Ryan's Journal

Black bears: 1. At 20 feet, on the road in Shenandoah NP. Just missed hitting it before it ambled off the road.

Grizzly bears: 1. At 50 feet, hiking on a trail. Maybe closer. It was behind me foraging for a few minutes before I turned around from my seat.

Moose: 2. I walked right past a stand of trees where one was eating. Hikers down trail turned me around. The other was also eating; I happened to catch it without aid.

Elk: Several. They hang out at the National Parks' Mammoth hot springs town in Yellowstone, but two crossed the street in front of me at night.

Pika: Too many. The world's squeaky toy manufacturers took their cue from pikas, as did that annoying yellow lightning poke-rodent.

Deer: Way too many. Aside from roadside encounters, all three so far having been bright enough to run away and not in front of me, I was about 10 feet away from one. Once again, someone called my attention to the fact that there was a deer immediately to my right. We shared the world's dumbest stare before it lumbered off for more food.