I realized it was getting later than I normally run so I grabbed my hydration pack and dropped my running gloves, hat and headlamp into it. The headlamp is a Black Diamond and has a remote battery pack so I don't have much weight on my head. It takes 4 AA's and has a 3 foot, 2 piece cord to the lamp that tucks into some clips on the headband. It's my favorite running light and was a prototype from Black Diamond. I often carry 2 lamps so I can strap one on my hand for the really dangerous trails, and in case one does go out. If I let my eyes adjust I can walk out of about anything, but with 2 lights I can create shadows for depth perception. Tonight I only had to use it when running in the 2 railway tunnels they used to use for hauling out the gold from over the mountains in the early 1900's.
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| Meow baby! |
After a few minutes the Bobcat wandered off the road down into a gulley and I hauled ass looking over my shoulder every few seconds. I've seen mountain lions, moose, bears, different kinds of rattlers and just about every other animal in Colorado but never a Bobcat. Cat's attack from behind when the prey is larger and while I wasn't scared or nervous I was still going to play it safe and keep looking while I moved away.
I was super excited and wish I had my camera but even a 6 ounce camera is heavy with each step and it's 80+ steps a minute for 90 minutes or more. Seeing a young Bobcat and checking it out for a few minutes was amazing. I'm glad I was paying attention or else I would have missed an extremely rare encounter (or possibly been attacked, never know).... I love living in Colorado Springs.
wow - lucky guy!
ReplyDeletethere are bobcats here in cape breton, but sightings are rare. i did see some tracks on our land last fall, but that was it.
i'm glad you love your home!
Nice kitty...as a child my favorite book in the schools library was titled, 'The WahooBobcat.' Years later, in my thirties, I began a search for the book. I found a copy, at a whooping cost, years later. Think I was fifty or so by then, but to this day it sits in a special place atop one of my book shelves.
ReplyDeleteThat book was not a walt disney view on the world.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to be one of those boys in books with an animal companion roaming the hillsides and living under a lean-to. Living in the middle of nowhere with no other kids around my mind was very creative.
All the books I read growing up remain in my bookcase. I took pride in taking care of them so I could read them 30 years later and they still look new.
oh jeesh Max - don't get me talking about bobcats or books - you've seen how i blather on various other blogs!!!
ReplyDeletebut anyway - i love all of my books. prior to bugging out - i had to sort through over a thousand books and give away almost half!!! however, i shipped probably 65 boxes of books over 1,000miles and still have the majority of them. some are in storage. some are in the attic. but my faves - collections of old encyclopedias are in my living room. they provide much comfort!
stay out of the way of them there bobcats - but get as many pics as you can eh?
kymber
I ended up a the same spot today, no kitten. I did see some massive paw prints, and the area where I saw it has a lot of rocks so I can only figure it was hunting right there for some tasty vittles.
ReplyDeleteI only have about 500 books, I feel so inadequate.
:)
yep little man - you should feel inadequate -
ReplyDeletebahahahahahahahah! oh i am just teasin with ya!