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(17,111 posts) Sat Jul 27, 2013, 03:37 AM Jul 2013

A bear wandered into Lonigans in downtown Estes Park, CO and nobody noticed:

This bear wandered into Lonigans in downtown Estes Park about 9:15 p.m. on July 18.

An unusual guest did a little bar hopping last week in downtown Estes Park. A large bear popped into Lonigans Saloon Nightclub and Grill on July 18 about 9:15 p.m. sniffed around for a while and left without anyone in the saloon even noticing the large and furry visitor.

If not for the sharp eye of a passing pedestrian on his way home from work, the unusual guest may have gone completely unnoticed - at least until security camera footage was reviewed by the saloon owner.

"Nobody even knew it was there," said Lonigans' owner David Callahan. "I just missed seeing it. I was cleaning up and had just taken out the trash."
Callahan said his bartender also just missed running into the bear after she had gone to the rear of the saloon. "She just missed it," said Callahan.

Daniel Lyell had the sharp eye, spotting the bear while on his way home from work.
"I was walking home from work and ran into a bear in the Upper Wiest Lot," Lyell said. "He went from dumpster to dumpster as I stayed a safe distance away. I wanted a photo, and before I knew it, he was headed into Lonigan's. I went in after him and tried to alert the patrons by yelling, 'bear' but no one noticed. I called for the bear when he was just about to enter the middle bar area. He hesitated and then listened to me the second time. He turned around and went out the door behind me."

Callahan said the noise from the front of saloon probably kept the patrons from noticing the warning.
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