More wildlife!

I've been slacking off in my blogging again but not in my riding.  Mike an I have been riding almost every morning for two weeks.  We've done a couple of road rides but mostly mountain biking along the rims and Two Moon Park.  While riding we've seen deer, fox, frogs and turkey but evidently there is another animal to see on one of our favorite rides.  The sign above appeared at Two Moon Park over the weekend.  Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is trying to figure out who posted the sign and verify whether or not there was a mountain lion encounter there.  FWP doubts there is an "aggressive" mountain lion in the park but also said that mountain lion sitings at Two Moon Park, the rims, Alkali Creek and along the river are not uncommon and that the mountain lions thrive in such a setting with so many deer and other game around.  Makes me want to strap on my helmet and go for a ride right now!  Maybe I'll have to use more caution from now on as I whip around the trails.  I'm sure a startled mountain lion reacts much differently than a startled deer and I'm not sure I want to find out what that reaction is.  It'd still be cool to see a mountain lion in the wild though.

Billings Gazette Article

This week Mike an I also found a new set of trails along the rims between the Main Street and 27th Street.  It eventually hooks up with the other trail that I've been riding up there but it has some fun obstacles and nearly impossible climbs.  The recent storms have washed out part of the trail and we had to find a different way down off the rocks onto the trail below.  Mike found a path with a drop off.  Problem is that you drop and have to land almost perpendicular to how you dropped.  Mike went first and almost endoed it before his back end dropped back down.  He's rubbing it in my face that he made it but I think he got lucky.  He can brag if he can do it again.  I tried twice, both times getting bucked off.  The last time I got launched over the front of the handlebars but held on.  The back end of the bike lifted up and swung over the top of me.  I'm sure it was a sight to see and I'm really surprised I didn't get hurt.  We thought this route would be the easy way down.  I'm now thinking I need to just bomb it straight down and just drop off the rock edge.  I will be a lot more impact but less technical.  Hopefully I can do it next time.