4:30 am hitting some dirt trail in the middle of Napa Valley. My headlamp dimming because I forgot to change the batteries. The chill air mixed with a damp blanket of morning dew and deafening silence surrounds me as I barrel through a dark and twisted path up a hillside.
During the day this would be a beautiful meandering path with scenic glimpses of vineyards nearby. In the darkness it is a rough and tumble dirt road that is vaguely reminiscent of a desert landscape.
There are no birds, no sounds, just the rhythmic pounding of my feet, the sound of each exhale and the occasional rock that I kick into the brush. I begin to climb, trail becomes rough, my head is straight down looking for strategic places to land my feet in between rocks, roots, and scat from various animals.
I know what big cat scat looks like. Not the large orange tabby cat variety, but the kind that jump on your back from trees looking for a morning snack. I think I just saw what looks like yesterday’s breakfast from mountain lion. Nice and clean, a solid diet built on proteins and fats. Kind what I am made out of.
I hear a sound scurrying in a brush next to me as I pass, I am startled. I realize I forgot my phone. That was stupid. I wonder if a can of bear spray would work on a mountain lion? I think through how I would carry it while running. I think of how long it would take me to pull the pin and aim at the large animal jumping on my back and trying to sink her teeth into my….
What is that? Up ahead in that dark grove of oak trees the trail is heading toward. My headlamp picks up a pair of small lights, no wait a minute….glowing eyes staring straight at me. They look venomous and full of intimidation. They are crouched low in the grass, steady and not moving. Getting closer now. It is unmistakable now, those are eyes and they belong to some large creature. I cannot tell what, it is dark and I am still a good 30 feet away.
What do I do? Yeah. I am not going to give up on my commitment even if the very jaws of hell are gaping open to receive me. I just lock in on those eyes, and engage every sinew in a act of defiance as I bear down running at full speed.
Poor Bambi hit the snooze button one to many times this morning. If you think I was scared, she had no idea what was happening or what menace was coming down on her at such a speed. This hulking mass with one eye and brightly colored glowing fur. She was paralyzed and trembling with fear. When I leaped over her she suddenly came to life and bolted down the mountain, probably to write her own blog on this event.
I ran into Bambi’s family a few miles later. The entire extended family from what it looked like. Their lack of concern about predators eased mind as I ran through the herd waving my greeting and extending pleasantries. I then found open trail and was quickly on my way. Light. Smooth. Fast.
When I reached the top of a ridge line, I was rewarded with a sunrise over Napa valley. All sense of fear and trepidation washed away as I found the reason why people spend thousands of dollars to sit around out here and sip rotten grape juice. I then turned around, and with the nearby hooting of an owl as my starting gun, was off on my scuttle butt down the hill.
Standing on the highway, pressing the walk button to interrupt the morning commuters, I reflected on overcoming obstacles, fear and frailty. I thought about the bounty of nature and the divine aid available to all those that seek it. My peace was interrupted by a very loud Harley pulled to a stop at the crosswalk which was now indicating that I could cross. He was playing music very loud, so the entire world could here. As I got into my pace again on the other side, I recognized the song he was playing. As if to answer my thoughts on divine guidance, Stevie Ray Vaughn was playing “Little Wing.”
Guy Reams
