Lions and Tigers and Bears. . .okay, forget the lions and tigers.

There's a game farm near us where many Hollywood animals retire when they're tired of the spotlight. It's a drive-through "expedition" with fenced sections for llamas, yaks, a rhino, buffalo, deer, elk, ostriches, zebras, lions, tigers and bears. It takes at least an hour to drive through and you can go as many times as you like. You can take bread to feed the animals or buy it at the entrance. One of the biggest hits at the game farm are the grizzly bears.

Most of these bears are trained to wave at the cars in exchange for bread. They sit on the other side of an electric wire, less than 10 feet away from passing cars. The more talented bears can catch even the most wildly thrown bread ball by casually hooking it out of the air with their giant claws. Sometimes, though, a bear will become bored of it all and forsake the free handouts for a leisurely lounge in the dirt.


Of course, laying out is nicer when there isn't some idiot blocking the sun. One bear gives real value for the bread and waves very enthusiastically. He must be new. The more jaded of the grizzlies simply flap a paw before opening their mouths for the reward. And then, when a bear is closed for business, he makes it pretty clear: