We decided to go hiking in Big Bend on a not-advertised trail. Despite being non-advertised, this trail was apparently EXTREMELY well known as there were quite a few people out there (if only my book could get that much non-advertised action).
You will always see signs when you're at the park about looking out for Bears and Mountain Lions. I think I even said to James that we wouldn't have to worry about running into one of those with all these people on the trail because they'll scare em off (or get eaten first). Well, I guess I was partially right. We did not run into a bear or a mountain lion. Instead...We ran into a BOBCAT!
As we approached a turn in the trail, about 20 yards ahead of us, a Bobcat came around the turn and was just strolling up the path looking at us like "I'm not moving." Of course, there could've been a slew of other things in its head: "Look, Trail Mix!" "Oh, I thought this was going to be a peaceful morning." "Who should I kill first?" "More pesky humans, this park has really gone to shit!"
I told James (quite panicked) "back off, let's back up, back away!" Well, James thought I was completely over-reacting. And miss a photo-opportunity? Surely, I was crazy. So while I'm backing up and yelling at James to back away, he's breaking out his camera and snapping photos. I thought he was going to ask the bobcat to stop and pose. All the while, it's still coming toward us. So while James is contemplating the lighting of his picture I was wondering what the heck I was going to do when this thing decides to bolt at us.
As it turns out, this bobcat decided he had enough of the paparazzi or was completely satisfied with James' photography skills and jumped off the path into the brush. I tell James let's wait a few minutes, because I just know that bobcat is leading me into a false sense of security and is really going to pounce on us when we come down the path. James again is thinking I'm over-reacting and that this bobcat was no more dangerous than your average household cat. So while we're arguing about how long to wait and why we're even waiting, two more hikers come around the same turn that the bobcat did. They stroll up and we tell them of the encounter and James shows off his pictures and is all too eager to tell them how I completely over-reacted to the whole situation.
We traversed the rest of the way (without much incident, other than crossing paths with a tarantula) to the pay-off: Cattail Falls. Or as I will now call it...BOBCAT-TAIL FALLS!
