Obstructions

carlfogel@comcast.net

Some recent obstructions remind me not to complain too much about that
annoying traffic light on my daily ride. Most them expand in Explorer
if you click on the lower right. None of them are squirrels or dogs.

Absolutely limp, motionless, and hoping that it won't be noticed,
stretched across the path:
http://i11.tinypic.com/52fvkno.jpg

Obviously, it _was_ noticed, but my first attempt at one-handed
photography is embarrassingly fuzzy:

http://i15.tinypic.com/4utq8mh.jpg

This unharmed idiot was sunbathing on the path a few days later. The
one-handed focus is better, but a more intelligent photographer would
have checked that his automatic shutter had opened all the way:

http://i15.tinypic.com/6ccz2iw.jpg

Another unharmed idiot, caught a few minutes later, also sunbathing on
the path:
http://i10.tinypic.com/673ty4n.jpg

This poor foot-long devil was still alive, but couldn't rattle, coil,
crawl, or hiss, so I had to put it out of its misery. (Handling this
kind is foolish--most fatal bites in the U.S. involve the head or neck
and a bizarre religious belief that rattlers won't resent handling.)
At first I thought that a car had hit it, but it was almost undamaged.
The fatal wound, an ugly, unseen gash on the far side of its neck,
probably came from a beak:
http://i13.tinypic.com/53rtreu.jpg

These two camera hogs were too big for one-handed photography. The
first is about three feet long, the second about four feet long:
http://i6.tinypic.com/4ztygba.jpg
http://i18.tinypic.com/4xqogfs.jpg

This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:
http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg

Here's his little brother, next to a bottle of bug repellant:
http://i9.tinypic.com/4uxcfa1.jpg

These three adults just stood there, while the two recently born kids
ran happily back and forth past them. The second kid is just visible
between the middle and right hand adults:
http://i13.tinypic.com/6g1xe1s.jpg

One kid has already zoomed past the left edge of the picture. The
other is following:
http://i14.tinypic.com/5z20k09.jpg

If you look closely, you can see the other kid, now running back the
other way, its head just past its sibling's tail:
http://i7.tinypic.com/4muhbbl.jpg

And now it's raced back the other way, past all three adults:
http://i7.tinypic.com/4yhvh42.jpg

These two versions of four horns have already been posted, but you
might as well see them again if you've browsed this far:
http://i8.tinypic.com/4yjyjvn.jpg
http://i7.tinypic.com/4y7cbgx.jpg

Finally, here's about ten pounds of expectant mother, a bit bigger
than a bike helmet. Inflamed by a thunderstorm, she foolishly dug a
nest this afternoon at the edge of a sandy but poorly drained two-rut
road, fifteen feet from her marsh:
http://i12.tinypic.com/6gxpi1g.jpg

Tails are often broken or truncated, but this tail is pristine, ready
for the show ring. (Yes, I once kept them as pets, but no, there are
no formal best-of-show competitions.)
http://i13.tinypic.com/4zvf9nb.jpg

Excellent shell, little moss, no leeches, no holes:
http://i17.tinypic.com/6434ia9.jpg

The tail has been moved to one side to show to advantage, while the
eye catches the camera flash:
http://i8.tinypic.com/5y9huds.jpg

