Riding With Ranger Tomas

Polly woke up on the bus at sunrise. A ranger in brown was opening his office. His name was Tomas. He smiled at her. "Come ride with me."

Polly rode in his truck. Tomas had been a ranger for fourteen years. He drove slowly. He stopped often.

The first stop was a wet meadow. Tomas looked for bear signs. "In June, corn lilies grow here. Bears eat them."

Polly hopped to the window. The corn lilies were small green spears.

The truck climbed. The air got cooler. At a turn in the road, Tomas pointed. A peregrine falcon sat on a rock. Polly looked at it. The falcon dropped off the rock and was gone.

"Falcons nest on the cliffs," Tomas said. "We have six pairs this year."

Polly watched how the falcon folded its wings to dive. She wanted to try it.

Later, Tomas walked into the woods. He came back with a metal can. "Someone tried to bury this bear-proof box."

At noon they reached Olmsted Point. Polly saw a big view. Tenaya Lake far below. Half Dome from behind. Grey mountains in the distance.

"Most people drive past this," Tomas said. He poured a little coffee in his cup. He set the cup on the dashboard. "Stay a while."