I’m not sure why, but the other day I began to think about our good ol’ friend, Yogi Bear!

While pocking around online, I found cartoonscrapbook.com which said this about Yogi:

Yogi’s daily life consisted of searching for food in his government-protected habitat, Jellystone Park. But unlike most bears (or perhaps a little earlier than most bears), Yogi preferred sandwiches and chocolate cake over fish and berries. Yogi, being what he called “smarter than the average bear,” eschewed normal bear-type hunting techniques, such as swatting at fish, in favor of hunting for pre-made food that was found in a “pic-a-nic” basket.

Then the thought occured to me that there really wasn’t much different about Yogi.  Smarter than the average bear?  Unlike most bears?  OK, there aren’t many bears roaming around with a tie and collar but other than that and the miracle of speech, there isn’t much different.  At least when compared to the black bear of the Adirondacks, in my experience.  Like Yogi, the black bears in the Adirondacks search for food in government protected land, have a taste for human food, and are quite intelligent in their pursuit of food.

According to wikitravel.org,  “The Adirondack Park is both the largest and the first government-protected park in the contiguous United States.”  The Adirondack Mountains have long held a special place in my heart.  I love hiking and camping in the wilderness there and I love getting away from the hustle and bustle of life and escape to experience the awesome creative power of God as I take in His creation.

Over the years, the black bear of the Adirondacks has become aware of humans as a source of food.  They know that the camper/hiker has food and can smell it a long way off.  They say that a black bear won’t normally attack a human unless cornered, hurt, or hungry.  The gradual loss of the fear of humans has led to the increased boldness of the black bear to approach looking for food.  Throughout history, campers have employed many different tactics to keep their food safe.  They’ve hung it in trees, hung it between trees, and even hung it over damns, etc.  Well, through all of that, the black bear has actually been able to outsmart the camper!  They’ve figured out how to climb the trees (go figure, a bear can climb trees), knock the food off of lines, and even pull the food up from the dams!  It’s only a matter of time before they figure out the modern bear canister!

My contention is, although I’d have to admit that I don’t know why I care, that Yogi is NOT smarter than the average bear and not all that different either!

You be the judge, is there something special about Yogi Bear?  What other cartoon characters are surprisingly similar to real life?  Leave a comment!

Since the season’s here, let’s continue the discussion on hiking. One question I hear come up often is “What kind of shoes should I wear?” This is a good question and it should be considered by anyone looking into going hiking.

Let’s start off by giving the ever-dreaded answer: it depends. Are you looking at going on a one hour stroll through the woods or an eight hour long haul? Are you going to be walking on generally flat ground or up a mountain? Are you expecting the hike to be on dry land or muddy and perhaps with creeks and puddles? All of these things must be taken into consideration.

1. Are you looking at going on a one hour stroll through the woods or an eight hour long haul? If you are just going for an hour, I would just chose something comfortable, like sneakers. Longer haul? Look into something a little more. Find something with better support and more shock resistance.

2. Are you going to be walking on generally flat ground or up a mountain? In my opinion, if you are going up a mountain, look for something with ankle support. If you slip, especially as you descend, you do not want to twist an ankle.

3. Are you expecting the hike to be on dry land or on muddy ground perhaps with creeks and puddles? Obviously if the latter is true, find something water resistant or water proof.

Search for Hiking Boots on Amazon.com

My own personal opinion is that for a short, flat, dry walk, I will most definitely chose something lighter like sneakers. For something longer, more rugged, and perhaps damp, I will bring my combat boots. I know many people would chose something different like a lighter and more ventilated hiking boot, but for me the combat boot is tried and true. Two years ago I went on a four mile hike in the pouring rain and almost every part of my body was wet except my feet. I love those boots!

What’s your opinion? What are some qualifiers that help you choose footwear for a hike? What is your opinion about hiking in combat boots? What kind of boot would you suggest?

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Well, it’s almost that time again here in Upstate New York! Every year I get very excited about hiking season in the Adirondack Mountains.

It seems every year, so far, my wife and I have taken the trip up to the High Peaks to enjoy our anniversary in mountains. We usually stay in this quaint B&B called Spruce Lodge (more info can be found on beadandbreakfast.com, tripadvisor.com, and travel.yahoo.com) which we always enjoy! Please note that our opinion is not based on anything to do with a typical “B&B” experience because we typically enjoy keeping to ourselves when on vacation. We enjoyed the experience because they offered several options that catered well to this preference (they have an “apartment” which is pretty separate and also some condo-style houses for rent) and the rates can be very reasonable.

This last year (2007) we hiked two of the 46 high peaks: Wright and Algonquin. Check out our photo galleries! [album=7,extend] I think the pictures say pretty much everything about the experience, but I will still be posting trip reports on them soon.

Pray for us for we are looking forward to some great hikes but are also looking forward to trying new and more challenging hikes!

Comments welcomed! Do you hike? What kind of hiking do you enjoy? Have you ever hiked the High Peaks in New York before? Do you have any good suggestions of good High Peaks hikes for us?