When you hear the phrase “in tune with nature” what do you think of? Perhaps you think of some person sitting on a rock and meditating in the middle of the woods. But I think of someone who loves to be outdoors, someone who absolutely enjoys camping. That’s the kind of person I met when I spoke to Patrick Clement.
      Patrick normally lives in Washington, but he traveled to Alaska for work. He drives tour buses through Denali National Park and Reserve. “I take passengers up into the park and I tell them a lot of information about what they see up there,” explained. I think that it is a great experience learning more about the world we live in.
      Sometimes though, people have to learn a dangerous or sometimes scary lesson. As is the case of Patrick. He told me about an exciting camping trip he took. "What happened?" I inquired. "Well, I ran into a bull moose, and I guess that he just didn't like me." Unfotunately for Patrick, he had come across a very territorial animal. Then, all of a sudden, the moose charged. "He stopped short [of charging me], but it was scary nonetheless." Scary indeed. I have to say, no matter how brave you might be, a strong, protective animal bolting towards you weighing from 800 to 1000 pounds would intimidate anyone.
      Of course, being charged by a moose isn't the only scary thing that's happened to Patrick. Onece, all was quiet in his campsite in the Porcupine Mountains, a peaceful place to go for a vacation. Patrick and his fiance had set up camp and were enjoying a break from the troubles of everyday life. Suddenly, a big black bear came out from within a thick clump of trees. Patrick and his fiance were quite alarmed. All they could do was hope that it would go away. Unfortunately, it decided to study the couple it encountered. "It just kept circling us, as if it wanted food," Patrick recalled. Patrick ended up throwing rocks at it, which, perhaps, wasn't the best idea, but it did, in his case, work quite well. The bear ended up running off.
      Patrick enjoys being outdoors often. It allows him to be close to nature. Patrick states that he is always up for the chance to be out in the fresh air, even if it does mean running into a bear or having a close encounter with a moose every once in a while.