Wildlife Sighting 1

Why would anyone equate a double-talking politician with this fierce little predator? I think “weasel” should be a compliment. To weasel something should mean to take on and subjugate something much bigger than oneself. At Peshastin Pinnacles today, the rock formations, usually cause for delight, took second place to the weasel sighting. We also saw a marmot, but because certain Tahoe trails like Mt. Tallac are crawling with marmots every summer it hardly held our attention. This weasel fixed his bold predator stare on Marco, daring the pampered housepet on the bungee leash to approach and face certain doom. The marmot at least got out of our way. Of course Marco has tried to chase and eat every Golden-Mantled Protein Nugget that he smells. But the leash thwarts him. In other wildlife sightings, I saw a deer and an antelope on the Oregon range. No, they weren’t playing. But seeing the antelope was exciting, as they don’t live in Santa Cruz. And watching mosquitoes buzz and biff against the rig’s screens counts as wildlife sighting.  I hope to see a mountain goat and a beaver, but no luck so far.

9 am June 8, 2018, Mt Hood Meadows XC Ski Area, Elk Meadow- Sahalie Falls Trailhead: I spotted a handsome, well-nourished grayish coyote lurking around the trash can at the parking lot, 15 feet away. Marco lunged, eager to give chase. Luckily I had clipped him to me the moment he set a paw out the door. The coyote gazed at us inquisitively, then slowly and softly padded away. It always surprises me how quietly coyotes move. Tragedy averted.  Marco and I hike roped together single-file, each of us sensitive to the other’s steps, with Marco wearing a chest harness while I wear the bungee leash around my hips.  He usually follows closely behind me on the uphill, and leads slightly on the downhill.  Neither of us likes it as much as off-leash hiking, but those days are over for Marco. Now that he’s ten, he needs to save his energy for the trail and not exhaust himself hunting critters.