Lions and Tigers and.... Spiders! Oh My!

Our first full day in Murrieta included touring the new house with the house inspectors (still waiting to close on it), registering Braden for school, buying school supplies, and taking a hike in the foothills. 


Ran into a little bit of a hassle getting registered for school (I put Braden's birth certificate in a "safe" place, and can't quite remember where that was), but eventually got that resolved. Then went to Target for school supplies and had to deal with more people than the Target in Bemidji sees even at Christmas time. I'm relearning how to drive on city roads with four lanes (not including the turn lanes). And I'll have to adjust to driving out of the city to get to hiking trails--a big change from walking down the driveway to get to the trail. 

But the most upsetting adjustment came while running on a beautiful trail surrounded by long grasses, cows, wide-reaching trees, and rolling hills. In Minnesota, I encountered bears on the trail several times. Fortunately they were far enough along the trail that slowing my pace to allow them time to get back into the woods was ample precautionary action. I've seen many fox running down the trail, and a few coyotes. The only thing to turn me around on the spot was a skunk strolling leisurely down the middle of the trail looking as though it had no intentions of changing course--I gave way. But the one thing I've never run into on a trail in Minnesota is an eight-legged arachnid with a fuzzy body as big as kiwi.

I knew to look out for mountain lions and rattle snakes, but nobody warned me about the tarantulas! We counted three on our way out on the trail. The first one stopped both Braden and I dead on the trail. We danced nervously on the trail, debating whether or not we should just turn around and call it a day until Fritz rolled his eyes and told us to just run past it. I think what we did was more like a flying long jump. The second tarantula on the trail was still daunting, but we managed to leap over it again after only a little bit of hemming and hawing. By the third we didn't even break stride, just took a little larger, higher step then kept right on with our run. 


On the way back I had a bit of a routine going: keep an eye on the trail ahead for fuzzy black kiwis that require leaping over; scan the grass and trees for any signs of mountain lions; don't get too close to the bushes on the side of the trail in case of rattle snakes; back straight; feet light; enjoy the run!


While we are on the topic of rattle snakes, there was a sign in front of the school district main office warning to beware of rattle snakes in the bushes along the sidewalk! What I'd give to see just a plain old bear or a harmless but stinky skunk right now....