Bears.......

Bears…..

The bears we can encounter are:

·      Polar bear

·      Black bear and

·      Grizzly bear

                                                          Polar Bears

Polar Bears are extremely dangerous and will attack humans when in sight. The chance of us meeting them while we are on the trip is very, very low.

The main food source of the polar bear is seal, fish and carcasses.

When food sources are scarce the polar bears might come into towns. But that is mainly in wintertime.

Alex and I will start in the summer so meeting them in town isn’t likely to happen.

                                                           Black bears and Grizzly’s

Black bears and Grizzly’s is another story.

Their food source is different (small animals berries and insects) and they are not likely to attack people.

Only if they are;

·      Surprised and can’t get away form where they are at that moment,

·      When they have cubs and we are to nearby

·      When your own food isn’t stored away and nearby you or your tent while sleeping.

What we will do is:

·      Eat before it is time to camp.

·      Or, cook about 200 meter from where we camp

·      Store our food and shampoo in bear boxes, when available.

·      Each take a bear box with us (we are still studying this issue).

·      Hang this bear box or bag with smelly stuff high in a tree.

·      Hang this bear box on top of the Oil pipeline which is along the road we will cycle

·      Store it inside a bear proof garbage bag along the route

·      Store it inside a dry toilet that is sometimes along the route

·      Don’t take any beer with us. (Bears love it and smell the beer even if the canister is closed!)

·      Store our bicycles about 200 meters from where we sleep and about 200 meters from where we cook.

We are both very careful with these matters and don’t take any chances!

So please don’t worry.

Last night I talked to Alex on Skype.

He is told that we will see more wildlife than we ever did before on the route we planned!

We are both very excited to make this trip!