Takes Two for a Fight

Many people feel it is too risky to travel to foreign countries alone.  I have never been of that opinion.  Then……

          What, me worry? -from my MAD magazine days.

Figure 1: What me worry?

          I was in Costa Rica to do some hiking and birdwatching.  I booked a room at La Posada de Montana, the closest accommodation to Braulio Carillo National Park, a renowned hiking and birding location in the mountains.

Figure 2: La Posada de la Montana

          I arrived there on Friday night after flights from Washington to  Miami, and Miami to San Jose, rental of a car in San Jose, and a short drive from the San Jose airport to La Posada. After quick snack, I went to my room and hit the sack.

          I was up at 5:00 ready for my adventure to begin.  I checked out my gear to be sure I had everything needed for the day.  I would not return until evening.

          The items included: binoculars, copy of the Birds of Costa Rica, bird book pouch to hang on my belt, trail map, light rain gear, gloves, kerchief, sunglasses, trail boots, long pants, long-sleeve shirt, pepper spray, sunblock, insect repellant, gorp, and jerky,

          At 5:30 I drove to the trailhead just off the highway  as the road runs from San Jose  through the park to the Pacific Coast.  I headed up the mountain with my usual sense of anticipation.

Figure 3: Braulio Carillo Trailhead

          The morning was cool, and the hiking was easy.  The birds had begun to sing, so I made frequent stops to see what species I could see.  By about 10:00 I was halfway up the mountain, and the air was getting hot.

          I started walking again. The trail ahead of me was sweeping to my left and about 30 yards ahead the trail swung to the right around a bend so I could not see the trail beyond that bend.

          I looked at the bend again, and there stood a mountain lion glaring at me.

Figure 4: Mountain Lion

          He looked at me, I looked at him, my heart pounding, sweat jumping out of my pores, adrenaline running through my body. Me thinking-“Where the hell did I pack that pepper spray?”, then realizing that it would be no match for an attacking mountain lion. Still staring at the lion, but not thinking at all, I took a step backwards, still watching.  The instant I did that, the lion turned tail and disappeared behind the bend.  I couldn’t believe it.

          I was exhausted.  That encounter with danger took all the spunk out of me.  I headed back down the mountain back to my room and took it easy for the rest of the day.

          The rest of the trip was uneventful, but I had a hard time getting into it as I again hiked around remote paths by myself.  I returned to the Washington area  on Sunday.

          Back home, I read up on Mountain Lion encounters. First, I learned that it was a good thing I didn’t turn and run.  It would  have attacked because I would have looked like prey.  Second, it was suggested that you stand your ground but to not stare back.  This makes you appear as a powerful enemy potentially leading to a fight.  The proper approach it was said was to stand ground, but keep the eyes averted.  This the sources said made you appear completely uninteresting so that the animal would just go away.

          By staring at the lion and backing away, I looked  like an enemy who didn’t want to fight.  The lion really didn’t want to fight either.

          The lesson to me in my  life after that was if I backed away from trouble, trouble probably wouldn’t follow.