the mountain lion

 

I was hiking up Sulphur Mountain Road, thinking what a great place it was for hiking, when I saw a frenzy of huge vultures a little bit before the 2-mile marker. I sensed something was going on and when I looked up saw a quadruped walking through the grass, blending in with the hillside and giving me a passing glance. I didn't want to see what I thought I saw and even considered that it may have been a coyote. In all likelihood though it was a mountain lion and what spooked me, among other things, was that a kill was in progress. I continued to the 2-mile marker and turned around (there was no alternative route), and while passing the scene of the kill I played the John Cale song "Bicycle" on my phone while whistling and banging my hiking poles together. It seemed to work because I'm still here. That's a very good song for that situation.