Incects to Bears

[Stalls]

Planning an 08 ride Boston - San Francisco. I'm from the UK. My route will run a course through N.Y state onto South Dakota into Wyoming (Tentons) Idaho to Oregon Pacific Coast. Not squeamish about mice, incects etc? But what kind of wildlife should I expect to have for company when in campsites and Stealth camping? mice, milipedes bears? Should I also take mustard spray as a percausion? Thx.

This message was edited by Stalls on 4-16-07 @ 12:12 PM

[no-name]

Hello Stalls:
I would recommend a good can of pepper spray for any camping to the
Tetons or elsewhere west of the Big Horn Mountains of central
Wyoming.  You will also need to check local regulations (Nation Forest,
National Park, State Park, etc.) for each place where you are staying as
there will be specific regulations related to food storage and bear
safety.

 Finally, remember that bear spray is an irritant in mist form only.  we
regularly hear of folks who spray pepper spray around their camp as a
repellant.  This does not work, it just makes them smell like food.

[ptaylor]

I can't speak to stealth camping. I have never done it. I always camp in established campgrounds, even though they may be primitive.

I only take mosquito repellent: no bear spray, no mace, no handgun, no battle-axe. And I'm careful to avoid poison ivy.

If I'm in the southern states (further south than your route indicates), I avoid high grass and brush, because I'm very allergic to chiggers, who like to hang out there.

I hang my food a few feet up in the air at night: I've heard stories of bears, and while they were common in the past, I haven't personally seen one in a campground for over 20 years. The thing I DO see in campgrounds are raccoons, chipmunks, and ground squirrels; that's why I hang my food high.

Paul

[freerider]

I would offer the following advice about stealth camping in the Tetons (or any bear inhabited region):
(Sorry if comes off as pedantic, but in my line of work I meet many people who are novices to bear safety, so I am a bit paranoid.)

Don't cook near your tent.

Keep food and scented toiletries out of your tent.

In addition to bear spray, I would carry bear bangers. They are very loud and can help prevent overly close encounters if you fire them in the bear's direction when they are (thankfully) not in range of pepper spray.

If you find yourself alone on some windy mountain road, sing to yourself. Bears are really only a problem if you accidentally sneak up on them. Plus singing while you cycle at 2000 ft elevation does great things for the lungs.

All that said, I wouldn't worry too much about bears. It's mountain lions that'll really do a number on you . . .  

[litespeed]

The only animals that I've ever had problems with have been mosquitos in the southeast and upper midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota) and raccoons in the southeast. Even these have been rare ocurences. For mosquitos just have a can of repellant (which you will rarely need) and a good tent. For raccoons don't turn your back on your food and keep it inaccessible.

I don't pack food and don't consider cooking my own meals to be worth the bother. If you do so, cooking your own meals in the wild in bear country certainly presents its own problems.

This message was edited by litespeed on 4-17-07 @ 7:08 AM

[Stalls]

Thanks for the tips and information. I'll need to read up on specific regulations related to food storage and bear safety. The stealth camping aspect i'll not be doing much. But I reckon some night i'll just want to pull off somewhere nice, near a river and sleep under the stars. I'm assuming there is specific bear bags apparatus I can buy. I have heard that singing is an effective tool of warning bears that you're in the vincinity !! As a tourist am I allowed to carry mace spray that's what i'm wondering???

p.s Don't be freaking me out with tales of mountain lions  ;p

This message was edited by Stalls on 4-17-07 @ 12:47 PM

[Sailariel]

Stalls, I realize that this may sound a bit bizzare, but it has worked for me. Whenever I am in a wilderness situation camping, I would stake out a 20 meter perimeter by urinating a very small amount every three meters or so in a circle. That is how animals mark their turf. I used to hunt-camp with some Native Americans and that is what they did. Never had a problem.

[no-name]

You can carry bearspray just about anywhere in Wyoming except on an
airplane.

[2010]

You can always tell what kind of bear is in the area by their scat (droppings)... it smells like pepper spray and has shreds of bicycle clothing in it.

[boonebikeguy]

Man I cannot stress enough that 'stealth camping' is a really bad and a last choice kind of thing. Just too many things that people ignore, like INVADING another persons property. I may sound like a prude but I was raised to respect others in all things. I suggest that if you are going to take this much time to plan which is a great and good thing. You should forget about 'stealth' camping and do things like map out your rides to end near or at a camp ground. At the very least a motel once in a while, but to me 'stealth' anything implies a lack of caring about what and how you affect others. Don't get me wrong, if you want to go that route, then just be very careful. I'll yield an example. SOME people would be the types to stealth camp and if for some reason they got hurt on somone elses land or property, may also be the type to sue some poor farmer becaue he has barbed wire on his property or something like this.
OR simply getting hurt and no one KNOWS where you are because you chose to 'stealth camp'.

Just a bad idea all the way around in my opinion. But you will see many here will point out how wrong I am and imply that the word ADVENTURE includes things like stealth camping.

Just my two bits.

"Love is a river where crazy people drown"--Kyrgyz proverb

[DaveB]

But I reckon some night i'll just want to pull off somewhere nice, near a river and sleep under the stars.

This sounds very romantic but it's a guaranteed method for waking up in a soaked sleeping bag.

A nearby source of high humidity and a night when the temperature is going to drop fast (the stars are out only on clear nights, obviously) will assure you of plenty of dew in the morning.