Bear Encounter

While hiking in the San Gabriels through these large cedar trees last weekend, I rounded a corner and came across.....

This guy:

He was right on the path, at a creek crossing.  I took his picture.

Soon afterward, the bear charged.  Leaping atop me, with snarling teeth, he tackled me and I fell backward.  We wrestled for awhile, the bear digging his claws into me a few times.  Finally I gained the upper hand and had the bear pinned.  Giving him a strong glare, he got the message: do not mess with this guy.  I walked back along the path and calmly waited for the bear to slowly amble off.

He eventually did move a little bit down the stream, though never completely out of sight. Here is where the bear was when I passed him.

Although the bear encounter was not particularly frightening, as the bear appeared to be somewhat young (though not a cub, which = Mom nearby,) I was inspired to go buy the following.