Work over for the day I felt driven to use up the remaining daylight with a hike. North Table Mountain won out since the trails were likely to be dry and I could start the hike from my front door. A few blocks later I was starting up the initial switchbacks when something went zipping by my ear. I looked back and a young boy waved from the shadows of his backyard deck. Continuing ahead I again found myself the recipient of small arms fire. It may have only been a BB gun, but I wasn’t in the mood to run in a zig-zag pattern or belly crawl to cover. Dredging up my most adult voice I yelled “If that gun goes off again I’m calling the cops.” A meek “okay” was all the response I heard, but at least the coast was clear now.
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After walking along the western flanks of the mesa, I intersected the well traveled trail and access road to top out on the plateau. Walking past the old quarry I spotted several grazing deer.
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The deer weren’t much of a surprise, I’d seen a herd of nearly 40 up here once. Continuing to the southeast I dropped down near the climbing walls and passed a few climbers. Following the trail toward the parking lot I noticed a dog chasing a coyote off the trail. The dog stopped and joined me in watching its more wild brethren sneak off.
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From the parking lot I circled back around to the west side and repeated a portion of my earlier walk, while staying well above the young sniper’s home.
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Reaching another trailhead to the north I finally left the park grounds and connected a few streets and urban trails to circle back home.
You were being hunted!
A first for me, I’d rather not repeat it with a more skilled hunter.