Walk #169: I Join The Club!!

What club you might ask? Keep reading.

Been working all day on the Addition. I put in a few windows (see my other blog). I also moved the straw bales for the umpteenth millionth time. I figured that it isn't gonna rain anymore, so I moved the bales out of the house. Freed up lots of space.

When I started my walk I noticed storm clouds gathering on the horizon. I hightailed it home and covered the straw bales (so that they won't get wet). Happy the bales were covered, I started out again.
I put Angel on a leash, and decided to keep her on the leash this time. Unusual for me, as I mostly let her run. Not tonight.

When I got down to the "T" in the road, I felt something watching me. The glare was so intense it stopped me in my tracks.

I looked ahead.

In the thicket, I could see a rather large creature. It was dark in there, but I could see the critter was watching me. I continued walking, trying to make out what I was looking at. I didn't want to take my eyes off it to get my camera...so I fumbled for it in my pocket while watching the animal.

"Is it a coyote?", I thought. Just then it moved across the road ahead that goes into Lonnie's property.

My God! It's a Cougar!" A rush of adrenaline runs through me. I saw him full on sideways, slinking away the way a mountain lion should. That long profile with the long tail. Beautiful!

He stopped in some trees, just past the road and took one last look at me. Probably judging whether I was fair game or not. Then he ran off through the Manzanita bushes.

The Cougar looked at me from in between these trees, then ran off through the Manzanita bushes in the background.

So now I am part of a very small club: Those Who Have Seen A Cougar In The Wild! On my 169th walk (at the age of 48 years, 3 months and 12 days), I finally saw one! Now I can cross that one off my life list.