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March 24, 2007
Notes From The Trail
Note #1:
When the dog and I run together, she helps herself to plentiful drinks from streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, puddles, and basically any form of water. When it's cold out, June (the dog) drinks from the edge of the water source. When it's warmer, June plunges into the water, sits down, and drinks while she dunks. Today, for the first time this year, June took a full-on dunk into a creek. I can't blame her, as my thermometer at the trailhead read 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I ran in a sports bra and shorts, and I was hot, thank you very much.
Note #2:
I have so far told 2 people this story, and both of them were as dumbfounded as me. This afternoon, I ran on a trail that paralleled a dirt road for over a mile. While I was on this paralleling section of road/trail, a red pickup truck drove by, stopped, rolled down the window, and waved. I gave a little wave and kept running. From where I was, I could see that the truck was occupied by 2 younger men, probably about my age. My protective girl hackles went right up with this pickup; you know, just me and 2 creepy fellas in the middle of the wilderness. The truck paused in the same spot for a minute or two, then continued down the road.
A bit later and around a slight curve, I could see the red truck parked in the road at a funny angle. As I got closer, I realized the truck was aligned such that the passenger had a perfect view of me. Not only could he see me, but he was video taping me with a camcorder! I stared bewildered for a moment, until I got my wits about me. I put my hands up in a What? kind of motion, to which the passenger immediately lowered the camera and said sorry. I said, "What are you doing?" He said, "What?" I said, "What the hell are you doing?" He said, "Nothing." I said, "What the f#^$ are you doing?" And he answered, "Sorry." I said, "Just cut it out." and ran on. A few minutes later, the trail divereged from the road and I didn't see them again.
What gives? All I can say is that we live in a strange, strange world. Sometimes I wish I could don a man-suit before I go out to run.
Posted by Meghan at March 24, 2007 6:15 PM
Comments
Yikes Meghan, that is a crazy event that happened on your run. I am very suspicious of cars slowly driving by me when I am on a long run on these lonely back roads in VT. I am glad you did not encounter the vehicle again. The comcorder is a new one to me. Glad you had your dog with you on the run.
Posted by: Mary at March 24, 2007 7:36 PM
Please tell me that the dog was with you when the camcorder guys were there! That is downright scary. I'm sure they didn't expect you to call them on it - and it was a good thing you did. You stood up for yourself and showed you had some fight - I think that's why they backed off. If you'd acted scared it probably would have encouraged them. Too scary.
Now, what kind of a dog is June? I love to hear about people's dogs! If she'd been running here today, she wouldn't have needed to dunk in the creek - she'd have gotten that wet just from the rain!
Posted by: backofpack at March 24, 2007 8:49 PM
Meghan, this is precisely why you won the machete in Costa Rica! :-) :-) :-) Just kidding!!! Anyway, anthropologically speaking I suppose as wilderness becomes scarce and remote, "humans in the wild" may start to look like the sort of substitute material for amateur/souvenir video. Of course, this particular pair could be weird and dangerous. Au contraire, they could be weirdos and innocuous. Maybe they were just dumb and dumbfounded (the answers certainly were...) The one guy said he was sorry. Maybe he had never seen a woman run out there all by herself... But the only way to get a sense of who they were, of who anyone is, at a glance, at short notice, you could only get from looking into their eyes and at their approach and gestures, movements. Just like your animal encounters, you for sure know how to take care of yourself. But just like the carcass incident you wrote about recently, it takes a second to get distracted... Meghan: tougher that tough. As tiring as it is: have your smarts always ON.
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at March 25, 2007 8:16 AM
Okay - the camcorder story is really strange...and very scary! You have all kind of stuff to deal with when you are running - wildlife and weirdos!! Be careful out there! I like Corrado's idea...maybe it's time to start carrying your machete... :)
On a happier note - glad you are enjoying such wonderful weather. Have fun out there!
Posted by: Beth at March 25, 2007 8:23 AM
Like Corrado, I thought of the tourist thing, but then that's weird that they couldn't just say that when you asked. I have tourists take pictures of me when I'm running in Central Park (usually from the back of the hired horse drawn carriages) and they seem amazed that we New Yorkers really do use the park for recreation and that it's not just there for their amusement. But then, it's rarely the people with the camcorders that scare me in New York City.
Posted by: chelle at March 25, 2007 8:38 AM
I always go out of my way to avoid scaring women
(and wild animals). It should go without saying that sitting off at a distance and gawking is creepy. Some guys don't get it. I'll bet they were young, dumb, and full of...
But I do lament that so many people are no longer sociable and won't say hi or make eye contact.
Standing off with a camera, out in the boondocks isn't sociable and is certainly spooky. Grizzlies seem to be mostly figured out and predictable. Guys in pickups aren't. Maybe you need to wear a "redneck bell" and carry "creep spray"?
Posted by: JeffO at March 25, 2007 12:25 PM
Yikes! There sure are wackos all over the place. I too think it is wise to confront! Sound like you are good at scaring the bad guys off too! Good for you!
Jenny
Posted by: Jenny at March 25, 2007 9:20 PM
Yikes! There sure are wackos all over the place. I too think it is wise to confront! Sound like you are good at scaring the bad guys off too! Good for you!
Jenny
Posted by: Jenny at March 25, 2007 9:20 PM
That was worse story than one with Bears and Cougars. I'd freak out and run for my life back. How are you managing to get into this stuff? :) Be well, please!
Posted by: olga at March 26, 2007 2:54 PM
That IS bizarre. I would have gotten the creeps, big time! Blegh!
Though this afternoon, I was out running a new trail, thinking I was totally out by myself, and I saw something move on an adjacent hill--when I looked over, I saw a guy on a four-wheeler, with his dog, and he was close enough that I could see clearly that he was watching me through binoculars...! He watched me descend the whole hill--there were no rocks or thick brush to hide behind so I just had to keep making my way down and hope he was not going to follow on his ATV.... WEIRD. Once I got into the brush, I didn't see him again, but it weirded me out a bit, too.
WHAT IS WITH PEOPLE THESE DAYS!?!?!?!
Posted by: anne at March 26, 2007 5:48 PM
that seems kind of scary. bring the dog at all times! heh. purchase a very large, aggressive, protective dog for all remote trail runs? :)
Posted by: brent at March 27, 2007 8:50 AM
It's a shame that you had to experience that ... but I did enjoy picturing your gradual escalation of the interrogation. You could be a cool character in an offbeat gangster film.
Posted by: crowther at March 28, 2007 11:02 PM