OK, I promised a picture way back when, when the photo contest started, so here is one. Not a winner, but I'm just so happy that I finally tore myself away from home renos. I saw some sheep (a group of four, with a 4-5 year old ram), several mule deer bucks (who were all relatively unspooked, and certainly higher up than I had expected; a few were just below vertical rocks, bedded at a spot where you'd expect a big ram), some rock chucks, and... a cougar!! It took me ten seconds or so to realize what I had seen, but the gait, and the long tail really precluded it being anything else. It was within shotgun distance, but it was also making sure that that changed with a few big leaps. Lots of wildflowers in the lower parts, nobody else there to pester me. Just a wonderful, wonderful day on the mountain. Too bad the knees started acting up again on the way down. I guess I still need more training. One unfortunate thing was that the approach to some sheep terraces was all but cut off by a long, narrow stretch of shale, with a 150-foot drop on the low side. A sheep had made it across, I probably could... but one slip would mean the end; the tracks run only about 20 feet above the drop.



Frans

Frans

Thanks for the photo - the comment about the knees rings unpleasant bells with me.

Once, I would have been considered very fit - unfortunately a change of employment and advancing years have conspired to sneak up and ruin my lower limbs!

You mentioned more training being the answer - would love your opinion on the best way to go about this. On second thoughts - perhaps another thread is better than hijacking yours!

Rgds Ian