Face to Face

Today, William Lobdell of the LA Times profiled Anne Hjelle, a 35-year old mountain biker from Mission Viejo, who was attacked by a mountain lion 4 years ago while riding with a friend.

Lobdell writes:

"On a sunny winter afternoon in early 2004, Hjelle headed out for a ride with Debi Nicholls, a woman whose intensity during the rides matched Hjelle's.

Barreling down Cactus Hill Trail, a narrow dirt path that slices through tall brush and fields of cactuses, Hjelle saw a blur leaping from the brush. She thought she had startled a deer. But then the mountain lion hit her "like a train."

She remembers everything. The silence of the attack. The color of the lion's fur."

Throughout her recovery, which entailed several surgeries to her face, she has faced her fears while helping other to face theirs.

"Hjelle still isn't comfortable with her public persona, which has occasionally made her a target of criticism. One blogger mocked her faith and her willingness to continue to ride in wilderness areas where mountain lions roam. The blog's post was titled, "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty."

Personal attacks hurt, but Hjelle is more disappointed when people tell her that they have stopped mountain biking or trail running for fear of mountain lions."

READ the rest of the story.

VIEW the animated slideshow.

Photo: Mark Martin (LA Times)