First. I've gotten a ton of help in the other thread I started a week ago - so lots of thanks for that.
Second. I am not "scared" of much. The dark, noises, unknowns. Whatever. I'm comfortable enough with nature and outside and little critters and medium critters and bugs that I just don't care. They don't bother me and I don't bother them.
The problem. I have seen a bear - exactly once in my life - in northern Michigan when I was way way younger. (10 years old maybe?) It was from a distance, and scurried off as soon as it heard us pounding down the 2-track. Lately, the thought of coming across a bear on the AT freaks me out. It's dumb, I know - that is their domain long before mine. So I'm curious - what's the "typical" behavior of one of these furry beasts? They hear you and scurry? They hear you and keep on grazing/nosing about? They hear you - smell in your direction - and then get the heck out of there? If one doesn't scurry - is it reasonable to make a loud noise and maybe chuck a rock nearby to make more noise and get it the hell out of there?
I've read plenty on what to do if one shows you attention - but I don't know what to expect for all the other "normal" scenarios. Last thing I want to do is come up on one and let the dude smell any fear. I think if I know /reasonably/ how the furry beast is going to react to my presence, then I'm all good.
Food maintenance - there's plenty of other threads on this, so I won't pound it here. I'll take the best advice I come across and go with the collective consciousness of peoples much smarter and experienced than I.