[pct-l] Bear Canister Necessary North of Tahoe For Me?

[Blanchard, Sym (GT&D)]

Hi,

I wanted to get some input as to the feasibility of NOT using a bear
canister while hiking north of Tahoe in my special circumstance.

I am mainly a vegetarian, carrying only dried beans, grains, whey
protein, vegetables, and fruit.  I soak them a few hours and then heat
them in the sun or against my body (thanks Scott Williamson!), so I use
no stove and therefore have no cooking odors.  I carry all the food in
zip-locked first in sandwich bags and then again together in gallon bags

I have been placing these gallon bags in my bivy bag under my feet at
night to keep my feet at a slight elevation as I sleep.  No bears or
other animals got into my food on my hike last month from Cajon Pass to
Tehachapi, but there were not many bears in those sections either.

I am thinking that the black bears of the Sierras will not usually
interact directly with humans and will probably not dig into an occupied
bivy bag for dried beans, unless there is something that smells
overpoweringly tempting (like salami, bacon, etc.).

I have already hiked the John Muir Trail three times with bear
canisters.  I am now thinking of ditching the bear canister (and
avoiding the authorities) for my hike later this month from Tahoe to
Burney.

What do you think?  Is this a reasonably calculated risk or will I be in
mortal danger?

Thanks in advance,
Symbiosis