Even though it was borderline too cold for me yesterday I went for an hour-long ride. Glad I did! About halfway into the ride a scruffy coyote stepped out from the brush onto the path I was on. It was a strange surreal experience -- the coyote didn't turn back into the weedy brush or run away. It just stood there on the path looking at me, about 20-25 feet away. I don't think I've ever been that close to one before. I live in a suburban area and was riding in a natural area alongside a river - there's a paved path for walkers and cyclists. It turned and started to trot away from me but would stop every few feet and turn around to see me again. I decided to slowly follow and try to get a picture with my phone's camera. Didn't work though. The camera in my phone sucks. Then the coyote was about 50 feet away and turning around a bend in the path so I couldn't see it anymore. I decided not to press my luck and turned around to go back the way I came from and just ride somewhere else. I started pedaling and turned around one more time and lo and behold - the coyote turned around and was following ME now! I pedaled hard to get away...I have to admit it unnerved me. I was completely alone on that path yesterday but I was still really excited to see it that close. I've ridden there hundreds of times and have never seen a coyote. It was so odd because as I was pedaling onto the path I was thinking about all the animals I have seen and heard in the past couple of years. And I'd never seen a coyote there. I've never seen a deer there but I know they're in there. Maybe that will be next.