arbutus

I hiked with a coyote for almost a mile down a dirt road in a remote section of Northern California on Tuesday afternoon. Coyotes usually spook at the sight of a human, but this one came trotting out of the live oak and manzanita chapparal on the north side of the trail about 50-70 feet in front of me, stopped and sniffed in my direction and proceeded on down the road, periodically dissappearing into the woods and reemerging with a continued disinterest in my presence in his world that day. I was trying to make it back to my car before nightfall and continued on my path, fairly certain that I was in no danger. I have spent much of my life exploring the hills and valleys of California and have seen my share of animals, but nothing like this. It was a strange and beautiful encounter on an otherwise miserable day.