A couple pieces of good news on the bear front.
1. If you are in a TM, and your neighbors are in a tent, the bear will almost certainly go for the tent. I was surprised to see the number of tent campers in Yosemite. There are steel bear boxes for your food, cosmetics, etc, and we were modestly worried about bears - but if I had been in a tent, I would have been closer to paralyzed with fear. The rangers assured us that a TM was "pretty good protection compared to the canvas pop-ups and the tenters". I guess I felt better.
2. We were told that, when walking in the woods, the important thing to do is make noise. Doesn't have to be loud, but continuous. Talk, sing, whistle. In the gift shops they sell "bear bells". Years ago, we knew them as sleigh bells, but sleigh bells are cheaper. Anyway, you are supposed to buy a couple for a truly exorbitant price, clip them to your belt, and they jingle as you move. A ranger pointed out to us that a just-as-good solution is to put a few pebbles in an empty 1/2 liter water/soda bottle, and hold it in your hand so it moves as you walk. Makes a good rattle, and it's free.
Just FYI ...
Bill
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