Chased

This is exactly what happened in Golden Gate Park last year. Two coyotes moved
in -- most likely from Marin, by way of Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio.
People began feeding the coyotes. They began fighting with dogs. People
complained, and the coyotes were shot.
David D. Schmidt

It was supposed to be a long Sunday hike on Alvarado Park. I packed two bottles of water to be on the safe side, put my hat on, and wore a short sleeved polo shirt because it was warmer than the previous Spring days. I kept Kafka leashed as we passed the area where the feral cat lives, and we kept on, climbing the San Pablo Bay Ridge. I didn't bring a walking stick because the ground was no longer slippery.

After about two miles, we reached an area that serves as food pantry to the park's raptors. Many ground squirrels (picas) can be simultaneously seen scampering from one hole to another. They can also be heard. Picas make a noise that sounds exactly like the tri-colored black bird's short call. Kafka was now off-leash and planning to check each and every one of those holes, I could see. But after a while, he got hot and decided to listen to my voice. He plopped down on the grass and let me leash him.

We saw a small figure approaching us from the south end of the trail. After a couple of minutes, I could tell it was a woman with four dogs, two of which were small. She was nice and asked us if we needed water, then picked up her daschund because he was tired. She left through another trail. Seconds later, a medium sized dog appreare in the distance. My brain said Dingo and I thought that perhaps he too was a member of her pack. But I quickly self-corrected: coyote!

Kafka and I beat a hasty retreat though the hills, with the coyote now focused on us. Kafka was hot and thirsty, and more curious about that strange "dog" than into cooperating. The coyote kept stalking us but kept some distance until we reached the part closer to the trailhead. Then we lost him. I was relieved. Although I knew Kafka would have defended himself, I was not about to find out who could have won. I kept thinking of the vet bills and walked faster.