DUCOR – Ducor California resident Caleb Chauvin recently found himself in a heart-pounding race for survival during what was meant to be a routine training session for the Death Valley Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, nearly becoming prey for the obscure cryptid Roperite!
Venturing into the rugged expanse of the Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, Caleb’s familiarity with endurance running should have been his greatest asset, but his focus on slower speeds and longer distances was to be his undoing. Little did he know that he would soon encounter a creature straight out of cryptid history, the bane of jackrabbits and tenderfoot lumberjacks alike.
“It sounded like a rattlesnake, but amplified to the max,” Caleb recounts, still shaken by the memory. “I turned around, expecting to see a snake, but instead, I was face to face with this bizarre leathery bird creature that was the size of a pony! Well, a malnourished pony.”
As an experienced long-distance runner, Caleb’s instinct was to flee. But as he began loping away, he quickly realized that his endurance training had not prepared him for the explosive burst of speed needed to outpace the creature, whose tongue flitted out in loops and coils, reaching out even as it sprang forward.
“It was gaining on me, and before I knew it, its tongue shot out like a lasso and wrapped around my ankle,” Caleb recalls, the memory still vivid in his mind. “I managed to kick it away, but not before it left some nasty welts. I looked back as I was running, and it was distracted by a jackrabbit, which is probably easier prey.”
Dr. Isabella Coleman, famed cryptozoologist and expert in all things strange and unexplained caught wind of the story through the cryptid grapevine, and was able to shed some light on the situation. According to Dr. Isabella Coleman, Caleb’s encounter with the creature bears all the hallmarks of the elusive Roperite, a cryptid rumored to inhabit the Southwest, though new sightings have been few and far between in recent decades, but was recently featured on the Fringe History Podcast.
“The loop on the beak of this creature has puzzled cryptid enthusiasts for decades,” Dr. Coleman explains, her excitement palpable even over the phone. “Caleb’s encounter provides us with valuable insight, into this creature that I, honestly, thought was pretty fake. The face loop is not a beak at all, but rather a lasso-like tongue used to ensnare its prey.”
As for Caleb himself, the encounter has left him with more than just physical scars. Mistaken for prey by the creature, Caleb has made the decision to take drastic measures to ensure his safety in the future.
“After being mistaken for a jackrabbit, I’ve decided to do steroids,” Caleb admits, his voice a mixture of determination and optimisim. “If I’m going to continue training in these wild places, I need to be able to defend myself against whatever else might be out there, and since I’m in California, it’s tough to get a gun. Plus, the steroids should help with my running.”
In a world where reality often defies explanation, Caleb Chauvin’s encounter with the Roperite serves as a stark reminder of the mysteries that still lurk in the shadows, waiting to be discovered. And as for Caleb himself, he remains undeterred, his passion for running undiminished by the dangers that lie ahead.
Franklin Carson
Amazing story! The discovery of the Lasso tongue is incredible & I applaud Dr Coleman for her work