The small town of Aspen is a beautiful, if somewhat unusual, place to visit. The gorgeous mountain setting is something you’d never tire of, but the town is quirky. It’s a blend of hippy, cowboy, the frontier, and recently a lot of Hollywood (I don’t believe I’ve ever driven by an airport with more private jets parked in it). Aspen’s transformed itself from being a rather simple mountain town to an upscale trendy resort.
The town is well know for it’s great winter skiing and in the summer has become a popular family vacation destination. It’s got excellent restaurants, all types of shops, and lots of outdoor activities. For me it’s a fun day-trip destination.
Since I’ve started collecting signs in my travel, I find it curious how much they tell you about the character of a destination. Here’s a sampling of what I saw as I wandered through Aspen this past summer….
Nice of the Bear to tell us to fight back if attacked
Nice of the Bear to tell us to fight back if attacked
He is a nice bear to tell us, and that’s good advice with BLACK bears only. There are no grizzlies left in Colorado, but the general advice for them is to “play dead” and not fight back.
If a black bear attacks you he likely wants to eat you. If a grizzly attacks you he likely wants to dominate you. Of course, you need to use your judgement on the spot, if you’ve time to assess. A thin wasted grizzly might also be starved and looking for food. Best to have bear spray at hand and blast them with hot pepper. That gives you a half hour to get away before the bear regains his senses.
I don’t know what amazes me more…this cocky bear telling us we better be ready to rumble if he comes at you, or the fact that he posed with this sign in the first place