Bear-Bait Newsletter

A Surprise Visitor

Bear-Bait #044

Dec 31, 2025

I blinked my eyes awake. The sun was already bright and hot on my face.

I sat up and folded over the wool blanket that was in my lap.

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The sun was setting when I had arrived, so I happily looked around to remind myself of the surroundings.

The light breeze blew the white ash from my long-cold fire. It blew over the rocky alpine meadow and into the patch of trees to the west. The yellow flowers danced happily as their stalwart pedals smiled in the sun-soaked morning air.

The birds whistled and worked; their blue feathers fluttering and sweet songs a-warblin’.

I wiped the sleep away and turned to make sure the Subaru was alright.. We got a little adventurous the night before. Definitely a few scrapes and bumps, but it looked okay that morning. Hopefully everything was still working mechanically. (I had checked everything like 10 times already)

As I evaluated the noble steed that had carried me into my wild campsite, I noticed a figure moving along the road. It was too small to be a car, but too fast and nimble to be a four wheeler or side-by-side. As it got closer, I saw a glint of light reflecting off its windshield. Then another from the rider’s helmet.

Motorcycles are sick. I thought. I wonder where he’s going…

There were a lot of random trails on this public land, so he could have been going anywhere.

Over the next few minutes, my mind realized what was happening and I groaned.

He wasn’t just passing through. He was headed straight toward me.

There was no pretending to be asleep now. I was awake and my dazed, upright glaring didn’t hide that.

The shocks of the bike bounced as the rider took it off trail toward my camp. He rode it slowly and carefully to a stop, flipped down the kickstand, and let down the heavy weight of the bike.

There he sat, 30 yards from me, and took his helmet off.

He looked at me and said nothing. He had a scruffy face and wrinkled cheeks. They looked worn and tethered. His eyebrows, along with his scruff, were peppered with black and white. The wrinkles and shadowed face would leave you to believe that he was old.

But he didn’t seem that way to me. Weathered and tired, but not old. No, something in his dimples seemed more childlike. His headscarf/bandana headgear blew in the wind, which only added to the aura of whimsy that the stranger exuded. His eyes were kind. He still said nothing.

One thing about me is that I hate these moments of social standstill. Seriously, get me in an awkward stare down and I will always make the first move.

I pulled one arm out from under the blanket, raised it, and waved once. (It was really more of an open-palmed flick than anything.)

“Mornin’” (Can you imagine my passive aggression?)

“Good morning! Pretty good spot.” He said as he finally got off his bike. He turned his back to me and unzipped the green and black biker jacket. The leather squeaked and groaned as he laid it down on the seat. His grey t-shirt had a sweat spot from his backpack. It hugged his body closely. He hung his helmet on the handlebar.

“Yep. Thank goodness for public land.” I said. That was a pretty good reply, I thought. Relevant to what he said while also addressing the slight fear I had that I wasn’t actually on public land.

He walked closer. His biker boots clomped through bushes and his pants creaked.

“Where are you from?” He asked.

“Logan. So not too far from here.”

“Very nice. You a student?”

“Yep. What about you? You from the area?”

“Just up the road a ways. You know Kemmerer?”

“Sure do. I usually pass through there on the way to the Windrivers.”

“Very nice. Lots of fun up that way.“

He stood in the sun with his hands on his hips. There was a slight awkwardness in the way he waited there. It was happy and chipper, not malicious or unkind.

He continued.

“Welp. Mind if I take a little wander?”

“Go ahead. There’s a little path that way.” I pointed with still just one arm out.

His pants creaked and boots clomped as he made his way over to the trail. His head-scarf still blew in the wind. (Picture Ebeneezer Scrooge’s night-cap)

As soon as he was out of sight , I slipped my other hand out and found my socks, pants, and a new shirt from my pack. I wanted to be more presentable (and more clothed) when he came back.

A few minutes passed and there he was.

“It’s a really beautiful area up here. What else have you got planned today?”

“Just a service project. Near Cokeville.” I replied.

“Very cool. Good luck!”

Something told me I needed to return the inquiry.

“What about you? Just a quick morning ride?”

He had put his jacket back on and was sitting on the bike once again. His helmet sat upside down in his lap. His thumbs grabbed the sides. His head-scarf still blew in the wind.

“Yep. That’s all I wanted for my birthday.” He was still awkward and twitchy. But he was content.

“Well happy birthday!”

He smiled and put his helmet on.

“Thank you. Enjoy your service project. Be safe.”

The bike’s motor lit up again with life. He let out the clutch, gave it a little bit of gas, and rolled back towards the dirt-road. I watched him drive right back out the way he came.

And just like that. As mysteriously as he had arrived, the man was gone.

I was as happy as I was bewildered. It wasn’t how I pictured my morning when I woke up, but I’m so glad I got to wish him a happy birthday.

“Don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head,
and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by”

-Cat Stevens/Yusuf “Don’t Be Shy”