Bear Crossing


bear and two cubs

Photo by azhargd.blogspot.com

Steve spotted the bear a good way down a wide-open Canadian highway.  He let off the gas to give her ample time to get clear.  Then a cub scrambled up behind her.  Steve applied some brake.  Well all know that camp trailers take extra time to give up momentum, but the cub was okay as long as he held to his course across the roadway.  As many bears as we’d seen in our Alaska exploration, it was still a treat to watch the pair–until a second cub took up the rear.  Steve used his best words, pushed the brakes to the limit, and we held our breath through a silent, slow-mo disaster scene.

Mama with baby-one on her heels, crossed the right shoulder line and turned to see our rig barreling down on her darling.  I glimpsed her through my side window, standing tall to watch us miss her baby by inches.

Then my view blurred for several miles.


About breathtakebyways

Ann Williams’ travel articles have appeared in publications all over the country including The Washington Post, Roads to Adventure, and Jack and Jill. Between researching and writing books, she specializes in creative lectures.