Hiking without Nala

Last weekend, I set out on a hike by myself.  Jims mom was here.  Jim was working on building a shed for us.  I needed a walk.  So, I got ready and with coat, gloves, water, hiking boots, etc.  The routine is pretty much the same as when I take Nala on a run every morning. (except the boots)

She was sooo excited because she thought I was taking her with me....but I left without her.

The hike that I've been doing is 5 miles round trip from our house.   It takes about 2 hours if I don't stop very much.  

I hiked for quite a ways and it was eerie.  There are some days out there that are just kind of freaky.  It was tooo quiet.  There wasn't a bird chirping....nothing.  Silence.  That's when I start to feel like someone's or something is following me.  I started running most of the time.

So, I was about 2 miles into this hike, at least, when Jim calls me on my cell phone.  He said "Donna, get home fast...Nala took off to go find you." 

I turned around and I ran and ran and ran as hard as I could back the way I came. All of a sudden, I scared up a deer because it went crashing off into the desert.  Right on the trail that I had just come through. 

I just kept running.   About 15 minutes into my sprint back home...Jim calls again.  He said that he had her and everything was ok.  Whew.   Nala had ran all the way up the ridge behind our house.   She got to the top, which is were we normally run and there is a "T".  I guess she didn't know what way I went so she turned around and ran back down the hill.  Jim met her in front of the neighbors house and tried to catch her, which was most difficult.  Finally, when he heard the coyotes about 50 feet off the road yipping, he picked her up....All 70 lbs of her...and carried her home.   The coyotes followed them home.   I hope they didn't have their eye on Nala.  I guess she carried on after I left. She was crying and howling and running window to window.  Jim heard her from outside and came in.  He decided to take her outside with him.  He opened the door and off she went running to find me.

Anyway, after I got the call..I decided to continue on my hike even though I had backtracked so far.  I'm so glad I did because it was beautiful.  I met up with this little buck.  Then around the back side I ran into a family of two buck and two does.  The one buck is HUGE.  We counted 10 points.  I'm sure he is the same one I have seen a few times lately.  The neighbors have seen him too as the big guy has come up in conversation.  (A common conversation with the neighbors around here are "what animals have you seen lately?")

On the way home I waw the most beautiful sunset.  I just surrounded and covered me.  It was amazing.  Pictures just cant do it justice.

Anyway, Nala is safe.  I had a good walk/run.   

I thought I was taking a photo of 2 deer...I didn't see the third until I downloaded the photos.

The windmill.