Junein' along & some Big News
Last week, Winter and I took a "BTC Founders" trip to the south San Juans around Mancos and Durango. We had a great time!! We got lost on Missonary Ridge, drank great beer at Ska Brewing (just me, though, because Winter's not old enough to drink), and jumped in not one, not two, but THREE different rivers (you guessed it: Animas, San Juan, and Colorado).
However, on our second day in Colorado we had a chilling experience involving a deadly beast known to roam the mountains of the Southwest. Anyone who ventures into the wild lands of Southern Utah has encountered these creatures-- their heavy footfall is familiar to birders, fishermen, and runners alike. I speak, of course, of free-grazing cattle.
As most are aware, mid-June is about the time when these ungulate spectators are released onto our running courses. They are often the sole witnesses to the BTC's running events. They are the favorite post-run snack for nearly every BTC member. Winter has a special relationship to cattle, being himself a "cattledog," but he seems to have misunderstood the phrase and is somewhat afraid of them. I don't blame him. So am I. And so it was particularly disturbing when we encountered the following ATTACK COW:
We encountered this fierce bovine on a forest service road just outside Mancos, CO. We'd camped for the night on the first mile of this road, then decided to run up it in the morning, just to see what we'd find. On our way back down to the car, we encountered a small herd of about 5 cows, just at a bend in the road where it narrows and becomes flanked on both sides by a mess of gambel oak. Most of the cows let us pass, which we did as quickly as we could and keeping as much distance as possible, but one of the cows was apparently disgruntled by our presence and started chasing us down the road. Winter and I are both fairly afraid of cattle, so we tried everything we could to run from this cow. When we ran off the road down to the little creek alongside it, she simply ran down the road parallel to us. We picked up the pace, passed her, and emerged on the road below, hoping she would leave us alone and rejoin her herd up the hill, but no-- she just kept chasing us down the road, running as fast as her remarkably large legs could carry her. This cow was HELL BENT ON OUR DESTRUCTION. We panicked, in fear for our lives. We ran back down to the creek, splashed through it a ways, and then tried to join up with the road again.
Still she was there. This time, she had gotten below us, and as I ran towards her, suddenly she seemed to remember that I was a human and she was a cow. Startled by this realization, she turned and began running away from us, as fast as she could, down the hill. Eventually, the road opened up, she was able to escape into a field beside it, and thankfully the BTC lived to run another day. Attack cows are one of many perils on the trail! Be vigilant!!
Aside from our lovely trip, we do have some big news here in the Boulder Track Club. Please welcome the BTC's newest member, Montana!
Montana was inducted into the Boulder Track Club on 10 June, with a pretty 6-mile run to one of my favorite lakes. The above photo is from her second run with the club. We're thrilled to have a third member and hope to welcome many more.
Thanks for reading and happy trails!
Mileage log:
6/9: 7 mi, GWT
6/10: 6 mi, DNF
6/14: 9 mi, SJNF
6/15: 3.7 mi, SJNF
6/16: 3 mi, from home
6/17: 6 mi, GWT
6/19: 8.2, DNF
However, on our second day in Colorado we had a chilling experience involving a deadly beast known to roam the mountains of the Southwest. Anyone who ventures into the wild lands of Southern Utah has encountered these creatures-- their heavy footfall is familiar to birders, fishermen, and runners alike. I speak, of course, of free-grazing cattle.
As most are aware, mid-June is about the time when these ungulate spectators are released onto our running courses. They are often the sole witnesses to the BTC's running events. They are the favorite post-run snack for nearly every BTC member. Winter has a special relationship to cattle, being himself a "cattledog," but he seems to have misunderstood the phrase and is somewhat afraid of them. I don't blame him. So am I. And so it was particularly disturbing when we encountered the following ATTACK COW:
ATTACK COW!!!
We encountered this fierce bovine on a forest service road just outside Mancos, CO. We'd camped for the night on the first mile of this road, then decided to run up it in the morning, just to see what we'd find. On our way back down to the car, we encountered a small herd of about 5 cows, just at a bend in the road where it narrows and becomes flanked on both sides by a mess of gambel oak. Most of the cows let us pass, which we did as quickly as we could and keeping as much distance as possible, but one of the cows was apparently disgruntled by our presence and started chasing us down the road. Winter and I are both fairly afraid of cattle, so we tried everything we could to run from this cow. When we ran off the road down to the little creek alongside it, she simply ran down the road parallel to us. We picked up the pace, passed her, and emerged on the road below, hoping she would leave us alone and rejoin her herd up the hill, but no-- she just kept chasing us down the road, running as fast as her remarkably large legs could carry her. This cow was HELL BENT ON OUR DESTRUCTION. We panicked, in fear for our lives. We ran back down to the creek, splashed through it a ways, and then tried to join up with the road again.
Still she was there. This time, she had gotten below us, and as I ran towards her, suddenly she seemed to remember that I was a human and she was a cow. Startled by this realization, she turned and began running away from us, as fast as she could, down the hill. Eventually, the road opened up, she was able to escape into a field beside it, and thankfully the BTC lived to run another day. Attack cows are one of many perils on the trail! Be vigilant!!
Aside from our lovely trip, we do have some big news here in the Boulder Track Club. Please welcome the BTC's newest member, Montana!
pictured on the GWT with Winter and a very impressive tree
Montana was inducted into the Boulder Track Club on 10 June, with a pretty 6-mile run to one of my favorite lakes. The above photo is from her second run with the club. We're thrilled to have a third member and hope to welcome many more.
Thanks for reading and happy trails!
Mileage log:
6/9: 7 mi, GWT
6/10: 6 mi, DNF
6/14: 9 mi, SJNF
6/15: 3.7 mi, SJNF
6/16: 3 mi, from home
6/17: 6 mi, GWT
6/19: 8.2, DNF
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