In the mid-1990s, the training geological practice ended after 2 courses in Crimea. There are no expeditions, there are no specialties for the season. Therefore, after the practice, I was going to go to Transbaykalya myself, walk the mountains and gain geological experience. Of the equipment – a self-sewed waterproof bedroom, boiler and backpack, which I was sewing in the train. To protect against bears, he took care of purchasing pepper cloves at the station in Simferopol. They were written "From Dogs", so I took two (bears bigger than dogs) to guarantee :)
With a transplant in 5 days arrived at the village of Old Chara on Bame. I don't know anyone in the village, I walk in the street. and none. at all. Even dogs don’t chew. There is no light in the houses, only some windows light blue. It’s getting dark, it’s scary a little – where are the people? He discovered an old two-story building with the inscription "Udokan Expedition", on the second floor the window is yellow. Once the expedition, the geologists, their own, and most importantly, thank God, people have found! I go up. Some of the cabinets are empty, no doors, windows are broken, the only island of life is in the office where the light burns. I go in. A large room, in which three men sit, around samples on the tables, maps, some old reports...In short, the working environment. Men look at me, who are you and what do you need? I say that a student who came to self-fighting practice, that I want to get there and there, don't tell me where I can stop for a couple of days while I buy products, etc.? The men have eyes for five kopecks - the student came to practice himself?! At the time, it was like the appearance of an alien. We made tea, we sat down, we talked. Andrei, Gene and another (I do not remember the name). To begin with, I found out why the village was extinct: it turns out, on the television show the series "The rich also cry", so everyone on the TV. I got a little off the heart, or I thought someone got into the zombies. Quite quickly the conversation approached the protection from bears. I don’t have weapons, I say, but I have two pepper bugs! You are tired, student! Show me! I get both. They are 5 centimeters long, in the form of a cylinder. They look funny, of course... The geologists have seen them, they have lost their minds, they are stunned, they show with their fingers and they cannot say anything – say, this is, against the bears?!! The boy is tired! It is not enough to put them in the cottage! I was upset and I took one...
I came to myself, lying on the door in the hallway, outside the office. Andrei walks up and moves quietly. The air is like a fire, the eyes can’t see anything, from the office in general, some whispers are heard. They slipped with Andrew to the sides, at least he brought to the crane with water, somewhat washed his face and skin. It wasn’t much better, but I see something. They entered the room, opened the windows, aired. The rest washed and we sat down. The general feeling: “Your mother, what was it?” No one can understand how from such a tiny spark such a flash effect. “Let the composition look.” I pulled Gene the second guy. The font is small, the lighting is not very... He stretches to the table behind the glasses, clings to his own button with a cloth loop... The door to the office was no longer there, so I flew further and suffered less. Around the table is heard the roar of three bears, who at the same time strike at me, on the bats, on the students in general, on Genoa and just from the excess of pepper in the air... The operation to despoil the territory is repeated. We drink tea. On the tables the documents do not take, everything in pepper dust, the men cheer that for the first time such an unconventional occasion not to work, and to leave home earlier. General conclusion: from bears - elegant protection, the main thing is to get closer and not get done! I sit sad: “Men, but now I have nothing at all, we put all my defense on us.” They looked around: nothing, we’ll come up with something...
So I had blood in the village, detailed information on how to get where I wanted, some foods... As an anti-bearman, Andrei gave me his small-caliber rifle for the season: “Confronted with your guys, this is, of course, nothing, but you can at least shoot!”
I used a little bit, but that’s another story. I have had a great respect for pepper protection since then, which has been repeatedly reinforced in practice. And most importantly – I have longined good relations with the men, and they did not call us otherwise than “pearl brothers”.