I met this furry fellow driving home from my gig yesterday...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

I was in Virginia all last week; and decided to return via the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive for a ways. I was surprised he stayed around long enough for me to get his picture.

[NMDemDist2]

1. wow! Doncha just LURVE the BRP???

I love it and miss it.

maybe I'll drag hubby back east one fall and take him for a drive eh?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

It's a must-see!

But I can remember bumper-to-bumper traffic when I was a kid in the family car. That really made the drive a bummer. It'd be best to take him on a weekday if you go.

[bicentennial_baby]

2. How weird!

My brother was here for the wedding, and he showed me his Blue Ridge Pkwy pics, with many bear pics! And deer, etc...

great pic!!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. The drought has brought them down from the higher elevations...

Poor critters need water.

[LostinVA]

3. Where was that exactly?

That's pretty close to me.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. Southern section of Skyline Drive, not far from the Rip Rap Overlook...

I was still chuckling at the name of it, when I went around a curve and saw the bear.

[MonkeyFunk]

4. Beautiful!

when I visited my cousin in very rural Pennsylvania, he told me he regularly has bears up on his porch. I hardly got any sleep, hoping to see one. alas, never did.

The only wild bears I've ever seen were in Alaska, from a distance.

Good for you!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. There have been bear sightings in Bethesda, MD in recent weeks...

I thought it'd be funny if one showed up at the golf course to meet Tiger Woods.

[ghostsofgiants]

6. It's like a freakin' country bear jambaroo around here.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Let them drink beer.

[YankeyMCC]

10. Wow! Did he drop something over the wall or something ?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Here's another pic...

He had been on the other side of the road, then crossed in front of me as I scrambled for the camera.

[xchrom]

12. he wanted to make sure you got his good side.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. He certainly seems to be posing!

It's nice that he looked at me.

[GOPisEvil]

14. I saw this furry guy on the road last week.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

15. Is that an elk?

I've never seen one before! But I thought they preferred northern climates...

[GOPisEvil]

16. Yes. A rather large one.

I was visiting Mt. Rainier in Washington State.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. Ah, that would explain it!

Did you have a good time?

I'd love to get out West... :insert sighing smiley here:

[GOPisEvil]

19. I always do!

My lovely lady friend lives there. It is GORGEOUS. You must get out there.

[Beaverhausen]

18. He's beautiful. A younger bear tried to join our wilderness picnic a few years ago

fortunately it didn't take much to shoo him away. We were very afraid that mom was somewhere in the vicinity, but fortunately she wasn't.

Great photo!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Thanks!

I couldn't believe my luck!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. My dear GoddessOfGuinness!

Wow, what an amazing pic!

I'm glad that you were in your car, sweetie......

Hope he found the water he needed......

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. I must admit,

I kept a watchful eye on him while I got the camera. My windows were down; and I didn't want him to get any ideas.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. tweaking for Goldilocks

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. just once more