That's a great report, Rockie. Hope you're OK after your fall - the north side of Bear is quite tough, it and its neighboring Taconics are a nice preview of the Whites. Sounds like Bearded Woods is a winner. Nice complement to Maria McCabe.
PS: Take it gingerly descending from the summit of Race, too. I almost fell a couple times scrambling down it myself yesterday, and I'd been there twice before. After the first main scramble, it's mostly easier, though there are a few other tricky spots to look out for.