Travel
I got to Co$tco about the time they opened this morning, so I had a nice leisurely walk around the store with my list. I didn't get much from my list, but I picked up a few things I wasn't looking for.
After reading Margie and Bruce's blog this morning describing their hike in Arches National Monument, I got the old urge to get out and go somewhere - do something! I'm not a stay-at-home person and this current inactivity is getting to me something fierce! It was therefore a "given" that while browsing through the book department I would come upon (and buy) "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Sacramento".
After putting my purchases away when I got home, I settled down to plot my list of hikes from the book. There is a quite comprehensive introductory section that contains good advice for hiking, and even an old hiker such as myself is smart to refresh her knowledge once in a while. I came to the section with the heading "Animal and Plant Hazards", and the first thing mentioned is "Mountain Lions". I had a sense of deja vu because I'm almost sure I read something of this nature last year in a book on hikes of Lassen. This is what the book has to say about mountain lions:
"Mountain Lions are important members of the natural community and may be found in this area. Although these animals are seldom seen, they can be unpredictable and have been known to attack humans without warning. It is best to hike with another person, and to keep children close when hiking. If you should encounter a mountain lion, wave your arms overhead and make plenty of noise to frighten it away.
This is a good thing for anyone to know who plans to hike in California, although I think mountain lions are found in just about all the states. Black bears don't frighten me, although I would hate to get to close to a mother with cubs, but mountain lions scare me to death, or at least the thought of an encounter with one scares me. But in reality, how many folks hike in the state of California each year, and how many encounter a mountain lion. Joggers have been attacked however. I'll have to be careful when planning my hikes, and maybe I'll start with the urban hike section.
- We Don't Often Comment On News Items
But the recent killing of Zimbabwe's Cecil the lion by an American trophy hunter has us wanting to give our own perspective on the incident. First of all, the research I've done shows that there are approximately 3,000 lions in Zimbabwe. The country...
- Still In Hope...we Like It Here!
Monday November 26...11:30pm Went for a hike up to the Hope Mountain Lookout. The guidebook said it was a 3 hour hike return trip, but we've learned that the guidebooks are not usually very accurate with hike times, and we can usually knock an hour...
- Hangin' In There
I walked again this afternoon, about twice as far as yesterday which still isn't very much, but it's a start. I can't say I feel all that great for doing it, but I know it's necessary while I'm getting enough strength back to...
- Some Thouhts On Yesterday's Post
In re-reading my post from yesterday I realize many of you have read a similar post from me for several years. Every now and then I get backpacking fever so badly I just can hardly bear it. And as every year goes by the likelihood that I could...
- Just About Ready
I've gotten most of my camping gear together and will be ready to leave early tomorrow morning. I told my son I won't know where I'm going until I pull out of the driveway. I'll take my computer and MiFi just in case I get a connection,...
Travel
On the road to Co$tco
I got to Co$tco about the time they opened this morning, so I had a nice leisurely walk around the store with my list. I didn't get much from my list, but I picked up a few things I wasn't looking for.
After reading Margie and Bruce's blog this morning describing their hike in Arches National Monument, I got the old urge to get out and go somewhere - do something! I'm not a stay-at-home person and this current inactivity is getting to me something fierce! It was therefore a "given" that while browsing through the book department I would come upon (and buy) "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Sacramento".
After putting my purchases away when I got home, I settled down to plot my list of hikes from the book. There is a quite comprehensive introductory section that contains good advice for hiking, and even an old hiker such as myself is smart to refresh her knowledge once in a while. I came to the section with the heading "Animal and Plant Hazards", and the first thing mentioned is "Mountain Lions". I had a sense of deja vu because I'm almost sure I read something of this nature last year in a book on hikes of Lassen. This is what the book has to say about mountain lions:
"Mountain Lions are important members of the natural community and may be found in this area. Although these animals are seldom seen, they can be unpredictable and have been known to attack humans without warning. It is best to hike with another person, and to keep children close when hiking. If you should encounter a mountain lion, wave your arms overhead and make plenty of noise to frighten it away.
This is a good thing for anyone to know who plans to hike in California, although I think mountain lions are found in just about all the states. Black bears don't frighten me, although I would hate to get to close to a mother with cubs, but mountain lions scare me to death, or at least the thought of an encounter with one scares me. But in reality, how many folks hike in the state of California each year, and how many encounter a mountain lion. Joggers have been attacked however. I'll have to be careful when planning my hikes, and maybe I'll start with the urban hike section.
- We Don't Often Comment On News Items
But the recent killing of Zimbabwe's Cecil the lion by an American trophy hunter has us wanting to give our own perspective on the incident. First of all, the research I've done shows that there are approximately 3,000 lions in Zimbabwe. The country...
- Still In Hope...we Like It Here!
Monday November 26...11:30pm Went for a hike up to the Hope Mountain Lookout. The guidebook said it was a 3 hour hike return trip, but we've learned that the guidebooks are not usually very accurate with hike times, and we can usually knock an hour...
- Hangin' In There
I walked again this afternoon, about twice as far as yesterday which still isn't very much, but it's a start. I can't say I feel all that great for doing it, but I know it's necessary while I'm getting enough strength back to...
- Some Thouhts On Yesterday's Post
In re-reading my post from yesterday I realize many of you have read a similar post from me for several years. Every now and then I get backpacking fever so badly I just can hardly bear it. And as every year goes by the likelihood that I could...
- Just About Ready
I've gotten most of my camping gear together and will be ready to leave early tomorrow morning. I told my son I won't know where I'm going until I pull out of the driveway. I'll take my computer and MiFi just in case I get a connection,...