Shenandoah Valley, Virginia USA July 2012

First stop on our trip is the Shenandoah Valley for four days before heading to Washington DC.  Was a little concerned about hiking in the National Park where bears abound but was told by many (Rangers included) that one hardly sees a bear and if they hear you they will move on.  Wrong on all accounts - less than 10 minutes into our 3 hour hike, a black bear is munching away on a nearby bush.  He looked up at us, we looked back, I spoke to it as one is supposed to do and then he went back to eating his lunch.   A photo op was thwarted when the bear lowered himself just as Alex took the picture.

We are about 10 metres away from the bear - closer than I care to be.
Bear #1 - "Slow Bear"