Date:         Tue, 26 Jul 2005 13:10:50 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Black Bears vs Westy Canvas?
Comments: To: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@sbcglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <000f01c5921a$0b035560$6401a8c0@noner4688xfd1h>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 7/26/2005 12:41 PM Stan Wilder wrote:

>We normally just slide our tray full of goodies and sweets under Mike
>Miller's van a night and if he's not around Larry Chase Syncro is used as
>the diversion van.
>
>
Okay, I guess I need to ask Mike or Larry to stay in a site nearby.

Thanks for the tip!

--

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
Carlsbad, CA
KG6RCR

>Stan Wilder
>Engine Ceramics
>214-352-4931
>www.engineceramics.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Michael Elliott" <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 12:11 PM
>Subject: Black Bears vs Westy Canvas?
>
>
>
>
>>I'm heading up to the San Gabriel mountains next week (near Los
>>Angeles). The nice ranger man cautioned me about bears and food, the
>>usual warnings. The bears in those parts are black bears ("All SGM black
>>bears have descended from 11 black bears that were /introduced/ in the
>>SGM in 1933, after grizzly bears were exterminated in the SGM in about
>>1900").
>>
>>I have camped a lot in bear country, and know how wily, fearless,
>>clever, and determined those critters can be.
>>
>>No, packing a firearm and blowing them away is simply not considered
>>good form in these parts. What one is meant to do is avoid bringing
>>strongly smelling foods and toiletries, and keep things in the trunk of
>>the car . . . then hope for the best, as the crafty black bear is
>>perfectly capable of popping a windshield out and carving an opening
>>through the rear seat into the trunk.
>>
>>The nice ranger agreed that keeping food in the Westy at night where I
>>am sleeping should work fine. Bears do avoid confrontations, being smart
>>guys and hoping to just get by without too much trouble. But during the
>>day . . . away from the Westy . . . maybe on a hike or bike ride, Mr.
>>Ranger didn't know whether bears climb up on Vanagons and brush the
>>annoying canvas out of the way or not.
>>
>>So I'd like to hear your black bear vs Westy tales. Not brown bears or
>>their larger cousins, grizzlies. Those are different critters,
>>temperamentally.
>>
>>--
>>
>>Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>Carlsbad, CA
>>KG6RCR
>>
>>
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