A frightening encounter

I was riding through a pasture somewhere in the Jura mountains. There were heifers grasing (=juvenile cows for those who don't know the word). I was riding uphill, passing near the herd. Then i noticed that one of those heifers was... rather... like... a... male. Yes, a bull.
"Well, don't look at him, just ride quietely further", i thought. "Hope that he'll stay quite. Don't tease him and watch out, this could be dangerous." I was already less than 10 m away... as he prepared his attack. Lowered his head. Hit the ground with his foot. Made some threatening noise, mmmh. And started to run towards me.
No time to think about the situation. I just had the instinct to yell. Loud. Very loud. Perhaps like this way of yelling by karateka. At least it worked. The bull was so suprised by my cry that he stopped for at least one second. And the next second i had turned and was now riding downhill. No chance for him to take me up. Pfff...
I can tell you, 10 minutes later my heart was still beating at 200, and not only because i was riding up again (this time around and not through the pasture).
So, the tip of the day: beware of cows, especially male ones.

1999-11-25