Dublin, Summer 2009

It all began one day when Roger walked into McBear's office. McBear as per usual was working hard approving Toy Animals' Rights reports to make sure Toy Animals' Rights were shown respect by humans around the world. Right now he had his head almost down the paper bin and he seemed stressed.
"What are you doing?" Roger asked.
"I'm searching for a particular TARF report, but it seems to have left the office...

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McBear then turned around and discovered Roger was wearing a fancy outfit.
"But... what are YOU doing?"
"I am Roger Capone, the famous Chicago gangster..."
"Well, okay, I can see you are wearing a trench coat like a gangster from the thirties, and even that hat gives an impression of gangster, but ... WHY are you dressed up as a gangster from Chicago?"
"Because... I am going to... CHICAGO!!!"
"WHAT? Wow! When? Am I going with you? Please tell me I am..."
"You are! And so is Tom and Kevin. AND... we are going to Jasper in... CANADA!!! Howabout that!!!"
"Yepeee!" McBear jumped up and down in excitement.

Dublin, Summer 2009

As this would be the second time we'd be going to the Rocky Mountains, Roger felt it was now time for the bears to become real mountaineering bears. He started searching shops all over Dublin to find mountaineering equipment. In Great Outdoors they had loads and loads of equipment but nothing bear sized. Not even bear sized tents.
He went to his humans and asked them to sponsor a tent. But, no, there wouldn't be time, and ... all sorts of reasons and excuses. But Roger had thought that out.
"Okay," he pointed out, "With no tent, there will be no photos of the Travelling Bears in Jasper!"
Within two days we had a premium quality tent!

Roger kept searching for more equipment such as ropes and rope ladders. A couple of days later Roger happened to be passing a recycle bin in one of our human's office. The blinds from the window had just been taken down to bin them.
"BIN THEM??? How can anyone bin such premium quality mountaineering rope ladders?" Roger was surprised - almost insulted.

Dublin, Summer 2009

Bits by bits Roger managed to gather a great collection of premium quality mountaineering equipment. With everything in store, he felt it was time to gather the team and practice some mountaineering. He called on Tom and Kevin before he went to find McBear. McBear had been working hard and had just decided to take a break, when Roger came rushing into the office.
"McBear, we are going to ..." Roger began but immediately stopped.
"What's that?" he asked discovering a huge jar in front of McBear.
"Not'n! Absolutely nothing!" McBear tried to hide the jar.
"No, McBear, you simply cant' eat rasberry jam now! We've got far more important tasks to carry out: Mountaineering!"

Roger pulled McBear out to the garden, where Tom and Kevin were already waiting at a pile of mountaineering equipment.
"Okay!" Roger started to brief. "Tom, you and Kevin set up the tent, while McBear and I prepare for rock climbing and rappelling. Now, we don't have real rocks in the garden, but we do have a wooden platform two feet tall behind me! That'll do!"

Dublin, Summer 2009

With our black tent raised and the platform ready for rappelling, Roger fastened the harness around Kevin. Roger made a very thorough inspection to make sure Kevin would be safe and sound while climbing up to the platform before rappelling back to the ground. The next couple of days we practised mountaineering - and were all sore from the hard work.

Then came the day in August we'd all been waiting for: Time to pack our luggage. The pile of gear and mountaineering equipment soon filled up every space around us. Roger was hoping to bring his western guitar to do a concert in Chicago, however, he soon realized that there would be no concert; no space for guitars...
One of our humans had been knitting a hat for Roger in red and white - the Canadian colours - and a premium deluxe sleeping bag for Tom. For Kevin she knitted a brand new suit, also in red and white. Tom would be bringing his huge bagpack from Tunisia in 2004 - it was still smelling of dromedary, yuk!
We were all struggling hard to fit in our equipment including our new belongings...
"McBear, do you think we could sneak some stuff into our owners' luggage as we did it last year before going to Colorado?"
"Well, it looks like we'll have to! We've got no choice..."