The Great Alaska Wild

It's funny how "living in the city" can mean two pretty different things.

In most places, it means living in the urban world, away from wildlife and nature, amidst hustle and bustle, with people, buildings, and entertainment abounding. That's pretty much where I live now.

I spent most of my youth growing up in Anchorage, Alaska. I know most people have a vision of igloos and polar bears everywhere, but let me assure you, Anchorage is a pretty urbanized city...sort of.

Sure there's some hustle accompanied by maybe half a bustle. It is the most urbanized city in Alaska and there are lots of buildings and people...but there's also nature and wildlife.

Anchorage is probably one of the only metropolitan cities where, no matter where you are in the city, you're also ten minutes away from densley wooded nature inhabited by bears, moose, and other happy little creatures.

In San Diego, you'll see caution signs on the freeway to watch out for illegal immigrants crossing. In Alaska, we have "Moose Crossing" signs.

And speaking of Moose, in elementary school, the we used to always get the same old speech every year of the "Moose warning signs" and "what to do if you encounter a Moose walking home."

Let me tell you, I am pretty tough, but a moose could lay some serious smack down on my buns of steel. We've had as many as three in our yard at the same time! They're generally pretty dosile and harmless unless you get in between a mother and her calf, then you're toast.

Seeing a moose in the city is nothing out of the ordinary. Now seeing a bear is a little more special!

Yesterday, my Mom called me and told me there was a black bear in the tree down the street! It was near a park, and the poor little guy was scared of all the people watching him below, so he refused to come down!

The pictures above are from a friend of my Mom's who, while camping, came upon this micheivous little bear trying to steal some food from the birds!

I love life in San Diego, but I will say that I miss the Great Alaska Wild. I figured San Diego needed some Alaskan natural beauty, so I decided to move myself down :)