I was out early this morning for a long walk with my dogs. My favorite outing is along the Lake Bonneville trail. From my home it's a climb of some 700 vertical feet to get to the trail. Once there it's a great walk. The path wanders along the side of the mountain and is mostly exposed. There are a few times when the path wanders into small, shade-dappled canyons.

While approaching one such spot of shade on today's walk I nearly stepped on a small snake. The dogs had run right past and were safely in the cool of the shade. I don't know how I saw the little guy. He wasn't more than a foot long and maybe 3/8 inch in diameter. I tried to entice him with my foot, but he was frozen in place. That's when, thanks to the discovery channel and too many programs about snakes, I grabbed the tip of the tail.

It didn't work out as planned. On TV the snake goes limp and is easily manageable. Not this little fellow. He immediately arched back towards me and up. I didn't wait to find out if he had the strength or agility to wrap himself around my arm. Reaching quickly away from my body I let him drop into the brush by the path. Don't really know how things turned out as I walked swiftly away.

This all got me thinking about this little part of the world. Right along the path that I walk every day I've seen some amazing things. Just a couple of weeks ago I got real close to a much bigger snake that was straddled across the trail. I did not attempt grabbing him by the tail.

I've seen coyotes on at least 4 separate walks, dozens of skunks, squirrels, magpies, hares and various other species of birds. Thousands bugs are visible in the mornings and evenings. I remember a particularly noisy cicada hatch that took place a few years ago. Since then I haven't heard from a cicada since.

More times than I can count I've run across deer. Twice I've been able to sneak up on a few of them as they foraged. That was unexpected and amazing.

The first time I saw anything unusual was on an early walk below the Lake Bonneville trail. I was with the boys and it was early in the morning. Standing on a favorite boulder, looking out across the valley a commotion caught my eye. Looking 50 or so feet down the mountain I watch for several minutes as two fox played together. They were too busy to notice me and neither of my dogs ever saw them. Great instincts! I've seen fox twice more, but never near that site and never without being seen.

Last winter I saw a cougar. He was young and treed by a pair of Walker Hounds. The hound's owner doubted that I would have ever seen a cougar on my own. I'd like to think that he is right about that.

Keep my eyes open and going for walks along the same two mile trail has given me many satisfying experiences. I really am lucky to live in such a wonderful place.............
10:19:23 PM    comment []