Ok I must preface this story with a few things… 1. I am not
the swiftest (is that a word) runner in the world actually I am more like a
turtle striding through peanut butter than a gazelle but I enjoy running so I really
don’t care. 2. Yes I grew up around livestock I am not afraid of hard work or
getting dirty but becoming one with the wilderness really isn’t my cup of tea, I
need a warm shower and an electric blanket. 3. Grace is not my middle name;
actually I am pretty sure that my 85 year old papa has more coordination in his
left big toe than I. With all these things said you should have a bit more
mercy for me and this story. Or maybe you will just laugh harder.
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| I was really trying to prevent my double chin from showing in most of these pics. |
When we checked in to the house we were staying in outside
Estes Park we were warned that there had been some bear sightings in the area. Nothing
to really be concerned about but they just wanted us to be aware. Alright fine
and dandy. On Thanksgiving morning I got up extra early to head out for a run,
grabbed my cell phone for protection (no clue why it had zero service), slapped
on my headband and told my brother-in-law I would see them in a little while
(he was the only one up).
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| Tuck and roll option! |
I get on the path and get a good pace going, my lungs are
burning and I think I might faint due to the elevation (possibly 8,000 feet or
more) but I was determined to finish. I push through the initial thoughts of
dying and make the first few turns up the MOUTAIN. As I am running all alone
(reminder I am SLOW) there is a steep up part of the mountain on one side and a
possible plummet to my death on the other, I hear something rustling in the
trees next to me. My initial thought dear lord if that is a bear please let my
child and husband know how much I love them, because if that truly is a bear I am
tucking and rolling down this mountain.
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| Not my deer but one I had saw earlier now do you understand why I was a bit startled. |
Luckily (HA) it wasn’t a bear, just a mule deer buck, with
sharp looking horns. This deer proceeds to come on to the road; I stop so it
can go where it pleases plus I needed to regain my composure because I nearly
fell down the mountain at that point. So with in feet of me it crosses into the
yard next to me. I figure he’s off to
his next adventure I’ll continue to run. I start back up and what to I hear but
a deer running behind me. Lovely this guy is going to stab me with his antlers
and I will again die here from puncture wounds, bear or no bear I’m not making
it out alive. So again I stop and he continues to come closer to me, with in
feet like three of them! If my darn phone hadn’t died I would have taken a
picture (great protection device right?). I just kept thinking what in the
world am I going to do dive down the mountain and what the heck does this guy
want? So what did I do, no I didn’t assume the fetal position like I wanted, I just
stood there. And eventually he lost interest and trotted off. I swear that was
the longest 2 minutes of my life from moment of meeting all the way through the
standoff. Lord of Mercy.
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| I think my phone finally turned back on and I am breathing a sigh of relief, and trying to keep the double chin under control as well! |
I do believe the good Lord was trying to tell me something, I
guess he tried at first making me think my lungs were going to implode but I didn’t
listen. So he needed a bigger scarier option, oh deer. Man I am glad he didn’t
choose a bear. But I did finish the run that morning, then chose to sleep in
the remainder of the mornings on the trip.
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