Day One Hundred Seventeen: Today my daughter and I and Chaco (our new bestie) walked for an hour at Abbott Loop Community Park in Anchorage. Over the years we have visited this park for soccer practice but today was the first day we ventured outside the “fields.” I was happy to see kids on the playground with their parents, a game being played on one of the fields, Medieval characters in costumes rehearsing skits, dogs walking their owners, and the sun beaming down upon us. I have been so impressed with the weather and grateful for every single sunny day. I may have gained another fifty freckles today but who’s counting at this point? As you can see fields are still a luscious shade of winter brown but within about three weeks everything will change to a bright green color that Alaskans wait months to see. It will certainly be a feast for the eyes. I cannot wait. It’s good to be “home.”
It’s on my mind, so I’d like to chat about bears. Here is an excerpt from a local Municipality of Anchorage website that you might find helpful. Even after almost forty years of living in bear country, I still have a respectful fear and awareness of bears. I feel as though I am living in their home and that makes me merely a guest.
Anchorage is bear country. Learn to be safe outdoors. Your safety, and that of the bears and other trail users, depends on it. Below are tips to keep you safe in bear country:
- Buddy up. You are safer in a group.
- Make Noise. This will prevent you from surprising a bear.
- Use your senses to stay aware. No headphones!
- Carry bear spray. Have it accessible and know how to use it.
- Don’t feed bears. Handle food, fish and attractants responsibly.
- Slow down. High speed equals high risk in bear habitat.
- Leash your pets. Off-leash pets can bring bears back to you.
- Never run from a bear!
For more bear safety information go to http://www.alaskabears.alaska.gov/This webpage is designed to provide information on our urban wildlife, their natural areas of habitat and to facilitate the reporting of bears within the Municipality. The Anchorage Bear Committee encourages you to use this safety information to become informed before your next outing in bear country. Should you see a bear that may pose a danger to humans, report your findings on the electronic forms provided. This information is used to inform decision-makers on bear and wildlife-related issues and is not made available to the public for a variety of reasons. Feel free to contact Parks & Recreation with questions.
Abbott Loop Community Park is free with tons of free parking. There are portable restrooms, so everything you need is provided. Enjoy the great outdoors.
Talk2Lisa 