In his 15 years of cycling he has seen and heard nature in the distance and up close.
"I have heard sounds in the bushes. Out of the corner of my eye I have seen something that looks like a labrador, like a big dog, but making those growling sounds I am sure it was not a labrador. You get a few feet down the road and you start thinking, 'What if that was a lion?" said Ying Ling.
The Department of Fish and Game says another cyclists did have a close encounter with a mountain lion Monday night.
The man was cruising at 22 mph down hill near mile marker 9.3.
"A mountain lion came charging down an embankment in an attempted attack. The lion narrowly missed the cyclist and he sped away," said wildlife biologist Kevin Brennan, from the Department of Fish and Game.
Brennan says that mountain lions rarely approach or attack humans, but there have been fatalities in Southern California.
"Mountain lions are opportunistic predators. They typically feed at dawn and dusk and during the night time hours," said Brennan.
If you see a mountain lion do not play dead. It is recommended that you make yourself appear to be larger than you are. You can do that by putting your hands above your head and speak in a low voice. It might sound silly, but it has worked.
"You want to avoid making high-pitched squealing sounds that may entice a mountain lion. Also you do not want to run because that can trigger a predatory response in a mountain lion," said Brennan.
Signs warning of mountain lions are posted near some trail heads. But as a rule of thumb Brennan says avoid hiking, biking or jogging alone in mountain areas. Just because you are on the pavement doesn't mean you are protected.
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