Summary: Show Notes: Episode 047<br> Today on The First 40 Miles, what do a diminutive military leader and a thousand pound grizzly bear have in common? Today’s Top 5 List may have the answer. Then in today’s SUMMIT Gear Review, a simple knot along with bullet proof fabric that can protect your food. Then on today’s Backpack Hack of the Week, if you’ve seen bear scat with bells in it, then we have the zero gram solution for you. And we’ll wrap up the show with a little trail wisdom from our good friend on the trail, Craig Childs.<br> Opening<br> Our week in bear country<br> Grizzly Bears: Idaho, Alaska, Canada, Montana, Wyoming, and possibly Washington<br> Black Bear: At least 40 states in the US, and through Canada and Mexico.<br> When you’re in bear country, be smart. Keep a very clean campsite, don’t leave food waste out, and know your risk level before you go, and know what to do if you do have a face to face encounter.<br> Basic Bear Information<br> <a href="http://www.bear.org">www.bear.org</a><br> Fatal Bear attacks in North America<br> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America</a><br> <br> Top 5 List of Famous Faces That May help You Understand Bears<br> Napoleon Bonapart<br> <br> * He had the “rare combination of will, intellect and physical vigour.”<br> * Napoleon also knew the power of food. In fact, one of Napoleon’s most most famous quotes is: An army marches on its stomach.<br> * Bear + food connection<br> * Similar to Napoleon, Bear are also not easily defeated once they’ve tasted the goodies in your food stash, which is why it’s best to protect your food with a bear-proof system.<br> * Bears who have become habituated to human food is a significant cause of bear attacks.<br> <br> Archie Bunker<br> <br> * Gruff, equally lovable and disliked, somewhat of an anti-hero.<br> * Dopey gait where his upper body is always a little ahead of his lower body, and carries himself with a slight hunch.<br> * In some ways you can even imagine him sitting in his recliner back in the bear den.<br> <br> Donald Trump<br> <br> * Intimidating, loves bluffing, false charge, somewhat flamboyant because he can be.<br> * While bears do possess the strength to do damage to humans, much of the time, they would much rather show their strength with a bluff charge.<br> * No matter the type of bear, it appears that the weapon that is the most effective is bear spray. Guns and knives can wound without killing, so it may make the bear angry. Bear spray, when correctly used, can be like a pause button on the bear situation. That gives you time to remove yourself.<br> * NOTE: We do NOT recommend using bear spray on any Presidential Candidate<br> <br> Hulk<br> <br> * He has incredible strength, he’s tracked by the government, sometimes an attack can be triggered by something as a surprise run-in or protecting the people he cares for.<br> * To avoid surprising a bear, be sure to make your presence known by traveling in groups of six or more, and making enough noise so that a bear is not surprised when you come around a corner.<br> <br> Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music<br> <br> * Mama Bears or Sows have solid mothering skills. While bears aren’t know for fashioning play clothes out of curtains, they are known for defending their young aggressively.<br> * While they may or may not attack, you are guaranteed to hear their clacking teeth and see a false charge or two as they try to defend their space.<br> * As adorable as cubs are, stay far, far away from a mother and her cubs.<br> <br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="http://www.ursack.com/">Ursack Bear Bag</a><br> Structure<br> <br> * The Ursack S29.3 AllWhite (IGBC cert. no. 3738)<br> * Made of White Spectra Fabric, “bullet proof”<br>
