Near Skunk Experience

Last night, Saturday night, I needed to do my long run for my training and I couldn't go until later because I needed my parents to be at my house to watch my kids since Chad is down and out right now.(Chad had hernia surgery on Friday). So Me and My mom and Riley took off at 7:45 ish for the 7 mile run. My mom and Riley were riding their bikes.The sun was already setting as we were heading to the trail. We have the best jogging trail and it is perfect for Riley to ride on because traffic is so far away. So we were running and I had my head phones on listening to my music and my mom and Ri were just riding along. We were about 2.5 miles into the run when we were coming up to a couple of houses and part of the golf course. We came over a little hill and off to the right came a little black and white skunk charging and as he was charging he was scooting his back side our way with his tail straight up in the air. I yelled skunk and ran ahead. My mom and Ri stopped there bikes and almost dropped dropped them and ran. The skunk left back into the bushes and after a bit of coaxing from me and my mom we got Riley to bravely ride past where the skunk once stood. We got to where we were going to turn around and head back home and we struggled with the choice of going home a different way or going home back on the trail. It was dark by this time and we could hardly see and now more skunks AND raccoons would be out. We decided for the safety of Riley it would be better to go back on the trail because the road had no sidewalk and cars would be riding close. So with two fist fulls of or rocks we headed back home on the trail with our eyes peeled. We were scared. I was practically sprinting the 3.5 miles home. My mom and Riley sang songs and randomly made loud animal noises to frighten off any more animals that were close by. We finished and we were very relieved when we could relax and I could let go of the rocks. Talk about a white knuckle run. Never again will I go running that late.