I'm not saying there are no dumb questions but this isn't one.

I've camped amidst bears for a lot of years, tent and for the last 10 years
or so in a Westy. Never been bothered, never heard of anyone in a van being
broken into either.

I wouldn't leave food out in sight but my van is normally camped in with
closed curtains.

Maybe it's because vans are taller so a bit harder for bears to get up and
through the windows/windshield but for whatever reason that's my experience.

YMMV

Mike

On 2/11/11 7:42 AM, "Sheilah Rogers" <sheilah@SHEILAH.ORG> wrote:

> here i go with another "dumb" question, well actually, it's an admission of
> sorts.
>
> for all the camping i've done in my dear Vanna, i've somehow only gone to
> Yosemite once. for those who don't know, yosemite is famous for, among other
> things, having lots of curious and hungry bears.
>
> the one time i went, the ranger told us to stow our food in bear containers
> and to absolutely not leave any food in our tent or car.
>
> i looked at him flummoxed.
>
> regarding his safety precautions, i sleep "in a kitchen". one that gets cooked
> in. one that's presumably permeated by food smells, at least from the
> perspective of a bear's nose.
>
> so i put the food in the bear container. decided not to pop the top just in
> case the smells of dinner were particularly delightful.
>
> the next morning the ranger came by and asked us if we heard the bear
> rummaging next to the van. we had not.
>
> i thought about how i camp in more coastal areas, or in the desert, but
> usually not in the woods.
>
> so fellow van owners who camp in bear country and cook in their van, do you
> pop your top? do you sleep soundly without dreams of bears ripping through
> your canvas top?
>
> do you think about the smell of your kitchen?
>
> do you think it's impossible to separate the smell of food from where you
> sleep, assuming you like to sleep in the cozy of your delightful van bed?
>
> s.