Once upon a time, there was a family with three little Goldilocks that traveled to Yosemite National Park. While they were there, they were told to beware of the bears because they loved to break into cars and tents for any crumb they smell! Well, the first night the parents weren't so sure about that, so they thought that if they just covered the food in the van, the bears wouldn't see it. There were signs everywhere that said otherwise, but the parents thought they knew better. Eventually, the oldest Goldilocks played the trump card that the parents weren't following the law, so they hauled every bit of food and scented items into the bear lockers that were provided by the cabin. The family of Goldilocks slept soundly that night and awoke to a secured and unvandalized van. They lived happily ever after....no, it isn't over!
The next day the family decided to go to a lecture on "Bears". The three Goldilocks were working towards their Jr. Ranger badges, so by going to the lecture they were completing another task to get their badge. They learned many fascinating things about bears during that hour. Bears have a very keen sense of smell that can smell food from miles away. They also learned that bears can tear out doors of cars! The family was in awe! Later the family went to go set up their tent at a new campground. They had heard that a bear had been in the area lately and broken into cars repeatedly. This time the parents were on the same page as the three Goldilocks and took any scented items out of the car without second-guessing and placed them in the bear lockers. As they were getting dinner ready, the eldest Goldilocks saw a bear across the clearing about 100 yds. away. They all watched him walk slowing into his presumed habitat. After the kids got tucked in, Mama Goldilocks was a little nervous about going to bed after seeing a bear so close to the tent, and without another tent between them and the likely bear den. But, after she thought "what are the chances?", and had a glass of wine, she relaxed. As they were falling asleep, they heard a car alarm go off in the distance. Mama Goldilocks nervously joked that she hoped it wasn't their car and they attempted to go to sleep! Now, this campground was one that you had to walk into, so all the cars were about 200 yds. away. Not too close, but far away enough that you couldn't see them .
In the morning, Papa Goldilocks was going to make a pancake breakfast, but first decided that he would go check out the car. At first glance all was well, but then he came around the other side. Yep, you guessed it, the bear had broken into the car! The bear pulled down the whole window frame so that it was almost perpendicular, shattering the window, and climbed in. Unfortunately, the Goldilocks family forgot two peanut butter crackers in a side compartment of the passenger seat door and the bear smelled them. He tore out the compartment, ate the crackers and left the chewed up wrapper as evidence. Other evidence were the paw prints all over the dusty driver's side door, along with some slobber on the exterior. The family freaked out and couldn't believe that the bear choose their car out of all the other cars in the lot! Local law enforcement came by to check out the situation. The Goldilocks family had read that if your car got broken into, you would have to pay a $150 dollar fine! Nice!! Luckily, the officer could tell that they tried their best and would only issue them a warning. After all, he said they had enough of a problem on their hands now with a ripped apart car!
The family was due back in WA the next evening, so they cancelled their hike and Papa "the Hulk" Goldilocks bent the frame back into position, drove the car to the Yosemite garage, vacuumed the glass out of the van, and taped plastic over the window! They traveled a few hours to generous relatives in Sacramento, who let them bunk their for the night. The next day, they bought a package of orange earplugs for each member of the family to wear on the
very loud 15+ hour car trip home! After many strange glances, a few tears, and many laughs, the Goldilocks family made it home safely to Washington.
From here on out, if the Goldilocks Family ever goes to Yosemite National Park again, they will stop at a gas station before they enter the park, vacuum out every nook and cranny, and not allow a single morsel of food in their car until they exit the park! This way, they will live Happily Ever After......... The End!
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