Bears!

So on our hikes in the Smoky Mountains we got to see some bears! Twenty years ago while there we didn't see any, but this time we must have seen bears some 5-6 times, including around our hotel! We saw some adults, juveniles, and a few cubs, too. Some pictures:

Here's one looking right at the camera.

(If you click on the picture and zoom in, you'll see it better.)

A cub climbing a tree. We looked but didn't see mama around anywhere.

Here's the one who prowled around our hotel one evening. Pretty big!

Not all the trash cans were bear proof!

Finally, here's a video of two cubs walking across a log. (Click on the full screen option for the best view.) We actually saw mama bear first and were watching her when the cubs came along! Even though you can't see mama in the video, she's in the foreground, under the plants. When watched for a while, but once mama decided enough was enough and started walking towards us, we decided enough was enough and continued on our hike!

But all in all, not only good hiking, but what good fortune to see so many bears, too!