Face the Grumpy Bears & Ravenous Wolves at Your Workplace Like a Seasoned Forest Ranger

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Route Map showing Day 20 of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, Twin Bridges to West Yellowstone Montana

Hopefully aggression in your workplace is rare. You shouldn't often feel like you're dealing with grumpy bears and ravenous wolves. However, you can use the same techniques a seasoned ranger uses to discern 1) when an attack is most likely and 2) what is triggering the attack (and therefore what response you should have).

Photo, Day 20 of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, Mandy in front of Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone, Montana

Hebgen Lake is considered the best still-water fishing lake in Montana. I rode alongside this beautiful body of water for nearly 15 miles. It is well known for an earthquake that occurred in 1959.

Making memories
  • Towns on Today's Travel Route: West Yellowstone, MT
  • I'm staying at the Westwood Motel tonight in West Yellowstone. Not only was it one of the best rates in town, it's one of the most comfortable places I've stayed. From the perfect bed and pillows to a room appointed with a full kitchen, a desk, dining table and chairs, and a lounge chair. And the property and room are meticulously clean, neat, and rustic quaint. Too bad I already have a reservation in the park. I would have liked to stay for a second night.
  • Tonight I had fresh fruit and veggies from the grocery store and had a full kitchen to cook for myself. While I'm spending lots of time "camping cooking" (it always takes so long!) I do miss making and enjoying meals from my own kitchen.
  • My second inner tube failed (like a rocket ship when the inner portion of the valve launched into the air) because the long-stem presta valve bent under the awkwardness of my travel bicycle pump. Unfortunately it was the rear tire so it's more difficult to swap out. I restocked on tubes with the friendly team at Freeheel and Wheel (skis, bicycles, and coffee!) and received encouraging reassurance that my ride through Yellowstone would be amazing and much calmer than the highways.
  • At a rest stop along the way today, I learned from a group of anglers that this is one of the best fishing spots in the country and people return year after year. I also met Steve and Arlie, a couple who both served in the Navy as engineers. They bought their bear spray in a three-pack and insisted I install their spare immediately on my bicycle, which I did.
  • I woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sound. In my drowsy state, I wondered, "Is that an elephant?" Then came to my senses and wondered how far away the train to transport circus animals must be. But no, that wasn't quite right. The sound had a distinct cow-like quality too. But no cow I've ever heard in the midwest sounds like that. Anyway, it wasn't too close, so I fell back asleep, only to hear it a few more times throughout the night. It was only after talking to my camping neighbors that I realized I'd heard, for the first time in my life, the bugling of elk. How beautiful! If you haven't ever heard this sound, check out this video.
  • This area is one of the most studied geological sites in the world. From boiling cauldrons to massive earthquakes, I learned about the region's history and landscape from historic landmarks every few miles along the way.
  • The weather in the mountains has a huge temperature range. I started the day out around 30ºF (-1ºC) and had temperatures above 90ºF (32ºC) by the time I finished the day's ride. I'm using every piece of clothing I brought along except my rain gear, which will probably become essential in the next few days based on the forecast.
  • The smoke hung heavy on the horizon, obscuring some views, but air quality was much better than it was a few days ago.
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Mandy Birch is a global executive engineer and military veteran who builds teams, leaders, & multinational organizations that unlock the potential of disruptive ideas. She enjoys accelerating emerging technologies & strategic partnerships to drive multi-generational thriving for people & communities around the world.

Mandy's interests include: #innovation #leadership #technology #partnerships #quantumcomputing #career #growth #womenintech #veterans #entrepreneurship #creativity #future #foreignpolicy #democracy #geopolitics


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