As Montana folks ease towards June, we stop worrying about snowstorms and start worrying about bears. At least I do. Wandering along a skinny trail, moving through heavy brush towards a meandering stream, it is hard not to think, “Hey, if I were a bear, where would I be?” I wonder the same thing every time I come across a flat area, with a peaceful pond - “Hey, there should be a moose in that pond!” For some reason, never a moose.

The nice thing about hiking along a stream are the sounds. A little bit of a breeze through the trees and the rush of water heading downstream. No people. No noise. It is my weekend goal. To disappear into the woods.