Saturday, September 25, 2010

Bears in the Woods

Wednesday I rode Northshore Drive to the Y Road hill climb, then on Mt. Baker Hwy. to the Nooksack River, and back the same way.  At the bottom of Y Road I stopped to rest, just across from where Agate Bay Road angles up the hill.  After sixteen or so years in Whatcom County, I'd never been on that road, and noting that my odometer was at 3199.6 miles, I decided to go exploring and watch my odo turn over.  At first the road goes over a few small, steepish rolling hills through woods with a few houses.  Near the top of a hill I looked off in to the trees and huckleberries on my right and saw either a very large black Newfoundland dog, or a small black bear. Assisted by the downhill, I coasted by fast enough that neither the bear or I was much disturbed.  When I glanced at my odo again, it said 3200 exactly.

I was riding about 4-6pm, so there were deer out feeding, too.  I saw several grazing in cleared fields or front yards at the top of the hill climb.

Y Road, by the way, is about a Category 2 or 3 hill climb, in Tour de France terms.  I've learned to appreciate low gears, but did not have to drop down to the smallest chainring.

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