Type-2 Fun

There were 3 big moose on the ski trail last night at Kincaid Park. For the most part they stayed off to the side of the track, chewing up the alder twigs as the light faded.

After a few laps around the lighted loops it dawned on me. I need to see if I can tap one of those moose with my ski pole. And so I did. Twice.

Now, its no death-defying stunt, skiing past and tapping a trail-side moose on the butt, but it is exhilarating. Doubly so because the trail running past said moose (on both occassions) was flat and even turned uphill a short distance beyond. Safetywise, the situation was far from ideal. But skiing with moose in Alaska is supposed to be FUN! Thinking about it now, maybe it was tad bit death-defying.

Unbeknownst to me, there's a lot of cushion in a moose hide. I thought it would feel like a horse's hide - tight, muscly, and solid. But it was just the opposite. A moose's coat is so thick and plush that it feels like a bear skin rug - even through a ski pole. Its, like, an inch and half thick.

Neither animal charged me, which I appreciated. Honestly, I don't believe either was all that surprised. Probably happens all the time at Kincaid. So, my advice is to give it a try. Alaska moose tapping is fun, though its a different kind of fun: Type-2 fun.