And, BOOM - down she went!

Sharyn came up yesterday while I was camping, and, the first thing we did was grab Wilbur and Killian and head off on a trail that circles the park. It's probably only 3/4 of a mile long all told so should have been a fairly innocuous hike until...

Little Lori and Killian, of course, have to take the lead. The trail went through some pretty heavily forest area - it was, after all, a nature trail. About 1/2 of the way through, I walked right through a spider web. Now, those of you who know me well know that I'm scared silly of spiders. It doesn't matter if they're 1/4" or 3" - I hate them all. Please don't leave me comments about how good spiders are for nature, they eat flies, etc. I'd take 10 flies for every spider. Anyway, they just plain old scare me.

So, after doing my 'get the spider off me dance', thrashing around like a mad woman, clearing the web from my head, shaking my head upside down just in case Charlotte was still on me, I was back in the lead. You'd think I'd learn.

So, I'm chatting over my shoulder at Sharyn, having a pretty good time actually. Until, I turned forward and, I'm not lying here, about 2 inches ahead and eye level was a very large spider. A big, black, hairy spider. I was eye to eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye, eye with the sucker. I remember thinking 'no way am I going through there' so I took an unusual tactic and actually threw myself backward and out of harms way - NOT. I'm bruised and battered today, having landed on a my tailbone, elbows, and head. But, at least the spider was not on me! So, dear Sharyn's reaction? I looked behind me and up (remember I'm lying flat on my back) and she's doubled over in laughter. THAT'S the kind of friend I have. Ok, I suppose it was pretty funny but, dang, that hurt!

Got myself up and brushed off - no help from the still laughing 'friend' - As I collected my camera (which, thankfully, was not broken), and Killian's leash, I remember thinking 'something's missing.' And, yep, it was. My glasses went flying off my face when I took my voluntary dive, and I didn't miss them until I was trying to peer straight ahead and noticed general fuzziness in my vision. SHOOT! So, Sharyn and I backtracked and finally found them lying smack dab in the middle of the path. Whew. I was about to be very very mad at myself and that darned spider.

After this debacle, Sharyn and I hit the RV and made dinner over a wood fire. We shared a steak and put a couple of chicken breasts on the BBQ, had a nice glass of wine, and had a great evening.

So, I'm still liking the travel trailer but, next time I take a hike, I'm going to take along one of these spider web clearers....Can you blame me?