The weather improved as the day progressed...Neil texted and said he was on his way home and let's hit a trail. I quickly changed and grabbed a head lamp. We decided to go on the trails near our house on Thornhill. Throughout the winter we have been mainly road running during the week at night. The sky was clear and the day light was hanging on. Not too long into the run it was like someone turned the lights out. The woods on this trail are very dense with a canopy cover of trees. I brought a head lamp but not the best one and it obviously was working on low batteries. We carried on for about an hour but it was a spooky outing with the feeling that we were not alone in the woods. Coyotes, deer, bear and domestic dogs are out there - the occasional cougar has been spotted in the area. Neil had a hand held light and I saw him shining it a few times in the direction of a noise in the woods. We haven't been on this trail in the dark for a bit...now I remember why. It's a great run but next time I'll take a better light! We look forward to the longer days approaching. I'm sure you are too!
Yikes! That would add some pace.
ReplyDeleteI was running through a dodgy area in Glasgow a few weeks ago, when the street lights went out. Bears and Coyotes would have been the least of my worries :-)
Hope you are both well x
How closely (or distantly) related are cuddly Kitty and that masticating cougar? ;-)
ReplyDeleteMurdo tM
According to the Vet in the house they are genetically very closely related. The ones in the woods don't live as long as the cats indoors. The cuddly Kitty is 22 years old and has had a very good life. Sadly, he is feeling his age...
ReplyDeleteA black bear encounter is much preferred to the cougar! It is a BC trail runners greatest fear! We have seen a handful over the years, usually in the snow when they aren't as well camouflaged. They see us...
We avoid the trails alone!
Carolyn