The Weber Moose

Each year, my dad's side of the family has a big family reunion. It lasts an entire week, and it is always at our cabin in Weber Canyon. We call it the Weber.

For three or four years in a row, there was a Moose that lived down in the brush. 

Sometimes there was one moose, sometimes two.

Each year, we would look for it, and it would only take a few hours before the moose was spotted. 

(To paint a better picture of this, click here to see this years Weber photos)

One year in particular, about four years ago, we all showed up to the Weber. We looked for the moose and couldn't find it. We watched for a few days, and still nothing. 

So, Grace, Sarah, Monique and I decided to go hike through the creek like we had done years previous.

We climbed into the creek, and off we went! I remember being the front of the pack, with the other girls just behind me. The water was really cold, but it only took a few minutes to adjust to the water.

In about five or so minutes, we had reached the beaver dam. We all climbed it, and the water was now up around our waist. I was so excited to swim in it! 

Some of our neighbors were up on the ridge jumping up and down waving at us. They kept yelling something, but I was pretty sure they were just saying hi to us. 

All of us kept waving back, but they kept yelling at us. They must not have realized we had seen them.

There were fish in the pond, and I was determined to catch one with my bare hands. However, our feet were making the water mucky as we walked along the muddy floor of the pond.

I told the other three girls to back up to the side long enough to let the water settle. That way, I would be able to see the fish, and we would definitely catch one. I backed up to the far side of the pond, while Grace, Sarah, and Monique backed up to the opposite end, which was closest to the cabin. We all stripped down to our swim suits so that we could swim.

As I backed up to the very edge, I was very focused on the fish. I heard the bushes behind me start to rustle. They didn't stop. I yelled back to Sam and Matt to stop messing with me. They were going to scare the fish!

I mean, it would be just like Sam and Matt to try and scare us. I could only imagine them back there laughing at us because they thought they were scaring us. 

At this point, the water still wasn't settled, so I backed up about two feet farther into the brush.

Just then, I felt a warm breeze on the right side of my neck.

My eyes grew real wide, and slowly, I turned my head to the right to see what was there.

Literally, within inches of my face was the face of the Weber Moose. 

I think my body shot back out of fear, and simultaneously screamed, "Moose!!!"

Then, my flight mode hit. I took off as fast as I could. I ran straight for the hill, which meant also running through the beaver pond. I could hear the moose coming in my direction. 

My foot slipped, and in an instant, I was all the way submerged in the pond. Only after I had gotten my footing again did I realize I was still screaming. I had inhaled water and was now coughing and spitting up water.

The only thing on my mind was that I needed to get away as fast as I can so that I could live. I had already thought I was going to die.

This all happened in about five seconds. I had reached the other side of the pond and on my way up the hill before it had dawned on the other three girls what was going on. As soon as they realized a moose was after us, they followed in line after me. 

All four of us were screaming, and I was running madly through the brush that reached higher than my head did. There was no path, but I was making one. 

I had to make it. I had to get away from the moose.

My heart was pounding so fast, my lungs stinging from the water and from coughing, but I didn't care. In about fifteen seconds, I had reached the top of the hill. I didn't turn around. I kept running. 

I ran all the way down the road and back to the cabin. I didn't stop until I was safe inside the cabin. 

I am pretty sure I scared everyone in the cabin with my appearance. Everyone just kinda looked at me. It was then that I realized my clothes and shoes were still down at the pond. My legs were covered in dirt and blood from running through the brush and up the hill. All I said was, "Moose."

Then, Grace, Sarah, and Monique came in.

No one quite understood what had just happened, nor will anyone understand how scary that was.

It wasn't until we recounted the experience that we realized the neighbors weren't saying hi to us. They could see the moose, where we couldn't.

Later, we discovered there were actually 2 moose down in the pond, and in the process of running through the brush, we ran right past the second one.

All I can say is that I am glad I lived to tell the story. 

I actually laugh really hard whenever I think about it. I imagine that in heaven, I will be sitting in an oversize lazy boy watching my life from a television, only from the perspective of someone up above. I will get to look down on my life. I will also have a remote that I can rewind. This is one of those moments that I will rewind it over and over again until I can no longer breath.