Very overcast this morning which resulted in a pretty dim/dark start to the ride! This morning was one of the first rides where the light I ordered (hasn’t come yet) would’ve been a big help. I did use my Radbot blinky, though, and no one honked in anger at me so I don’t think it’s too bright… 
The temperature was a warmer 9°, meaning that I was able to shed the sleeves off my jacket and the leather gloves about 1/2 way through the ride. By the end, I probably should’ve dropped the jacket entirely, but it was still a bit chilly at speed so maybe it was good to keep it on.
As I was leaving Juniper, a deer bounded out beside me and “bounced” along side me for a few seconds before veering off in front of me (about 20 feet in front) and running off into the bushes. It was pretty neat to watch her bounce so effortlessly through the bushes, all four legs in unison, and getting about 3-4 feet of air (plus some good hang time) with each bounce. And quiet! She didn’t make a sound. Crazy… 
As I crossed Rose Hill road, heading down into the pipeline section, I could hear some coyotes ahead of me. By the sound, I figured they were somewhere on Frolek’s land, but I wasn’t sure. At the last valley of the pipeline section, I met up with two hikers and two dogs (one of the dogs I think was my Weimaraner “friend”, but it was too dark to be sure). I made a comment about the coyotes, and they said they had decided to turn back as there were too many coyotes and they didn’t want to risk anything. So, I got to Frolek’s land, and sure enough, by the noise they were right on my road, just below the climb between the upper and lower roads! As I got closer, and their yipping/yapping was pretty loud, I actually got a bit nervous. Typically coyotes are pretty skittish with humans, but in a pack are they still skittish? Or will I look like a good meal??? So, I yelled “Hey!” and was answered by maybe 2 or 3 coyotes. I continued riding closer, and then hollered again, “I’m coming through, just letting you all know!” and I was answered again, but by maybe only one this time. I came around the corner where I anticipated them to be, and saw a couple running through the bushes, but none of them on the road or coming towards me. 
And they had all quieted down by then. As I rode through and started the climb, I thanked them for allowing me to pass in peace and quiet!!! Hah! 
The rest of the ride was good and uneventful. I felt better this morning physically than I did on yesterday’s ride home, so that was really good. I didn’t make the rocky/curve/dip section of single-track again (2nd fail in a row I think?), and just about made the climb up out of Peterson’s Creek on the west bank (spun out on a rock at the crest). So it was a “so-so” ride, and I was happy with it in the end.
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