Camping in Bear Country

When spending time in nature, it’s easy to lose yourself in the beauty and serenity of it all.  The smell of fresh air, the chorus of wildlife all around and endless views that are a photographer’s dream are there to be discovered.  The tranquility can be mesmerizing, but at the same time, you are at nature’s mercy.  A peaceful hike in the woods can become a fight for your life in a split second if you happen across the wrong animal at the wrong time.  Being out in nature is recreational for us, but for the creatures that live there it’s pretty much what they do for a living.  They live and die there.  They hunt or are hunted, forage for food, defend their territories, and raise and protect their families.  When we enter their domain, we become part of that equation from their perspective.  They don’t know we’re just there to enjoy a walk and take some pictures. They see us as just another animal that might pose a threat, and indeed, some of us do.  Sometimes we can even be seen as an easy meal!  Knowing this, it is up to us to take precautions and remain vigilantly aware of our surroundings.  Common sense and a little homework can make the difference between a fantastic outdoor adventure and getting eaten alive.

Our Jeep & Modifications

Note: This post was edited in March 2017.

OK, time to talk Jeep stuff!  We purchased a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in the spring of 2012.  Since we like to go to very remote places and we do a lot of camping, we viewed this as an essential purchase as an aide to our lifestyle.  This was also part of our plan regarding our big trip to Alaska.  As such, we have made several modifications to enhance our ability to do these things.  Aside from aesthetics, each item has a practical function.  I’ll try to list these in the order they were added.

Here's what it looked like before anything was done.