Everybody gather 'round now
Let your body feel the heat
Don't you worry if you can't dance;
Let the music move your feet
Better get yourself together,
And hold on to what you've got
Once the music hits your system,
There's no way you're gonna stop
Come on, shake your body baby, do the conga
I know you can't control yourself any longer
Written by Enrique Garcia (1985)
I know I am not alone when I say that I do not enjoy standing in line no matter what event awaits. This would especially be true when it comes to standing in line for a shower. Let’s face it, when we decide it's time to get in the shower, we want clear sailing to cleanliness. Unfortunately, when camping at Yosemite, the only showers available to campers are those found among the congestion at Curry Village. Inevitably, long lines await if anyone gets started too late in the morning or in the evening.
Early in my Yosemite camping career, I quickly deprioritized cleanliness if I saw a long line snaking out the door of the shower house. I knew I could easily find another Yosemite activity to engage in. Over time, however, I learned the key to gaining quick access to a shower in Curry Village. Awakening as early as possible, maybe even 6:00 am while all of the other sleepy campers are sawing logs, guarantees me an instant shower.
That’s the reason I rolled out of my tent early in the morning during one camping visit in late June 2011 while staying at the Upper Pines Campground. At that hour, I knew I would face no lines!
The brisk air outside my tent felt like a splash of cool water on my face. It assisted in bringing a quick onset of mental alertness. I slipped into some warmer clothes and grabbed my pre-packed backpack filled with hygiene supplies. My bicycle would speed my arrival to the showers so I quietly maneuvered it between the parked cars onto the loop road of the campground.
Ahhh, traveling in the cool of the morning in Yosemite for a noble purpose! Plus, the road to Curry Village from the Upper Pines Campground descends modestly, allowing me to make haste as my bicycle gained speed. I could already feel the hot shower bringing me refreshment!
Soon, I turned on to the entrance of Curry Village near the old apple orchard. The cool mountain air had evaporated any remnants of sleep. Wide awake, I looked up to see the road blocked by a “line” of four to five individuals. I slowed my bike sensing that this gathering of people here at this time and in this arrangement definitely would necessitate a stop, despite being so close to my destination.
Each of these individuals held a camera at eye level and pointed it toward Stoneman Meadow just beyond the split-rail fence that separates the meadow from human and vehicle traffic (see photo above). I hopped off my bike and walked towards a man with his camera directed at the meadow.
“Hi, good morning! What’s everyone looking at?” I asked cheerfully.
"Look for yourself," he said as he peered back toward the meadow.
"Oh, my," I thought to myself. Never in all my visits to Yosemite, or any other wild place, have I ever seen that before! There, about 35 feet away, two black bears appeared to be standing in a “conga” line. I mean, the female had her back to the male looking forward and the male had his front paws on the female’s shoulder area while looking forward. All they seemed to need was for someone to cue the music of Gloria Estefan to start belting out a few lines of “Conga”!
I turned to the man standing next to me and blurted out, "Wow! I've never seen that before!”
He stayed focused on capturing this “bear incident” on film. I interrupted again. “Uh, what do you think are the chances they will still be here if I ride back to get my camera?" The man looked at me and said, "I'd say there's a pretty good chance. They've been going at it for about an hour!" This was one photo I did not want to miss. Who would believe me when I told them that I saw not only two Yosemite bears, but that these two bears were “line-dancing,” or, in other words, mating? Here’s the amazing thing: Seeing a bear in Yosemite can be an incredibly rare event. One Yosemite National Park webpage says, "Visitors who spot a bear sauntering across a meadow or eating berries in a forest should consider themselves lucky." * Yes, not only was I "lucky" to see two bears in a meadow, but they were actively engaged in this rather unique dance ritual! All I needed now was proof that what I was seeing was real! I turned my bike toward the campground, hopped on, and rode as fast as I could. The ride back was not as easy as the ride down and my breathing became labored while my thighs burned through the cool morning air. Still, I felt completely energized, as if the beat of “Conga” had ‘hit my system’ and there ‘was no way I was gonna stop’! Cruising in to camp, I dropped my bike, and searched noisily for my camera. After waking up a few campers who obviously did not mind standing in line for a shower, I grabbed the camera and remounted my bike. I furiously speeded back with my feet moving to the Conga beat in my head. I did not want to miss out on capturing this photo opportunity. I rounded the turn toward Curry Village at top speed. Then I slowed and looked up. I sighed heavily. The bear observation line had disappeared. I suspected this meant the two “dancers” had got to the end of their “line dancing.” Yep, looking beyond the split-rail fence, I could see that the “party” had come to an end. Both the male and the female bear had vanished. Quiet prevailed.
Normally, the quietude of an early morning in Yosemite would fill me with cheer, but now I felt a wave of disappointment. All that excitement came to a halt, as if someone had pulled the plug on the rhythm of music that was getting stronger.
A bit sullen, I looked around the parking lot. It began to fill with people here and there, people walking toward their breakfast destination, people preparing for hiking adventures, and, evidently, people walking toward the shower house. That could only mean one thing, a line would await me when I finally got to the showers.
I decided to focus on what I had just experienced: Watching two bears doing a lot more than merely “eating berries.” Come to think of it, before seeing these bears, I never thought I would enjoy standing in line for any event. Now, though, I know that no queue could ever be too long if it provided me a repeat viewing of two Yosemite bears “line dancing.”
~
* This reference was retrieved in December 2011 and has since been deleted from the Yosemite National Park website.
If you remember witnessing this "bear incident" and have a photo you would like to share, please email us at savoryosemite@gmail.com.
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