Last night Molly and i decided to walk to the other bar within walking distance - The Vagabond. It is further away - much further if we actually take the road - but there is a direct path from the end of our road/"driveway" that the ATV's use. So we start walking and I realize that i don't have my camera and since the path goes through the woods i thought i should have it just in case. I run back to my room get my camera and then run back to where Molly is waiting for me. First thing she says, "Meredith you aren't hoping to see a moose are you? We don't want to see any moose." Huh? yes i do. "Why?" "Because they are really dangerous. Especially now because they have babies. They were saying that they are more dangerous than bears right now." "Really?" "Yes! Okay Meredith, imagine the scariest meanest horse you have ever been on. Now make it meaner, taller and faster." At this point i am laughing because she is serious - and i'm imagining it. Apparently before we left she told some of the women where we were going and that we were taking the path and they were saying to be careful and talk really loud because it scares the moose away but that they are really dangerous. So there we are walking along we get to the end of the driveway and cross over the road and get on the path. We're talking about who knows what and i'm looking around and I look to my left and i'm like "Hey Molly! A moose!" It was looking right at us. I am so excited. I really love moose and did want to see one. Even though i do realize the danger. She stops in her tracks and is like "What? Where?" "Right over there. What should we do?" I personally wanted to take a picture - really how often are you less than 20' from a moose in life? But I also know that that probably would have been the wrong choice. "Walk backwards." "What?" "Walk backwards and don't look at it." So there we are 'moon walking for moose' as my dad put it later when i called him. I periodically look to see where it is. It's still there watching us. In my head i know that we were doing the right/smart thing but the rest of me is thinking 'we're fine.' For some reason i just wasn't worried. I guess it was that i hadn't been getting advice and warnings from people for a few weeks. I was laughing the whole time because Molly was pretty freaked out. "How far do we have to walk backwards?" We get to the road (which was all of 30' away) and we stop. Apparently this is far enough. We both take out our cameras and take some pictures. As we were moon walking i got to thinking 'wouldn't that be something if me - lover of moose - was trampled not 10min after i am hearing about just how pissed off these massive beasts can get. So now what? We still wanted to go to the bar. "You okay?" "Yeah. Lets just take the road" "Molly the road isn't that much farther from the moose. We're still going to walk right by it. You think that just because we are on pavement a few feet farther away we are safe?" "Well, yeah." So we take the road. Keeping our eye on the moose. "I have to call my dad. this is nuts." I get out the phone and as it's ringing an eagle flies overhead. 'hello?' "Dad I am having a total nature experience! I was just less than 20' away from a moose and an eagle just flew overhead." I tell him the whole story crazy details and all when he says "That would have been the perfect time to use your whistle." A bright orange safety whistle from Duluth 'When being heard is a matter of life and death' Doh! I have had this whistle for 2 years and i brought it because my grandmother told me to be safe. I finally took it out of the packaging when i got here to use as a key chain that way i would always have it...for instances just like this one. and it was on the hook in my room! 2 years i have been waiting to use this whistle. I had the chance and i blew it only i didn't and that's the problem. Next time. So anyway we're on the road - talking loud to scare any further moose - and i'm thinking 'this is going to take forever we need to get back to that path.' so we make a left on some road and start trekking through the woods. I'm looking down for small woodland creatures and large holes when i see a pile of crap like i have never seen before. Moose droppings! So of course i take a picture and keep walking. We wind up back on the path further along and eventually make it to the bar. But it was quite the journey to get there. So Steve there you have it - I was walking to the bar and i looked up and there was a moose.