Alaska has its share of ghosts and other scary things. But when I think of things that go bump in the night, I think of animals.
There’s nothing more unnerving than camping and hearing a noise in the middle of the night. You’re dozing off, maybe thinking about the fun you had today or how to get breakfast going quickly the next morning. Or you’re completely asleep, and jolted awake by a noise.
Your breath hitches. Is that scratching a small rodent who will chew a hole through the tent that cost you a small a fortune? Is the bump near the picnic table a porcupine looking for any food you dropped? Or is it a bear considering you for its next meal?
If you have a vivid imagination like I do, your mind goes straight to the bear idea. You lie in your sleeping bag, heart pounding, as thoughts zip through your mind. You’re wondering if you can get cell coverage in this location, scrambling to remember where the bear spray is, planning to jump out in your pajamas and get a good shot of pepper in the bear’s face before it tries to eat you.
If you’re lucky, you grab the can, zip open the tent, and charge out to find a squirrel is the culprit. And most of the time, it is a small creature, not a bear. But when you hear a sound at two o’clock in the morning, things that go bump in the night are always scary.
Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for most of her life. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering for her local library. Her young adult historical romance is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.
4 comments:
I would not want to meet a bear in the daylight much less at night! I saw the PBS program "Rivers of Life: Yukon" last night. What beautiful scenery and because people are not in abundance, much of it is pristine. Hopefully the salmon runs come back. We almost lost all salmon here in the NWest due to over fishing in the Pacific and along the Columbia River.
I do think I'd sleep with the bear spray under my pillow (if that is even safe to do) so I didn't have to remember where it was. Also might sleep with my clothes and shoes/boots on. That dash out the tent in the dark would be a gigantic challenge for me. I do have fairly good night vision but facing a bear? I'm not sure that would be much of a help.
Yes, those scurrying mice and small animals do make a big, scary ruckus. Although, I would never have to face a bear, since I wouldn't be camping anywhere near them. Camping with mice was bad enough :-) Yes, I am a scaredy cat, for sure. But you paint a vivid picture of problem solving when things are going bump in the night.
Thanks for the comments, Judith and Ashley! Actual bear encounters are rare, but they are scary.
This is why camping to me means a hotel. Lovely to see a bear but from a dustance.
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