Have you ever waited a long time for something you desired?  Always hoping, always seeking, always wishing for just one opportunity? After 13 years, God Ineffable gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.

I live in a region of the Colorado Rocky Mountains rich in wildlife.  However, wildlife move around.  They may stay in one place for several days but they graze, roam, and migrate to different areas depending on the season.

I photographed a big black bear in 2011.  Although I have seen a few bears, I have not been able to photograph one since then. As the story goes.......

I was driving along a quiet, less traveled highway in Gunnison County.  It was nearing sunset but the light was already fading in the canyon region of this section of highway.  I saw a brown lump along the road in front of me by the bushes.  Knowing it was some kind of wildlife, I slowed down.  

The brown lump along the road was a bear!  He looked at me and then dashed into the bushes.  I put my signal on and jumped out of the car with the camera in hand.  Looking, looking..... I heard movement in the bushes.  I ran over to the opposite edge of the road.  Quiet stillness overtook the area. There was no traffic and no movement.  My heartbeat was the only thing I heard.

Then, bushes crackling, and swaying side to side, the bear made his way across the river to the denser area of trees and brush.  I ran along the road parallel to his movements across the river.  I could not see him.  Then, a slight brown shadow and more sticks and brush cracked as he made his way north.

I kept walking along the highway waiting, and watching. Nothing.  Silence, again.  A vehicle drove up.  I ignored it.  It left.  Looking, nothing.  Listening, nothing.  I clapped my hands together and it scared the bear to move on.  

I could see a glimpse of him further up the river.  I snapped a few photos.  I ran back to my car and turned it around.  I drove 1/4 mile around the corner and parked the car.  I then started walking back towards the bear, watching the other side of the river for movement.

There he was coming in my direction! The canyon was silent except for his movements in the brush. I climbed onto a huge boulder and watched as he emerged into a sagebrush open space.  Click, click, click.  He was beautiful! 

He was about 50 feet away and walking towards me.  He stopped behind a sagebrush plant.  Did he think I couldn't see him?  Humm.  He watched me.  I watched him.  Slowly, he started walking in the other direction towards the trees.  I clapped my hands again to try and get him to look at me but this time he ran off.

I was elated.  Jumping up and down and thanking the universe, I knew I had at least one good photograph.  The bear had been so calm. I decided to continue up the canyon to see what other wildlife may be on the move.

As the light was nearing dark, I turned around to head home. A couple of miles from the first bear sighting, I was driving slowly with my window down. I heard crunching in the bushes on the side of the road.  I stopped.  

There was another bear. He was larger and a little darker in color.  I jumped out of the car and stood behind it.  Twenty feet away, the bear scampered out of the berry bushes and stood on the hill looking at me.  I took a few photos and then put my camera down to breathe in this special moment.  

The bear did not run.  He turned and started making his way up the rock scree and boulder field.  For the next 20 minutes, pushing the light meter on my camera to the max, I photographed the bear making his way up and over the boulders.  He paused a few times and I was able to get a few more images.  Then, he moved into the trees and was gone.

Wow, Wow, Wow!!!  A moment I will not forget anytime soon.