Thanks, Cork. I know God is with him always - and he knows that, too.

I talked to Jared again yesterday afternoon. To make a long story short, he and 2 of the other guys went about 2 1/2 miles into Yellowstone to camp out for the evening. They encountered a grizzly bear and at one point were only about 35 yards from the bear. Luckily there was no confrontation and they had a peaceful night.

As a mother - YIKES!

i'm glad you've heard from him duchess, and that they didn't meet the bear up close and personal!!!

but,

what a great story they will have to tell!!!!!

35 yards is about as up close and personal as I would ever want to get to a grizzly bear.....

Yellowstone is beautiful by the way. If you have never been there I think it is a place everyone should see at least once. I would love to go back some day.

On a family camping trip when I was a child, we spent a couple of nights at Yellowstone. The last night as my dad & I were starting to breakdown the camp in prepartion for leaving early the next morning a bear walked right through our campsite, between the two of us My dog was in the tent with my mom, who quickly held the dogs mouth so she wouldn't bark and we watched it amble off into the sunset!! Something I will never forget, I was probably about 12 years old (give a take a year).

Your son will have some stories to tell for sure - glad he didn't meet the bear up close and personal!!

I watched a pair of bear cubs playing off in the distance while at Yellowstone. It's definitely a place everyone should experience.

Glad to hear that he is doing well and enjoying his trip Skittles!

I had a large bear within throwing distance in my backyard a few years ago...recently saw fresh claw marks on a cypress tree back there...NICE!

Grizzlies are another story, tho!

Yes, they are - especially when you're 2 miles from anywhere. He also saw his first black bear on this trip, however Jared was in the car when he saw that.

Jared made it home Saturday night. He called me last night and said he had a good trip, but expensive. I reminded him that he may never have gotten this opportunity again, and he said that was why he went.

Good stories and saw a lot of things. Tried Elk Tenderloin and said it was good and told me that bison is better than beef - less fat. He also took sips of some of his friends drinks - red wine - gin and tonic. He told me he didn't like any of them. He just turned 21 and I wasn't worried that he'd drink too much.

Thanks for being there for me guys. I knew I could count on you.

glad he's home safely for you, Duchess. now you can breathe a little easier.

he's going to have stories to tell for years! how wonderful for him.

So glad he is home and it sounds like he had a wonderful trip. Now 'mom' can relax (until the next time anyway - such is the life of a Mom )

I am glad he made it home, and has some fantastic memories he can share the rest of his life. Oh, to be young again!!!!

Glad he's back safely!! Just remember - he didn't need to be faster than the bear, he just needed to be faster than the other guys.....

Funny thing - I found out one of the other 'guys' was a girl. A little odd, but she became friends with all of them their senior year of high school.

LOL Skittles... At least he is home and safe now!