. You act intuitively to opportunities, and make the most of your time. For some reason though, at home and in my every day life, this changes. I find myself more reserved, steadily focusing on long term desires, and setting aside the day-to-day. Though long term goals are important, its these daily joys that make living worthwhile. I'm not sure I understand this phenomena, because its an occurrence I've seen time and time again. The challenge is balance. Engaging yourself everyday, and seeking out what makes you continually passionate about the world around you.

I've been invited to a Rhythm Drum Retreat near Glacier National Park, an opportunity to meet local drummers, and people who share my worldly passions right in my backyard. I've been dying to bring my travels home with me.  lol, I think I've just blogged myself into going. Any other takers?

Montana Outdoor Rhythm Retreat

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Discovering the Music- Hang Drum

Those late night strolls from one Youtube video to the next always leads you to some interesting new incite. I discovered not only a new instrument, but masterfully played by a man named Dante Bucci. Check out this amazing artist... and if you ever come across a Hand Drum for under $5,000 Please let me know!!

Art Work

Grasping the tarp tightly around my body and drying artwork, I fended off the storming rain. Baffled by its sudden oncoming, I carefully re-packed my supplies desperately hoping to protect my wet paintings. The purple and blue sky was dark, but magical. A brilliant slice of rainbow illuminated the sky. Like superman in the phone booth, I transformed my display back to an unsuspecting carry bag, cocooned in my silver tarp.  

I looked up and a drenched man stood in the gazebo next to me, waiting curiously for the rain to stop, so he may continue his suddenly interrupted evening walk. We chatted about this and that, till I caught a dry window and rushed home.

Having carefully placed the paintings, I hoped they wouldn’t be disturbed during the two-block bike trip. To my dismay, my favourite for a special project I was putting together, had adhered to a paper folder.  

The sun rose early the next crispy green morning, and I rushed over to the gazebo to create a new work. Colours filled the sky, reds, yellows, and oranges slowly transformed into a stunningly blue morning.  My piece was complete. Happy Birthday Toby!

Say The Color, Not The Word

Update from Sweet Pea festival in Bozeman, Montana: Today was Chalk on the Walk, where free chalk is distributed downtown and everyone lets out their inner artist!

I run my life like I do a business, one project at a time.  - Capri

Making the Most of my Day!

I biked 18miles today, floated the Yellowstone river, met up with an old friend, looked for an apartment, met new friends, watched the sunset, and went to work for 5 hours. Each thing done with quality. Can't waste a good day!!

Searching for the Impossible

For some reason, I always tend to get myself in interesting situations... After getting off work early, I decide to apartment search, and cutting out some details, I decided to look at a studio apartment I was pretty sure I wasn't interested in. The apartment wasn't available to see, but I started talking to a woman outside and see if she liked it.

 She offered to show me her place, so we went up to the third floor and had a look around. Ashley was fantastic, and it just so happens, she her apartment will be available the same time I'm looking to move in. We had fun, but she had to run off and meet some friends...

To my surprise, I knew the driver, Trevor, who I've been meaning to catch up with since I came back in May! So, on a whim, he invited me to go floating with them on the Yellowstone River. Ashley let me borrow a swim suit, and hopped in a car with 6 other people and 2 dogs.

The flooding made the river fantastically fast, and we finished up in only a third of the time. We beached out on a rocky island to catch some sun, and spent the rest of the time swatting mosquitoes at the take out point. At one point we were dancing on the highway bridge, the only place the wind was strong enough to blow them away, and dancing to keep warm. :)

A wonderful man slowed down in his car,  and smiled with a can of bug spray in his hands. He handed a new can of Off, and waved goodbye. I don't know how to ever thank him!

So after a lovely ride back to Bozeman, snuggling back up in the car, I grabbed my things from Ashleys apartment... and had to figure out how to get back home.... Belgrade... about 10 miles away.

Skipping more details... I picked up some dinner to go, and finished biking the 18 miles total (for the day) into the sunset.

What a day!!

Not everyone does crazy things like this... but its just a normal part of my life.. finding things I thought were impossible, then proving myself wrong. And who knows, I just might be moving into Ashley's apartment now :)