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January 26, 2007
Where The Bison Roam
Well, I've been a little bit of a blog deviant lately. That is not to say that I haven't been a verbose writer here, because I believe this to still be true. However, I've been lacking in my attention to creative writing. I think exercising an average of 3 hours a day has put a damper on my time to write creatively. I think of ideas while I'm out there working out, but by the time I make it to this computer screen, I don't have the time to type them. It's much easier and faster to explode rather meaningless words upon a page than to put them together in a sorted series of creative thoughts. However, Thursday's inspirations must make it to written form, because the story is worth the time and effort in front of the computer.
Here in Mammoth, it's been above freezing for the last 2 or 3 days. Perhaps the mercury even rose to above 40 degrees F on Thursday. Because of this hot streak and the resulting melting snow, I had an inkling that one of the nearby trails might feature some exposed dirt. Was I ever wrong. Don't get me wrong, I had a great run out there today. However, I was running through snow, rather than on dirt.
Several weeks ago, we had a snowstorm that was accompanied by a lot of wind, which oh-so-nicely redistributed the falling snow into drifts. Since then, I've managed to plow through these drifts without too much issue while running. I think I found the biggest drift on Thursday. I was running along the Beaver Ponds Trail through shin deep snow, in my 1 technical shirt because it was so-danged warm, smiling at the cloudless, sunny sky, and just generally minding my own contented business. Without warning, right on the trail, I sank waist deep into a snow drift.
My situation was immediately funny. I could feel wet snow against the skin around my waist. I couldn't move in any direction, except for a few little wiggles. I sort of stood (hovered?) there, giggling at myself when I suddenly became aware that something was happening. Do you ever have that feeling? It's almost as if my subconscious mind was telling my conscious mind that something was going on, yet my conscious mind didn't yet have the sensory observations to back up this newfound knowledge. It was an eerie feeling.
The first thing I noticed was a vibration underfoot (undersnow?). Then, a barely audible rumbling noise began. As I stood there still waist deep in snow, wondering what was about to happen, a sudden movement caught my eye to the left. I turned and looked and saw several bison appear over a rise about 40 feet away. Soon more and more bison appeared over the rise, and it became a full herd.
Further, it wasn't just a bison herd, but it was a herd moving really fast and really close to me. Most of them were in full gallop, which is really rather cute as their rear ends buck up high when they run. Here is where I should point out that bison rarely move fast. They are giant grazers who move slowly, eating as they travel. When bison move fast, it's got to be for a good reason (I never did see the reason for their fast migration.). Not only was this herd on the move, but they were on the move in very close proximity to me and my snowdrift. I remained there in the snowdrift and watched the show of bison stampeding by me. It was a fast blur of brown fur, the foul scent of animals that roll in their own excretory deposits, and huffing and puffing and grunting. It was over almost as quickly as it began, the bison descending out of view over the next hill. Once the show was over I rolled over onto my side awkwardly to dislodge myself from the snow and continue running on.
What on earth does all of this mean? I couldn't help but wonder this while I finished my run. Would I have been stampeded had I not fallen in the snow drift and been otherwise occupied as the big guys and gals paraded by at full speed? Would I have missed the whole-danged thing if not impeded by snow? Was it a sign from somewhere out there? Eh, I don't know. Maybe it means nothing. I do know that I was a really good show, though.
Posted by Meghan at January 26, 2007 6:21 PM
Comments
Jesus Christ! I am sure I would have hmm, done something in my pants. Whiel you describe it as a pleasure watch, I was petrified reading it. I once ran in Yellowstone park and first a moose crossed the trail - and I hid behind the tree waiting for him to finally leave. then literally a few minutes later, I showed up at the lake with a herd of bizons - oh, my! I took like 3 miles detour to make sure they don't even smell me! I am a chicken for big animals, well, at least when I am still coherent.
As for your writing - I feel same, when I run I have so much to say, I can't wait to get home to computer, then I get wrapped up with things to take care of, kids, work - and hardly put as much and as interesting as I wanted to. On the run I have a whole book pinned down to a "t". I also create emails (especially now, for seeking sponsors for our race). May be I need a tape recorder like DK:)
Posted by: olga at January 26, 2007 8:45 PM
What a great post! I loved it. Although, I was overcome with a suspenseful panic as I envisioned you stuck in a drift with a herd of buffalo galloping at you... glad they went around! :) What a great story-- you can't make this stuff up. :)
Posted by: anne at January 27, 2007 8:41 AM
This is everything I love about your blog! Even the posts you say are boring (or that don't have wildlife in them) are interesting because you're so ambitious and daring and such a good writer.
Take breaks but don't stop!
Posted by: Roslyn at January 27, 2007 12:08 PM
Wow! That's a story you can tell your grandchildren! Several years ago I was XC Sking solo on some BLM land on the Western Slope of Colorado. I was about 15 miles from the nearest building as I skied down a slope. It had snowed about two feet that night. I stopped at the bottom of the hill and had that same feeling overcome me that something was happening. The first thing I noticed was a musky smell. Then all of the sudden Elk started popping up all around me. I had skied into the middle of a herd that had been laying down and got snow covered. I just froze as the Bull Elk led the rest of the herd quickly down a ravine and up the other side away from me. I'm sure they were just as freaked out as I was but I know my heart was pounding.
At least with my experience the elk made an effort to go around me and they were not bunched up. It had to be an awesome display of power as the herd of Bison galloped by so near to you. Glad you didn't mowed down!
Cheers!
Posted by: Eric at January 29, 2007 9:28 AM