The Terrifying Vermont Chippy
DISPATCH From Adventure George:  July 11 2016
hiking to Bingham Falls – Smugglers Notch – Vermont US

START DISPATCH

I caught the movement out of the side of my eye. Stopped dead, I scan for the source and what I saw shocked me. There off to my right was what some consider only a product of the imagination – I now knew it wasn’t such.  That strictly carnivorous and very rare Vermont Chippy. It was terrifying just sitting there. As it were daring me to come closer.

I did move but only my camera hand – thankfully I had preset it. I pushed the flash release button and slowly moved the camera to my eye. I half-clicked and it move. And again and once again the same. Then it stopped in the dark shadow of a downed tree. Got ya I said to myself. Half clicked to focus and full click to snap. The flash in the forest, a blink and the Chippy was gone. But the image remains safe and sound on the disc in my camera.

Vermont folk legend now documented.

END OF DISPATCH

Later I paused to look at the image taken – red glowing eyes/ extraordinarily large mouth in outsize head with what appears to be fangs. I am so glad I left it alone and continued down the mountainside to photograph Bingham Falls.

But the image of that flesh-eating rodent remains, engraved in my mind. From time to time it intrudes. And every time my blood runs cold.

George

Safely Back in Rochester NY US