We can always rely on a sunny day following a rainy one hosting more people than usual on the forest trails. Yesterday's thunderstorms arrived once we had returned home from our early afternoon ravine jaunt. Although we didn't feel any too jaunty on a heatstruck day of high humidity when we were unable yesterday to get out in the early morning as usual.  Yesterday's spin in the ravine was a challenge; the heat and the suffocating closeness failed to inspire us to great exertion.

But this morning by contrast, though the sun was full out and the gathering heat of the day even at an early morning hour was evident, made all the difference, with a good-humoured wind at our back presenting as nature's dependable air conditioning system. 

Good humour was not in much display this morning, however. Those people we did come across, people never before seen by us in our decades of trail tramping seemed to be dour and ill-mannered. They represented the joggers who occasionally decide to enter the forest and make a dash through the main trail system. It seems that anyone who is in the dedicated mindset of a jogger feels there is no one else around by virtue of being unable to see the presence of others because of plugging their ears.

Those ear buds firmly in place, joggers seem to feel that if they cannot hear anyone then there is no one else around. No need to hesitate and wait for anyone else to secure a better position on the trail to allow them to pass; they just brush brusquely past. And as for an exchange of pleasantry, a smile, an acknowledgement that others exist, that too is not possible since it might result in breaking a stride.

It hardly matters for us, but mightily concerned a young couple whom we've lately become familiar with. They walk a well-mannered, friendly American Staffordshire terrier. Whenever we've seen them in the past, their dog always roamed free, yet never any distance from them. It was a rescue dog, one they dearly love. He's a young dog, not yet two years of age, and affectionate. Jackie and Jillie get on just fine with him. We asked why he was on leash today. And out came the painful story. One of the joggers, a man they've seen on a number of occasions had threatened them.

And they were fearful for their dog. They're large people, quite robust in physique, but they described the threatening jogger as being a 'big fellow'. Who said he was prepared to give their dog a good, stiff kick for starters. Most dogs react when people run. They tend to follow for a short distance. Not threateningly, but more curious about what's going on. I've seen Jackie and Jillie do that. They don't go far, and don't follow closely.

I suppose because their dog is a good size, muscular and a breed that can be aggressive, the runner was concerned for his safety. He stopped briefly, turned around to our two acquaintances and shouted at them that he was prepared to kick the dog if they didn't leash him. So they did just that. Despite that the forest enclave is full of dogs at all times, and there is a municipal recognition to the extent that the forest has been given leash-free designation.

We felt badly for the two companions of this dearly loved dog. I know how such an hostile encounter can make me feel, and they definitely felt awful. My husband tried to reassure them, telling them not to worry, that it's unlikely to happen, and they probably would never see the fellow again. But they had seen him already on a number of occasions. And their pleasure in taking their dog with them through the natural setting of the forested ravine appears to have been soured and curdled.

I told them that a year ago a woman carrying a cudgel and walking a large black dog had tried to swat Jackie with it when he had run up to her dog with his usual curious overture at seeing a new dog. That probably was no help. But it did inform me from my own experience how devastatingly fearful for her dog's safety their encounter made them feel. On that occasion I had remonstrated with the woman and informed her that we had in our long experience on the forest trails, never come across anyone so uncivil as she appeared to be. We never saw her again.