Dog walk
This must be a week for trying new things. I am one who seeks new adventures anyway, but the last few days I seem to have gone overboard.
Last night I got bit by a dog here in the campground. It was the owner's dog. I just reached down to pet him, like I do all the dogs who come here, and he let me pet him for about 20 seconds before snarling and snapping. It didn't break the skin, but he did leave teeth marks. Today, I have a welt and a bruise.
Then tonight, after sitting at the computer for two days, and listening to the rain pound on our RV for about 24 hours, I was beginning to get cabin fever. Around dusk, I decided to take Abby for a walk. David usually does that, but tonight I decided I needed the fresh air.
I've always loved the feel of outdoors after a heavy rain. The water was still dripping from the trees, but the rain had ended. The temperature was a very pleasant 65, and the air was fresh.
I decided we'd tackle the trail that leads around the campground. Even though we've been here a few months, my lazy and overweight self had avoided it until today.
One entrance to the path is just above our campsite, so we didn't have to go far to get started. The mild skunk odor greeting us at the beginning of the trail should have been a clue to turn around and go back home.
But we pushed on. Eventually, the wood shavings ended and we were climbing over slippery rocks and ducking under fallen trees. The further along the trail we got, the more skittish Abby became. She's a true house dog so I wasn't surprised or alarmed at her reaction - until I heard bushes crashing in front of us. I stopped, holding Abby's leash tightly to keep her from running back the way we came.
It was starting to get dark, but I did see movement about 100 feet in front of us. Then it moved again. All I saw was brown fur - almost the color of a deer. But it wasn't a deer. It was bigger and fatter and had more fur. I didn't stick around to find out more.
Abby and I turned and as quickly as possible made our way back home. I was worried the creature would pick up our scent if we stayed too long and I could just see a bear wanting to make Abby her very own "bunny wabbit." Abby turned and looked back several times like she thought it was following us, I only looked a couple, but we never saw or heard anything again.
The moment our feet touched the gravel (which makes up the campground road) Abby immediately relaxed. Her fur settled and she began sniffing rocks and trees like she hadn't just been frightened out of the woods.
I don't know what our forest critter was, but next time, I'll go for a walk a little earlier in the day, if I can talk Abby into it!
Could it have really been a bear? Anyone from Pennsylvania want to chime in?
Last night I got bit by a dog here in the campground. It was the owner's dog. I just reached down to pet him, like I do all the dogs who come here, and he let me pet him for about 20 seconds before snarling and snapping. It didn't break the skin, but he did leave teeth marks. Today, I have a welt and a bruise.
Then tonight, after sitting at the computer for two days, and listening to the rain pound on our RV for about 24 hours, I was beginning to get cabin fever. Around dusk, I decided to take Abby for a walk. David usually does that, but tonight I decided I needed the fresh air.
I've always loved the feel of outdoors after a heavy rain. The water was still dripping from the trees, but the rain had ended. The temperature was a very pleasant 65, and the air was fresh.
I decided we'd tackle the trail that leads around the campground. Even though we've been here a few months, my lazy and overweight self had avoided it until today.
One entrance to the path is just above our campsite, so we didn't have to go far to get started. The mild skunk odor greeting us at the beginning of the trail should have been a clue to turn around and go back home.
But we pushed on. Eventually, the wood shavings ended and we were climbing over slippery rocks and ducking under fallen trees. The further along the trail we got, the more skittish Abby became. She's a true house dog so I wasn't surprised or alarmed at her reaction - until I heard bushes crashing in front of us. I stopped, holding Abby's leash tightly to keep her from running back the way we came.
It was starting to get dark, but I did see movement about 100 feet in front of us. Then it moved again. All I saw was brown fur - almost the color of a deer. But it wasn't a deer. It was bigger and fatter and had more fur. I didn't stick around to find out more.
Abby and I turned and as quickly as possible made our way back home. I was worried the creature would pick up our scent if we stayed too long and I could just see a bear wanting to make Abby her very own "bunny wabbit." Abby turned and looked back several times like she thought it was following us, I only looked a couple, but we never saw or heard anything again.
The moment our feet touched the gravel (which makes up the campground road) Abby immediately relaxed. Her fur settled and she began sniffing rocks and trees like she hadn't just been frightened out of the woods.
I don't know what our forest critter was, but next time, I'll go for a walk a little earlier in the day, if I can talk Abby into it!
Could it have really been a bear? Anyone from Pennsylvania want to chime in?
posted by Tracy Ruckman at
8:00 PM
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