A Walk in the Park… and a Bear Boxing Match
Elvis and I were headed to the park for a walk when our ordinary outing became something I will never forget.
As we drove in, a black bear stepped into the road about 50 yards ahead of us, then slipped back into the woods. I slowed down, hoping for another glimpse, and pulled over when I spotted the bear among the pine trees. This was a big, full-grown adult. And then I saw another one. Two enormous bears!
That was when Elvis noticed them.
Naturally, he barked like he was the toughest dog in town. Apparently, being safely inside the car gave him a great deal of confidence.
Suddenly, I was doing about five things at once: putting up Elvis’s window, turning on my flashers, reaching for my phone, and trying to keep track of the bears. For such large animals, they blend into the forest remarkably well—like camouflaged ninjas among the pines.
Then the bears charged at each other.
Before I could fully take in what was happening, they stood on their hind legs and began fighting. It looked like a full-blown boxing match, complete with enormous grunts and growls. The size, the strength, the sound—it was AMAZING. I had never witnessed anything like it.
I held up my phone, convinced I was capturing this incredible moment.
Then I looked at the screen.
I wasn’t recording.
Oh, what a bummer! In all that commotion, I had missed pressing the button. I did manage to get a couple of videos afterward, but the main event will have to live in my memory. And believe me, it has a permanent home there.
Here at Lake Tahoe, seeing black bears wandering through the neighborhood isn’t unusual. But seeing two adults rear up and fight? That was a first for me. I’m still wondering what their disagreement was about. Whatever was happening between them, I had caught a brief glimpse of a wild world carrying on alongside our own.
I went to the park expecting a walk with my dog. Instead, I came home with a story, a couple of videos, and a vivid memory of two powerful bears among the pine trees.
You never know what you might see when you’re out and about. Nature has a way of surprising us, reminding us to pay attention and making an ordinary day extraordinary.
And next time, I’ll double-check that little red recording button.
Here’s the bears when they were done fighting. 🙂
