Odds slim of being attacked by a bear in the Oregon wild (there’s only been four instances) - but possible

Years ago, while sitting along the shoreline of the westernmost Twin Lake in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness, I was asked by three gun toting strangers if I was carrying. After answering “no,” I quickly realized it was a mistake. With side arms holstered like Audie Murphy, their next question, however, relieved me of all my concerns. “Well, what if you run into a bear?” one asked.

Hike into Bagby Hot Springs and overt nudity begs the question: do you feed those things?

Several years ago, before it was rebuilt, Shifty, Bones and I hiked into Bagby Hot Springs out of curiosity more than anything. The place is named for an old prospector and miner who spent a lot of time in the area. We had heard all the stories – wild parties with naked people running around the woods. It was time we experienced this place for ourselves.