"Poaching in San Carlos"

by Laura

Sometimes you learn the hard way and sometimes its the easy way. I always go hard. One of my favorite rides is climbing up Robinson Canyon and descending down Rancho San Carlos where I can dream of an early Clint Eastwood riding up on his good/bad and ugly horse and asking me to join him on his ranch. I was a Clint Eastwood fan at the age of 6. Back then my english was poor so spaghetti westerns were TV institute of choice.

Well the other day my friend Leenda and I were on our favorite ride. Going through the gates was our reward for the challenging climb up Robinson. The gates of Rancho San Carlos Estates are closed to the public, you practically need security clearance but Leenda and I always made it through. It was tradition to unzip our jerseys and just let our skin soak the rays of the beautiful landscape. Residents would always wave, smiling and passing us cheerfully. It reminds us of riding in Europe, where the roads and air are clear. Maybe it was our smiles or maybe it was our tanlines, but no one questioned our belonging there for the last few years.

Until the other day. As we entered the gates a woman passed through in her burgandy gold Lexus. Staring at us, making us feel...out of place. We made it through the entrance gates and along the windy oak lined streets when a secruity guy drives towards us. Like usual we have our story... we are visiting friends. This time it doesn't work he asks our names. I throw out Leenda in a hurry thinking Leenda knows someone who lives there. We have prepared many rides for this moment but I forget who to say we are visiting. So I figure Leenda is the name he wants. Leenda looks at me with the "what game are we playing now look" He asks Leenda her name and she says Leenda too. We are so busted. We are such silly girls. Never give your real name. I guess I caught Leenda off guard. At least she didn't give him my name. We plead our case I mean look at us we are harmless what are we going to steal?... we have barely anything on.

Then a moment of clarity. We are poaching. We can steal those million dollar hubbies nestled in their million dollar mansions. The woman in the Lexus knew that. Poaching is not allowed in San Carlos. We were escorted out by a security guard apologizing the whole way, saying how he had to do it because he had a call from the burgundy Lexus. I think they even posted our pictures. The entrance gate sign reads "Wanted Leenda and Leenda for poaching".