[AZ-Observing] Re: Cherry Rd -Friday Night
- From: Marjory Williams <margewms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 16:00:04 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
My mountain neighbors and local cowboys don't like to report anything to th=
e government let alone, attacks, near attacks, or sitings. They just shoot.=
And a killed lion is the last thing they would report to a government enti=
ty. I look out of my windows and often see people on mules and with differe=
nt colors of hound dogs seeking out the lions on my ridge. A few months ago=
a bear was trying to get into the Crown King Saloon and was killed on the =
porch. The lions on people's cabin porches is becoming frequent talk. Sit o=
ut at night and listen to lion mating calls...sounds like someone dying. Ye=
s, the heart attack will get me. I am overweight since I left behind my bel=
oved cigarettes a decade ago. But don't put me in with an urbanite and say =
my chances are slim of a mountain lion attack.=20
Margie
-----Original Message-----
>From: BillFerris@xxxxxxx
>Sent: Apr 14, 2007 3:09 PM
>To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Cherry Rd -Friday Night
>
>=20
>Mountain lion attacks are pretty rare, though the annual occurances in No=
rth=20
>America have increased significantly to about 4 per year over the last=20
>decade. Of course, not all attacks are fatal. Between 1890 and 1990 in th=
e U.S.=20
>and Canada, there were 9 human fatalities confirmed as the result of moun=
tain=20
>lion attacks. There were 7 fatalities during the decade from 1991 to 2000=
.=20
>Historically, most attacks targeted children. More recently, most attacks=
on=20
>adults happened while the person was jogging. When you run, you look like=
=20
>dinner. Most experts agree, the best course of action if you're lucky eno=
ugh to see=20
>the mountain lion before it pounces is to stand your ground & raise your=
=20
>arms to make yourself look as big as possible (Don't run; that looking li=
ke=20
>dinner thing, again.) and make noise.
>=20
>As far as risk goes, mountain lions rank well down the list of causes of =
=20
>human demise. You're far more likely to die as a result of a bee sting, an=
=20
>attack from a pet, a lightning strike or even a wrestling match with a sod=
a =20
>machine. That's right, you know who I'm talking about: the guy who loses h=
is =20
>70-cents in the Pepsi machine and decides if he shakes the machine vigoro=
usly he'll=20
>either provoke the release of his soda or of his change. During the 20th=
=20
>Century, more people were killed as a reult of crushing encounters with v=
ending=20
>machines than from mountain lion attaks. The lesson in this is, be carefu=
l=20
>where you snack ;o)
>=20
>And while we're on the subject of exagerated risks, which includes the ris=
k =20
>we face from thugs when observing out in the middle of nowhere--it's calle=
d=20
>"the middle of nowhere" for a reason, I was surprised and relieved to rea=
d=20
>there are no documented instances of any person being killed by a rattles=
nake=20
>bite or a scorpion sting in Grand Canyon. Before reading "Over the Edge: =
Death=20
>in Grand Canyon," I was one of those guys who worried about snakes and=20
>scorpions whenever I went into the desert. But according to the authors, =
there isn't=20
>one documented case of a person being killed in Grand Canyon by one of th=
ose=20
>critters. The greatest risk to life and limb we face while hiking in the=
=20
>canyon is human stupidity. People die from attempting "river and back" hi=
kes in=20
>July with only a pint of water and a candy bar for sustenance; not from=
=20
>snake bites or scorpion stings.
>=20
>But getting back to astronomy, if there are any documented instances of=
=20
>people dieing while observing with their telescopes, I'd wager the majorit=
y would=20
>be the result of heart attacks. Most amateur astronomers are men aged 40+.=
=20
>And far too many of us are overweight and out of shape. So, what's my advi=
ce=20
>for avoiding injury and death during a dark-sky observing session? A heal=
thy=20
>diet and regular exercise.
>=20
>Bill in Flag
>=20
>P.S. I encountered a Grand Canyon rattlesnake during my recent trip to Cl=
ear=20
>Creek in Grand Canyon: _www.gcadventure.com_ (http://www.gcadventure.com)=
=20
>=20
>In a message dated 4/14/2007 1:12:44 PM US Mountain Standard Time, =20
>stan_gorodenski@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>Hello Jennifer,
>It appears this is becoming a debate so let me put my 2 cents in. I feel=
=20
>I have lived to an age older than you for two reasons, luck and being=20
>aware of and being prepared for the unexpected. For example, when age 14=
=20
>or so while butterfly collecting in a wash outside of Roswell, NM I saw=
=20
>a mountain lion tail disappear over a bluff about a hundred yards from =20
>me. I was alone and this was not a hiking spot with other hikers that in =
=20
>itself would tend to scare away wildlife like this. Lucky for me it ran =
=20
>off instead of making me a meal. It was luck because now we read about =20
>hikers or bicyclists being attacked by mountain lions. [snip]
>
>
>
>
>************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.c=
om.
>
>
>--
>See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please=
=20
>send personal replies to the author, not the list.
>
Chuck Schroll of Tucson & Margie Williams of Phoenix margewms@xxxxxxxxxxxxx=
m Cell: 602-321-MARG P.O. Box 176 Crown King, Arizona: 928-632-8012 Web: G=
rand Canyon Star Party 2007 North Rimmers! GCSPNR 2007 will be ONLY nights=
of June 9th -13th. Put the GCSP site 1st page on the front deck or your ve=
hicle; you MIGHT get in free. The dining room porch might be darkened after=
12:00a. Only 20 telescopes on one porch at a time. So your telescope may =
have to be set up at the camp ground. CAMPING: (We do NOT expect to have an=
y free camping this year or future years.) Try calling 800-365-2267 Outside=
U.S. 301-722-1257 http://reservations.nps.gov/ There may be a new campin=
g number under the NPService. HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOMS: contact the GRAND CANY=
ON LODGE or the Motel (by the camp ground) Xanterra 888-297-2757 or 303-297=
-2757 www.grandcanyonnorthrim.com or KAIBAB LODGE outside the park border a=
t 928-638-2389 or info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Bryce Star Party June 13-16 GCSP So=
uth Rim is 9-16th. Carpe stellae!
--
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