I think it should be required reading for all passionate lovers and explorers of the great, wild and wonderful outdoors. A beautiful little canyon. Hmm, those are claw marks. Eh, nah, too big, this clearer track. Uh, Rampart, check the surrounding area, I think we've got a bear sighting.
Bears have that kind of charm.
And while one girl confided to me once that it wasn't the bears she was worried about, but the mountain lions, having not seen any of the big cats thus far, only tracks, bears still get my main attention. And I can't wait to do it then. I had to use a stick to clean out my cleats, and as all clipless users are well aware, that's a futile effort, because where there's mud, there's more mud. The last bit of the trail was VERY wet, VERY slick and VERY unrideable. My theory is that it was old stuff, and the rain and resulting erosion simply uncovered it from its grave.