98-02-21, Don Baccus writes:

<< "Between 1960 and 1980, black bears injured over 500 people.... >>

Hmmm... I wonder if *I* have the special distinction of being included on that
list. In the dark wee pre-dawn hours of my 16th birthday in 1963, I had a
Black Bear take a swipe at my butt while I was asleep in a tent with two other
boys during a hiking/camping expedition at Philmont Scout Ranch in New
Mexico's Sangre de Cristo. Never mind I was sleeping on top of some animal
crackers or something but it was a rude awakening which at first I thought one
of the other guys had pinched me. Not a serious injury and topically treated,
albeit a bit ...ugh um... embarrassing and uncomfortable to 'sit' for awhile.
To this day I've still never heard the end of it and it could have been a lot
worse '-). I thought at 'sweet 16' one was supposed to be 'kissed' but maybe
that is just mythic legend. Oh well; I guess I can thank my lucky stars that
it wasn't by good ol' _Ursus americanus_ :-))

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)