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

limeylew@gmail.com

On Jun 3, 2:13 am, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
> Some recent obstructions remind me not to complain too much about that
> annoying traffic light on my daily ride. Most them expand in Explorer
> if you click on the lower right. None of them are squirrels or dogs.
>
> Absolutely limp, motionless, and hoping that it won't be noticed,
> stretched across the path:http://i11.tinypic.com/52fvkno.jpg
>
> Obviously, it _was_ noticed, but my first attempt at one-handed
> photography is embarrassingly fuzzy:
>
> http://i15.tinypic.com/4utq8mh.jpg
>
> This unharmed idiot was sunbathing on the path a few days later. The
> one-handed focus is better, but a more intelligent photographer would
> have checked that his automatic shutter had opened all the way:
>
> http://i15.tinypic.com/6ccz2iw.jpg
>
> Another unharmed idiot, caught a few minutes later, also sunbathing on
> the path:http://i10.tinypic.com/673ty4n.jpg
>
> This poor foot-long devil was still alive, but couldn't rattle, coil,
> crawl, or hiss, so I had to put it out of its misery. (Handling this
> kind is foolish--most fatal bites in the U.S. involve the head or neck
> and a bizarre religious belief that rattlers won't resent handling.)
> At first I thought that a car had hit it, but it was almost undamaged.
> The fatal wound, an ugly, unseen gash on the far side of its neck,
> probably came from a beak:http://i13.tinypic.com/53rtreu.jpg
>
> These two camera hogs were too big for one-handed photography. The
> first is about three feet long, the second about four feet long:http://i6.tinypic.com/4ztygba.jpght...com/4xqogfs.jpg
>
> This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
> often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
> habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg
>
> Here's his little brother, next to a bottle of bug repellant:http://i9.tinypic.com/4uxcfa1.jpg
>
> These three adults just stood there, while the two recently born kids
> ran happily back and forth past them. The second kid is just visible
> between the middle and right hand adults:http://i13.tinypic.com/6g1xe1s.jpg
>
> One kid has already zoomed past the left edge of the picture. The
> other is following:http://i14.tinypic.com/5z20k09.jpg
>
> If you look closely, you can see the other kid, now running back the
> other way, its head just past its sibling's tail:http://i7.tinypic.com/4muhbbl.jpg
>
> And now it's raced back the other way, past all three adults:http://i7.tinypic.com/4yhvh42.jpg
>
> These two versions of four horns have already been posted, but you
> might as well see them again if you've browsed this far:http://i8.tinypic.com/4yjyjvn.jpght...com/4y7cbgx.jpg
>
> Finally, here's about ten pounds of expectant mother, a bit bigger
> than a bike helmet. Inflamed by a thunderstorm, she foolishly dug a
> nest this afternoon at the edge of a sandy but poorly drained two-rut
> road, fifteen feet from her marsh:http://i12.tinypic.com/6gxpi1g.jpg
>
> Tails are often broken or truncated, but this tail is pristine, ready
> for the show ring. (Yes, I once kept them as pets, but no, there are
> no formal best-of-show competitions.)http://i13.tinypic.com/4zvf9nb.jpg
>
> Excellent shell, little moss, no leeches, no holes:http://i17.tinypic.com/6434ia9.jpg
>
> The tail has been moved to one side to show to advantage, while the
> eye catches the camera flash:http://i8.tinypic.com/5y9huds.jpg
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

Great photos, Carl, thanks for sharing.

Lewis.

*****

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 3, 2:13 am, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:

> Absolutely limp, motionless, and hoping that it won't be noticed,
> stretched across the path:http://i11.tinypic.com/52fvkno.jpg

Dr. Fogel: Snake, hope: an uplifting assumption. Many sermons will
fall far short of that today.

Thank you. --D-y

Tim McNamara

You have more interesting creatures in your neck of the woods than we do
here in the Twin Cities metro. Although in SE MN I have encountered 3
foot long rattlers out sunning themselves, and snappers along the river
and the backwaters. No big hairy spiders, though.

Dogs are the main form of fauna that bicyclists encounter around here,
roaming about the countryside singly or in packs thanks to ignorant
owners who saw "Born Free" as children. Had to outsprint a boxer
yesterday. Riding on the other side of the river, I note that
Wisconsonites tend to be more responsible owners and keep their dogs
under control.

* * Chas

Carl, I thought you lived in Pueblo not Appalachia or the Ozarks.

Put yer hand on the radio - now shake that snake...

That looked like a prairie rattler, the kind that I accidentally ran over
on my bike.

I was surprised the first time I saw a tarantula run across the road in
front of me. I had never known that they were native to the SW.

Chas.

