“The Longest Bear Jam Ever” - October 24, 2023
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
My dream shot for Tuesday while I was at Cades Cove was photographing a bear with fall color. I was asking for a lot and knew it was a very long shot, but it was still my desire.
I turned left off Hyatt Lane onto Cades Cove Loop Road and was so excited because the traffic was clear. Little did I know I would get into the biggest bear jam ever.
The traffic was bumper to bumper, starting at the Missionary Baptist Church. Several times, I turned off my car because I was going nowhere. Once, I got out and started walking to where I thought the beginning of the bear jam began. I glanced down the distant hill, and there was no end in sight, so I gave up.
I thought the bear might be at the Visitor Center, so I grabbed my camera and pack and began walking. At the Abrams Trailhead, I noticed many people happily photographing a bear.
The bear was crunching on walnuts at the base of a tree on a hill. Cades Cove Loop Road was below the tree. People were photographing the bear across the road on the other side. Visitors stopped momentarily to see the bear and take a quick shot.
I stayed on the opposite hill most of the time. I saw the fall color and wanted to incorporate it in my shot. At one time, I was photographing while lying on my belly.
I took a different angle down the hill on the same side as the bear. I got what I wanted. The Lord is so good to me!
If you were stuck in the bear jam, I am sorry. The bear needed to eat to pack the pounds for winter, and people tried to be polite. When you multiply the number of cars by each car staying a tad to take a photo, it equals the longest bear jam I have ever been in.
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https://www.judyroyalglennphotography.com/
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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