Running with the Moose
We have been having glorious sunsets here all this week. This afternoon I could tell it was going to be incredible so I bundled up in insulated coveralls, heavy winter boots and a quilted jacket to go out and witness nature's splendour. We have many trails on our property that lead through heavily wooded areas and natural grasslands. I have positioned a couple of benches out on the trails in places of particular beauty such as a grove of wild roses enjoyed by butterflies and birds and the knoll of a hill in the grasslands. Today I was heading for the bench on the knoll of the hill because it faces west and is a particularly wonderful spot to watch the setting sun. I decided to leave my camera and my camera phone at home and just let the beauty rest in my memory. I waddled along in all my layers of clothing feeling pleased that I was so wise to dress so that I would not be getting cold toes or butt while sitting on the bench as long as I pleased. I soon left the forest behind and struck out across the grasslands following the winding path to the bench. When I was far out into the meadows, far far away from any trees, the loud roar and whine of a snowmobile suddenly cut through the silence. While I wasn't quite at the knoll yet, I was on higher ground and could see the semi-frozen lake beyond the trees that line it's shore. We have had above zero temperatures for a week now and I thought 'that asshole is going to go through the ice or at least get bogged down in the slush'. Yes that is what I thought. The snow machine turned and came roaring back again. Around that time I noticed two very dark spots emerging from the treeline along the lake and entering into our grasslands. As the machine circled and whirred on the lake, the small dark spots became larger and larger and larger at a rather alarming rate. Just about the same time that I noticed that they were in fact two HUGE moose, they noticed me and decided they would vent their frustration at mankind upon me. They lowered their heads and picked up speed (which surprised me even more because I thought they were already at a full gallop) and charged right at me. I froze for a moment as I thought to myself 'wow moose can run at speeds up to 30 km/hr' then I turned and started lumbering towards the nearest copse of trees NOT at 30 km/hr. If the chase had continued I would not have even come close to attaining my goal.
Fortunately the engine of the snowmobile suddenly cut out. The moose jolted to a stop looking about. No jolt for me, I just didn't take my next lumbering step. The moose then turned north and gently galloped (formerly known to me as their full speed run which I now know is really just a gentle gallop) into the edge of the forest. I could see them just inside the trees so decided to keep making my way to my copse of trees just in case the snowmobiler resolved his issues. And oh joy, he did! As the snowmobile roared to life the moose came pounding out of the trees toward me again cutting off my path. I wheeled around and just ran randomly in another direction knowing all trees were well beyond my capabilities to reach them in time. The snow mobile cut out again. We all stopped. It roared to life. We all ran...and so it went. I resolved that if the idiot snowmobiler actually kept his engine running long enough for the moose to reach me that I would just drop to the ground and roll up into a ball as I have used that technique on horses with moderate success. Finally the engine cut out and did not start again. The moose were quite close at this point. I believe I saw some dawning knowledge in their eyes that I was in fact just as frightened as they were and had absolutely nothing to do with all
that racket on the lake. They turned and loped across the grasslands into the forest on the other side. I stood and watched them for some time as it was a bit of a distance they travelled and then I turned and waddled to the treeline and followed the trail back to our cabins where my son had a big bonfire going to assist with some of his outdoor activities. Sitting heavily in a chair by the bonfire I told him 'well I just went running with the moose' which garnered a look from him. Then we both looked as the sky exploded in the deep red hue of that amazing sunset I had been anticipating. It was pretty spectacular even from our low spot at the cabins in the woods. As I watch the beautiful show by Mother Nature I hoped fervently, as I am sure the moose did too, that the snowmobile had become bogged in the slush and that it's tracks had filled with ice freezing it solid into the frozen lake where it would remain as a sentry until Spring upon which time it would sink to the bottom of the lake with the thaw.
Fortunately the engine of the snowmobile suddenly cut out. The moose jolted to a stop looking about. No jolt for me, I just didn't take my next lumbering step. The moose then turned north and gently galloped (formerly known to me as their full speed run which I now know is really just a gentle gallop) into the edge of the forest. I could see them just inside the trees so decided to keep making my way to my copse of trees just in case the snowmobiler resolved his issues. And oh joy, he did! As the snowmobile roared to life the moose came pounding out of the trees toward me again cutting off my path. I wheeled around and just ran randomly in another direction knowing all trees were well beyond my capabilities to reach them in time. The snow mobile cut out again. We all stopped. It roared to life. We all ran...and so it went. I resolved that if the idiot snowmobiler actually kept his engine running long enough for the moose to reach me that I would just drop to the ground and roll up into a ball as I have used that technique on horses with moderate success. Finally the engine cut out and did not start again. The moose were quite close at this point. I believe I saw some dawning knowledge in their eyes that I was in fact just as frightened as they were and had absolutely nothing to do with all
that racket on the lake. They turned and loped across the grasslands into the forest on the other side. I stood and watched them for some time as it was a bit of a distance they travelled and then I turned and waddled to the treeline and followed the trail back to our cabins where my son had a big bonfire going to assist with some of his outdoor activities. Sitting heavily in a chair by the bonfire I told him 'well I just went running with the moose' which garnered a look from him. Then we both looked as the sky exploded in the deep red hue of that amazing sunset I had been anticipating. It was pretty spectacular even from our low spot at the cabins in the woods. As I watch the beautiful show by Mother Nature I hoped fervently, as I am sure the moose did too, that the snowmobile had become bogged in the slush and that it's tracks had filled with ice freezing it solid into the frozen lake where it would remain as a sentry until Spring upon which time it would sink to the bottom of the lake with the thaw.
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