<carlfogel@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:sql46358g49lado23egmsv90eq1do5o0p9@4ax.com...
> Some recent obstructions remind me not to complain too much about that
> annoying traffic light on my daily ride. Most them expand in Explorer
> if you click on the lower right. None of them are squirrels or dogs.
>
> Absolutely limp, motionless, and hoping that it won't be noticed,
> stretched across the path:
> http://i11.tinypic.com/52fvkno.jpg
>
> Obviously, it _was_ noticed, but my first attempt at one-handed
> photography is embarrassingly fuzzy:
>
> http://i15.tinypic.com/4utq8mh.jpg
>
> This unharmed idiot was sunbathing on the path a few days later. The
> one-handed focus is better, but a more intelligent photographer would
> have checked that his automatic shutter had opened all the way:
>
> http://i15.tinypic.com/6ccz2iw.jpg
>
> Another unharmed idiot, caught a few minutes later, also sunbathing on
> the path:
> http://i10.tinypic.com/673ty4n.jpg
>
> This poor foot-long devil was still alive, but couldn't rattle, coil,
> crawl, or hiss, so I had to put it out of its misery. (Handling this
> kind is foolish--most fatal bites in the U.S. involve the head or neck
> and a bizarre religious belief that rattlers won't resent handling.)
> At first I thought that a car had hit it, but it was almost undamaged.
> The fatal wound, an ugly, unseen gash on the far side of its neck,
> probably came from a beak:
> http://i13.tinypic.com/53rtreu.jpg
>
> These two camera hogs were too big for one-handed photography. The
> first is about three feet long, the second about four feet long:
> http://i6.tinypic.com/4ztygba.jpg
> http://i18.tinypic.com/4xqogfs.jpg
>
> This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
> often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
> habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:
> http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg
>
> Here's his little brother, next to a bottle of bug repellant:
> http://i9.tinypic.com/4uxcfa1.jpg
>
> These three adults just stood there, while the two recently born kids
> ran happily back and forth past them. The second kid is just visible
> between the middle and right hand adults:
> http://i13.tinypic.com/6g1xe1s.jpg
>
> One kid has already zoomed past the left edge of the picture. The
> other is following:
> http://i14.tinypic.com/5z20k09.jpg
>
> If you look closely, you can see the other kid, now running back the
> other way, its head just past its sibling's tail:
> http://i7.tinypic.com/4muhbbl.jpg
>
> And now it's raced back the other way, past all three adults:
> http://i7.tinypic.com/4yhvh42.jpg
>
> These two versions of four horns have already been posted, but you
> might as well see them again if you've browsed this far:
> http://i8.tinypic.com/4yjyjvn.jpg
> http://i7.tinypic.com/4y7cbgx.jpg
>
> Finally, here's about ten pounds of expectant mother, a bit bigger
> than a bike helmet. Inflamed by a thunderstorm, she foolishly dug a
> nest this afternoon at the edge of a sandy but poorly drained two-rut
> road, fifteen feet from her marsh:
> http://i12.tinypic.com/6gxpi1g.jpg
>
> Tails are often broken or truncated, but this tail is pristine, ready
> for the show ring. (Yes, I once kept them as pets, but no, there are
> no formal best-of-show competitions.)
> http://i13.tinypic.com/4zvf9nb.jpg
>
> Excellent shell, little moss, no leeches, no holes:
> http://i17.tinypic.com/6434ia9.jpg
>
> The tail has been moved to one side to show to advantage, while the
> eye catches the camera flash:
> http://i8.tinypic.com/5y9huds.jpg
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

Reid Priedhorsky

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 10:26:35 -0500, Tim McNamara wrote:

> You have more interesting creatures in your neck of the woods than we do
> here in the Twin Cities metro. Although in SE MN I have encountered 3
> foot long rattlers out sunning themselves, and snappers along the river
> and the backwaters. No big hairy spiders, though.

I don't know... I've seen three bald eagles in the middle of town: one
along the Mississippi south of Franklin Ave. and two near Lake Nokomis.
Also four egrets (three near Lake Nokomis and one at Battle Creek)
lots of turtles, and two wild turkeys (on the top of the bluff near the
East Bank of the U). And ducklings! Lots of ducklings.

My favorite was when I was stopped on the river path not far from Franklin
Ave. (Bridal Veil Falls?) and I heard thumping and clunking coming down
the wooded slope that towers a hundred feet or so over the path.
Obviously a rock... but no, it was a large, grizzled turtle! He gave
me the hairy eyeball.

Reid

Bill

limeylew@gmail.com wrote:
> On Jun 3, 2:13 am, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
>> This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
>> often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
>> habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg

This one reminds me of a nature break I took for about an hour while
driving between L.A. and S.F. by a man made reservoir. I was just laying
back and watching the clouds when I felt more than one something on my
legs. Looking down at my legs I saw about 15 adult Tarantulas marching
over my legs just like any other obstruction heading for where ever it
was they were going. I got up and put my hand in front of one and he
just walked over it like any other object.
Migrating?
All in all, an interesting but odd experience.
Bill Baka
>>
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Carl Fogel
>
> Great photos, Carl, thanks for sharing.
>
> Lewis.
>
> *****
>

Bill

* * Chas wrote:
> Carl, I thought you lived in Pueblo not Appalachia or the Ozarks.
>
> Put yer hand on the radio - now shake that snake...
>
> That looked like a prairie rattler, the kind that I accidentally ran over
> on my bike.
>
> I was surprised the first time I saw a tarantula run across the road in
> front of me. I had never known that they were native to the SW.
>
> Chas.

