Went skating for two hours this afternoon. On the way out, everyone else was going the other way, but that worked out well, because they all smiled at me. Very cheering. Of course, they were all on their way back to town... so they'd gotten a much earlier start than me.
At one point, I was passing by three dismounted bicyclists who were just off the side of the path. And then my brain processed what I'd seen out of the corner of my eye. That lump in the grass... probably worth turning back for a closer look:
The bicyclists were crowding in around the turtle a bit, which bothered me. Seemed like it might be needlessly stressful for the creature. The turtle was scrabbling its hind legs into the dirt a bit, as if to dig a hole, although not with any particular urgency. And then one of the guys stepped even closer, and reached down and touched the turtle, began actually lifting it up. The turtle retreated into its shell -- and I was so flabbergasted I said something like "You're not touching it, are you?!" The guy backed off (he may have meant to check the turtle's underbelly for markings, but who knows), and after another minute, he and his friends rode away. The turtle then came out again and scurried off with all deliberate speed.
In all fairness, it's possible the guys were wildlife experts or even turtle wranglers who happened to be out for a bike ride. I guess I've just had it drilled into my head for so long that you don't touch wildlife (and instead keep a respectful distance for the safety and well-being of everyone involved), that my first reaction was a mixture of horrified indignation and worry that they were either going to flip the turtle over and leave it helpless, or get themselves clawed or bitten.
It was a beautiful day, partly sunny, but breezy and warm. It cooled off quickly under the cloudy skies as evening fell.
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