Sequoia National Park: Bear with me, it’s one for the record books

THREE RIVERS On July th I met a big black bear Well we weren t formally introduced but more on that later It all started with our impromptu trip to Sequoia National Park After searching for lodging with no luck somebody canceled at a hotel near the park s entrance and we gladly rented the room Five hours later we were unloading our bags at the hotel and then driving into the park for a late afternoon adventure on that fateful Friday What happened next may be recorded in the Guinness World Records book AN ADDICTION I blame Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve for getting us hooked It s too wonderful Trails with ocean views trails down to the beach trails onto a golf program hey I didn t cut the fence I just walked through an opportunity My wife Rosy loves to watch a nasty fairway slice Golfers you re just not getting your hips around and the hands are late Anyway I know for majority of San Diegans Cowles Mountain is the gateway hike and Mission Trails Regional Park is the supplier offering the Father Junipero Serra Trail the Oak Canyon Trail and the challenging South Fortuna Trail Been there done that Our latest local favorite is a lovely morning hike at Mother Miguel Mountain in Chula Vista A solid -mile hike with an elevation gain of feet Afterward eat a lot of tacos at Las Ahumaderas in Chula Vista and thank me later NATIONAL PARKS We did Joshua Tree a couple of years ago did you know playing U s The Joshua Tree while driving through Joshua Tree is considered super cool We loved the boulders trees and trails did you know hiking in acid-washed jorts through Joshua Tree is considered super cool Rosy Jaurena walks through the land of giants on the Congress Trail in Sequoia National Park Photo by Thomas Melville Times of San Diego Last year the Southern Utah national parks beckoned and we hiked through Arches Bryce Canyon Canyonlands Capitol Reef and Zion Bryce Canyon stunned us Arches enchanted us Capitol Reef surprised us But Zion challenged us Here s where I brag about how we climbed to the top of Angels Landing in -degree heat I only panicked once after slipping down solid granite and grabbing onto the chain before a sheer drop-off of feet My wife in front What are you doing are you coming up Me Ah yeah I guess so Guy behind me Dude Are you OK Me Still here OK At the summit my wife was taking photos at the edge eating capacity bars and enjoying the view I m thinking We have to go back down this thing SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK Why Sequoia We ve never been we love trees and it s fairly close My recommendation you can do it in a long weekend Arrive Friday evening check out the park and get your bearings pun intended Spend Saturday all day in Sequoia Spend Sunday in Kings Canyon Go back late Sunday or early Monday You ll see more giant trees than you can pee behind Also get off the main trails and venture through the forest That s what we did on Friday evening A trail to Sunset Rock wandered through the sequoias by meadows and around huge boulders We went from a trail crowded with tourists to no one around in about minutes I questioned my wife Is it weird we haven t seen anyone else out here She shrugged Soon the trail got muddy and I went ahead to find techniques around it While looking down and dodging puddles I walked around a boulder only to encounter a huge black bear sitting and staring at me We locked eyes I froze He turned his head a little Ten feet away from a bear Now what I started walking backward Then turned and walked briskly back to my wife who was about feet behind me She noticed my face I whispered to her Huge black bear in front We need to walk back hurriedly I hope it does not follow My wife listened to me surprisingly We walked back to the main trail I stopped a park ranger and petitioned about the proper black bear procedure She proven that walking the other way is correct and also that black bears are not that aggressive Whew Later that night I remembered a joke my Uncle Dave communicated me Now Uncle Dave is the best joke-teller in Upstate New York and if you don t believe that he will remind you The joke You remember old Uncle Honey and his wife Alice Uncle Honey would go hiking and hunt deer out in the northern Tioga County forest and this one time Alice joined him Uncle Honey was a bow hunter and walked - feet ahead of Alice on the trail Suddenly a large tree crashes down in front of him and he sees that a huge bear knocked it down and is looking right at him He knows he s outmatched He turns and walks hurriedly back to Alice and tells her We have to go back to the car as fast and quietly as we can and leave His wife listens to him doesn t say a thing and follows him out of the forest to the car The next day he tells his buddies about the encounter and they notify the Guinness World Records book Sure enough he makes it into the Guinness World Records His entry The only time in recorded history a wife has listened to her husband and without questioning did what he petitioned Well we might have another entry for the record book This time for real Thomas Melville is the editor of the Beach Bay Press La Jolla Village News and Peninsula Beacon locality newspapers