An Unexpected Blockage

While in the middle of dashing back for a deadline.
A stop was made to see the Petrified Tree.
...I'm guessing it's the only Petrified Tree in the Yellowstone area since
so much fuss has been made over it. It's surrounded by an iron fence.
lol apparently they don't want any treasure hunters to take away the Yellowstone tree.
hmmm...I bet there are others elsewhere in that park. It's HUGE afterall.
Anyway. We pulled up and parked.
And down below us in the valley.
Was a black bear.
Dun Dun Dun
I think it's my first time ever seeing a black bear in the wild!! :D
Woot!
One guy who was there before us said that there were two cubs (maybe one?) with her, but they'd gone hiding.
Still!
It was a blackbear.
So of course after a dozen photos....
We remembered why we were at that particular spot.
But upon hiking up to the Petrified Tree
-Which I think should be renamed Petrified Stump. Or Petrified Trunk
We turned and discovered.
That....there were cyclists on the trail.

That doesn't seem like much of a problem.
No. It was. A big problem.
You see.
These cyclists weren't on the trail to the Petrified Tree.
No.
We could see them in the valley below.

-Tangent. The Trunk was on the side of the Hill, we parked on a 'bench' of the hill.
The other trail started at the bench and went down into the valley.

And in that valley was....
The Bear.
Who apparently had cubs.

And the cyclists were riding towards the Bench.

The mother bear was between us (the bench).
And the cyclists.

:S
This looked like it could be a recipe for disaster.
Because I had no idea where the cubs went off to.
And if the cyclists didn't see the bear, and unknowingly went
between the mother and her cubs.
Or got too close to the mother in general.

:S It wasn't going to be pretty.

But.
Luckily the bikers saw the bear in time.
Stopped.
Stared.
Probably wondered "Oh crap now what?"
And.....
Turned around to head back whatever direction they had come from.

:)
Yay!

And soon enough I too was happily heading back to our home destination.
Avoiding a huge line of cars as everyone
'suddenly' needed to come see Petrified Tree. ;)
We beat out the long line of cars. Woot.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi