To the editor:

This is about a Lawrence runner’s recent encounter with a mountain lion while running along the Kansas River levee.

With all of the mountain lion sightings around the city of Lawrence, I must say I’m not surprised.

About six years ago, while running on the levee east of the 2.5 mile mark I heard footsteps behind me and thought that another runner was bringing up the rear. After about a minute the footsteps ceased. I then turned around out of curiosity and did not see another runner but noticed what appeared to be a large brown dog with a long tail slithering into the underbrush approximately 100 meters from where I was running. While I didn’t actually see the “critter’s” head, I just assumed it to be a dog.

To my fellow Kansas River levee runners, “happy trails” and don’t forget the pepper spray!

Robert Hinton,

Lawrence