THE TALKEETNA SCARE

It was July and a very nice day so we decided to go camping and fishing in Talkeetna Alaska! I called my daughter and asked her if she and her daughter wanted to come with us! She said she would love to come, I told her to gather her things and we will be there in about two hours! I gathered all the camping and fishing gear and food. My husband put all the items in the car and we took our dog Nicholas, a toy poodle with us. I called my daughter and told her we were on the way to pick her and her daughter up. I had an SUV so everything fit in the car with room to spare! We drove to her home in Big Lake and I went to get them. They put their things in the car and we drove to the high way. It was sunny and beautiful out we all were talking and having a good time! I told my daughter to watch for Moose there are many moose and bears in Alaska! Especially when you go up north to Talkeetna! In the back seat were my grandaughter and my toy poodle. It was a three-hour drive to go camping to Talkeetna. We were going fishing for Rainbow Trout they are the best fish cooked over the fire! We went past Montanana Creek and had another hour of driving left! On the way, we stopped for a snack and I walked the dog so he can go to the bathroom! After we were on the road again we had an hour to go to the campground! Wow, we finally were there, we found a nice spot and parked the car.

We took the gear out of the car and proceeded to set up our tents etc. My husband started a fire to make some coffee, the coffee tasted so good after the long drive. We sat, drank the coffee, then set up the fishing poles to go fishing. It was sunny and we knew the fish would not be biting in the sun! We had to wait until the sun went down! In the meantime, my husband asked us if we would want to go for a hike. We all said sure we would go with him and we all walked up the hill. I told my daughter to talk loud to scare any bears. The bears do not like loud noises it makes them go in a different direction. We all were having a great time talking and I was also watching my dog. I sure did not want him to wander away from us and get himself into trouble. Finally, we came to a clearing and we all were exploring. We were having a great time when I told my daughter I was tired and I wanted to leave. She told me not to go down the hill and that I should wait. I told her that I would wait for them and I stayed!

No sooner she said that to me, I looked at my right and there he was! A Big Black Bear staring right at me! My dog ran in the back of me and he did not bark! I went over and told my daughter and granddaughter and they froze! No one moved, and the bear was only about ten feet from us! I was sure the bear would lunge for us and maul us or kill us! It seemed like hours the bear stared at us but it was only a minute or two! Then all of a sudden, the black bear took off running! The black bear ran right in the back of my husband then we yelled at him a bear is right in back of you! My husband took off running and the bear ran in the opposite direction of my husband! I could not have been more scared for us all than at that time. If the black bear had decided to maul us we would have all been killed. I was glad I did not go down the hill by myself! I checked my dog and he was fine also but our nerves were rattled, to say the least! What a day it was we never expected a bear to visit us that close! My husband looked and saw the bear ran off into the woods and he came running back to us! He said I am really glad the bear took off and that we had the good lord on our side!

After the incident, we walked down the wooded hill to the campsite. Our nerves were shot and we were thankful we all were safe! We all needed something to quiet the nerves! My husband had some beer so we all sat down and had some! Boy, I have never tasted a good can of beer in all my life! We all were thankful the bear ran away and went on his own way! That night we did not want to go fishing so we had dinner and sat at the campsite we talked and enjoyed the meal. The next morning we ate breakfast and I suggested we all go into town and do some shopping. well, my daughter was perfectly fine with that, so we all went to the little town of Talkeetna! The time we spent in the town was great, we ate at a restaurant and had a good meal. Talkeetna is a place the tourist goes and it is a nice little town in the summer. But in the winter it is a ghost town.

The next couple of days we fished at the lake. We caught a few fish, and cooked them up for dinner. All and all we had a good time but now it was time to leave and go home. We broke down camp and put everything in the car. We made sure the campsite was clean and we were ready for the long drive home! On the way, I was talking with my daughter and husband and I told them I do not think I want to camp there again! It is way too dangerous when camping in a tent! I would have no trouble camping in a camper. They agreed with me and I told them great, I would go there if we had a camper and the bears can not find us! They laughed at that and we all knew we probably would not go to Talkeetna again tent camping!