Blue Ribbon Bear Board Dean Gary Coomer put up a sign to protect the 350 pound bear he saw cross the road Saturday, September 19, at exactly 5 p.m. Mr. Tim Smith of Lindsey Wilson's faculty is drawing a bear outline which Mr. Coomer will affix to the area he indicates in the picture at right. Mr. Coomer was less than 50 yards away, sitting on the front porch of the old store which is now The Bear Lodge.

The bear came up from Mr. Coomer's Spring Hollow, across his tobacco patch, then went across Bennett Ridge Road, across a narrow patch of grass, through the horse weed, then over a four foot bank, down into a little draw. Mr. Bear left a wide hole in the horse weed. Where he went over the little bank, there was evidence he had scooted on his butt to get to the bottom. Mr. Coomer theorizes that Mr. Bear was looking for the newly ripe wild grapes and fresh water. "If I hadn't of seen the bear with my own eyes," Dean Coomer says, "I would not have put up a bear crossing sign."