After work today (eek! I actually have some form of normal employment. but I think I'm the only one who would consider work a novelty, so I'll move on quickly) I wanted to spin around the neighborhood and check out my surrounding area so I rode up the Coastal trail. On my way back a cyclist coming in the opposite direction said, "bear, bear" as he road past. It was said in the same manner that the leader of a paceline might announce, "racoon!" if there was a roadkill racoon in path of the paceline-- a little bit excited because it's an unusual obstacle, but it's still a hazard of the road to be avoided. I was more excited than the other cyclist sounded. I pulled around the corner and there was a gangly black bear lumbering down the paved trail. (I admit that I was pleased to find it was a black bear and not a grizzly.) I got to follow it for awhile (at a healthy distance) down the trail until it returned to the underbrush off the trail.

While still marvelling at my bear encounter during only my second day in Alaska I approached a small hill. Looking up to the top of the hill I saw a lifesize moose statue on the side of the trail with huge antlers that looked like I could use them for a hammock. "Oh, what a quaint Alaskan thing to do, put a Moose statue in the park," I thought. Then I got a little closer and started to wonder, "I don't remember noticing that statue on the ride out." Then I pulled abreast of it (standing about three feet off of the pavement) and looked at it. And the moose statue looked back at me. Yes.... I was not so smart about that one. I will be paying more attention to non-moving animals in the future! Then around the next corner was another bull moose. This one further off the trail and making more noise eating so I was plenty aware of him. Next time I go out into Kincaid park I will put my camera in my pocket!