I went back again to ride there and saw a bob cat. I was just going for a short ride and not the more difficult areas of the trails. I moved to another campground and got there late and used minimal protective gear just as it getting near sun set. Only time for getting just the helmet and goggles.
When I saw it I was about 75 feet away and it was moving slowly away from me. Then I pulled the brakes and stopped the engine idling. The beast turned around to look after stopping breifly and then started on its way in a sort of gallop.
Not much different were the elk and there calves, they also were afraid, but I cut them slack and stopped and waited for them all to regroup away from the trail. There is a 6 month period at this place where the elk are that they close it off to trail riding so the elk can have some
.
Closing off trails I saw a lot of to grow back vegetation. I would hope that they don't just let it stay closed for ever though.
About the rain the first day of about a week out there it sleeted and rained. I was OK, just was in process of going to another campground. They 2nd to last day after I was cooking up a late brunch, it started to rain. I guess I could have gotten out and ridden, but did the safer thing. Not everyone there stopped due to the rain though. My tent is not good in the rain and will have to get a better one.
I rode the last day and found ways to take the steeper trails, just going down hill. I go on another trail that is less steep and longer to make a loop.
That steep trail down hill with the mud hand me holding the brakes to keep from getting too much speed. Some areas of water and mud were fun. I did find it uneasy when I felt the steering not responding exactly perfect due to mud that had different viscosities through the section I was riding through.
MT