Date:         Wed, 18 Jul 2001 14:42:13 -0700
Reply-To:     Matthew Pollard <poll7356@UIDAHO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Matthew Pollard <poll7356@UIDAHO.EDU>
Subject:      Re: bears and westys
Comments: To: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <B77B47B2.11B43%dragonlist@ipmts.ucsc.edu>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I've never had problems while camping in my bus in bear country.  Just be
sure to keep the food in a bear locker when possible.   Hanging? No way.
I've seen full sized black bears climb 30' up, 15' out and chew through a
fat rope, and eventually destroy my food.  In most national parks they say
not to hang your food either.  I'm careful to keep the food in a box or
quickly removable container so i can slip them into the food locker.  Also
watch out for things like your chapstick and candy wrappers.  When a
locker is not available, just be wise. Don't wash your dishes anywhere
near your rig, throw out all trash, and keep all coolers covered. THey
know what coolers look like. You may want to invest in bear spray
(hot peper spray)- but bear spray is ILLEGAL in Canada. Silly canadians.

knock on wood... but i've NEVER seen a VW bus (old or new) get broken into
by a bear (and i lived for two summers in yosemite valley).

Cheers!
m

Matthew Pollard          "Racing with the wind and flirting with death
Dept. Of Chemistry        So have a cup of coffee and catch your breath"
University of Idaho
www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356



On Wed, 18 Jul 2001, Bill Kasper wrote:

> on 7/18/01 1:40 PM, Emmet McGovern at webmaster@beachin.net wrote:
>
> > Dont store anything food related in your van.  Wash all your dishes away
> > from your site. Haul your food and garbage up in a tree with a rope at night
> > away from your site.  Ive been camping in the grand tetons where bears where
> > breaking into backcounry campers cars in the middle of the night for food
> > stored in a tighly lidded cooler.  Good luck
>
>
> so, rather than have any food in the cupboards, put it in a plastic tub with
> a lid, tape it shut, and hang it?
>
> what about any grime on the stove?  do they come after that?  do we have to
> keep martha stewart clean while travelling in bear country?
>
> thanks emmet.
>
> bill
> '87 syncro westfalia
> http://www.scruznet.com/~kasper/pics/westy/
>