Elk, Snakes & Deer

So, I know everyone thinks we live in the sticks now, but seriously, we live in the big city--it's just that the sticks like to come to us. Like last week, for example. I'm riding to work on my bike and I find out that I better beware of a big elk on the loose. Now, the only thing I know about Elks is that they have many lodges in the South where I used to live. But a real elk? I was hoping I would come across him on my morning bike commute to work. That's him in the picture above. He didn't last long before some Barney Fife police officer shot him.

Then on my way home that day, I almost ran over a snake. I say almost because I actually slowed up when I saw him and put my feet in the air like a little girl and squealed. I quickly turned around to see if anyone saw my scaredy-cat act, but I noticed only a couple of squirrels.

Less than a half a mile later, I passed a handful of people acting extremely strange along the banks of the Boise River. I slowed down to see if I could figure out what was going on before I saw a huge deer panting for water in the river. It was great.

OK, so there's still traffic on my commute in the mornings. Those Broncos and Jaguars driven by angry and rude people in metro Atlanta have been replaced by elk, deer and snakes, who have no desire to cut me off or flip me the bird. Now, if I can just find that orange vest of mine ...