Thursday, September 18, 2014

Lubbock Urban Wildlife: A Little Bit of Gray

Okay, I won't blame this one on the rain, but I will blame it on the National Bike Challenge.

(Image from this great TPWD pdf)


This morning I woke up at 5:30 to find that it was not raining. I saw a window of opportunity to get in my daily bike ride. (Today makes 33 consistent days of riding - 11 days left in the challenge.) I was shooting for a quick one mile loop, but the weather was nice and my body felt more willing to pedal, so I decided to make it a quick two miles. I headed south on Hartford toward Monterey High School. At 46th St, I noticed a large and strangely elegant looking cat in he middle of the road. As I got closer, I realized that this beautiful "cat" was actually a gray fox, and that there was another not far behind the first.

I slowed way down. The first fox nonchalantly sauntered across the street to a yard. The second fox held its ground. I came to a complete stop about 15 feet away. The second fox looked me up and down. We stood there staring at each other, both motionless for a while - maybe 30-45 seconds. It seemed a lot longer. Then the fox turned and walked off unhurriedly into some shadows.

I pedaled away thankful and amazed. A block later it started to rain, and I rode home with a stupid grin on my face.

If you are intrigued by urban wildlife too, find yourself a copy of The Urban Bestiary by Lyanda Lynn Haupt. I can't recommend it enough.

May your neighbors offer you a stupid grin for your commute home, and may that grin last for days.

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