Day 969 -- Bear

After hiking Rainbow Falls this afternoon in a consistent rain, Colby and I changed into dry clothes before piling into the Ion and taking off down the Roaring Fork Nature Trail. We had no sooner made the  first turn after clearing the parking lot when I slammed on the brakes. There, not more than 10 yards in front of us, was a giant black bear crossing the road. 

At first, we were speechless. It was fascinating to see this magnificent creature in its natural habitat. Then, once the shock had worn off, we each scrambled for our phones in an attempt to capture the bear on camera. By then, the bear had lumbered off into the nearby forest, so any pictures were less than satisfactory, but Colby and I were elated nonetheless. We are both pretty stoked about bears, and to see one in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park seems almost too good to be true. We are both so thankful to be able to have this memory.

Thank God for the bear!

Lord, thank you for this awesome experience today. Thank you for the beauty of your creation. Amen.

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