They are in California and Arkansas that I know of. The California ones
will let you pick them up and the ones in Arkansas will rear up for a
fight. Completely different temperaments.
Bill Baka
>
> <carlfogel@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:sql46358g49lado23egmsv90eq1do5o0p9@4ax.com...
>> Some recent obstructions remind me not to complain too much about that
>> annoying traffic light on my daily ride. Most them expand in Explorer
>> if you click on the lower right. None of them are squirrels or dogs.
>>
>> Absolutely limp, motionless, and hoping that it won't be noticed,
>> stretched across the path:
>> http://i11.tinypic.com/52fvkno.jpg
>>
>> Obviously, it _was_ noticed, but my first attempt at one-handed
>> photography is embarrassingly fuzzy:
>>
>> http://i15.tinypic.com/4utq8mh.jpg
>>
>> This unharmed idiot was sunbathing on the path a few days later. The
>> one-handed focus is better, but a more intelligent photographer would
>> have checked that his automatic shutter had opened all the way:
>>
>> http://i15.tinypic.com/6ccz2iw.jpg
>>
>> Another unharmed idiot, caught a few minutes later, also sunbathing on
>> the path:
>> http://i10.tinypic.com/673ty4n.jpg
>>
>> This poor foot-long devil was still alive, but couldn't rattle, coil,
>> crawl, or hiss, so I had to put it out of its misery. (Handling this
>> kind is foolish--most fatal bites in the U.S. involve the head or neck
>> and a bizarre religious belief that rattlers won't resent handling.)
>> At first I thought that a car had hit it, but it was almost undamaged.
>> The fatal wound, an ugly, unseen gash on the far side of its neck,
>> probably came from a beak:
>> http://i13.tinypic.com/53rtreu.jpg
>>
>> These two camera hogs were too big for one-handed photography. The
>> first is about three feet long, the second about four feet long:
>> http://i6.tinypic.com/4ztygba.jpg
>> http://i18.tinypic.com/4xqogfs.jpg
>>
>> This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
>> often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
>> habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:
>> http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg
>>
>> Here's his little brother, next to a bottle of bug repellant:
>> http://i9.tinypic.com/4uxcfa1.jpg
>>
>> These three adults just stood there, while the two recently born kids
>> ran happily back and forth past them. The second kid is just visible
>> between the middle and right hand adults:
>> http://i13.tinypic.com/6g1xe1s.jpg
>>
>> One kid has already zoomed past the left edge of the picture. The
>> other is following:
>> http://i14.tinypic.com/5z20k09.jpg
>>
>> If you look closely, you can see the other kid, now running back the
>> other way, its head just past its sibling's tail:
>> http://i7.tinypic.com/4muhbbl.jpg
>>
>> And now it's raced back the other way, past all three adults:
>> http://i7.tinypic.com/4yhvh42.jpg
>>
>> These two versions of four horns have already been posted, but you
>> might as well see them again if you've browsed this far:
>> http://i8.tinypic.com/4yjyjvn.jpg
>> http://i7.tinypic.com/4y7cbgx.jpg
>>
>> Finally, here's about ten pounds of expectant mother, a bit bigger
>> than a bike helmet. Inflamed by a thunderstorm, she foolishly dug a
>> nest this afternoon at the edge of a sandy but poorly drained two-rut
>> road, fifteen feet from her marsh:
>> http://i12.tinypic.com/6gxpi1g.jpg
>>
>> Tails are often broken or truncated, but this tail is pristine, ready
>> for the show ring. (Yes, I once kept them as pets, but no, there are
>> no formal best-of-show competitions.)
>> http://i13.tinypic.com/4zvf9nb.jpg
>>
>> Excellent shell, little moss, no leeches, no holes:
>> http://i17.tinypic.com/6434ia9.jpg
>>
>> The tail has been moved to one side to show to advantage, while the
>> eye catches the camera flash:
>> http://i8.tinypic.com/5y9huds.jpg
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Carl Fogel
>
>

Luke

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 01:13:09 -0600, carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:

>Some recent obstructions ...

<snip>

Great pics Carl. Were you riding through a preserve? Or does a casual
ride through your neighbourhood involve such encounters with (to me
anyway) exotic wildlife?

carlfogel@comcast.net

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:45:50 -0400, Luke <lucasiragusa@rogers.com>
wrote:

>On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 01:13:09 -0600, carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:
>
>>Some recent obstructions ...
>
><snip>
>
>Great pics Carl. Were you riding through a preserve? Or does a casual
>ride through your neighbourhood involve such encounters with (to me
>anyway) exotic wildlife?

Dear Luke,

I just ride up the bike path along the Arkansas River to the dam at
the Pueblo Reservoir, then up to the top of the ridge west of town on
the highway:

http://i19.tinypic.com/4kynamo.jpg

I start and end at the tiny red tail on the far right. All the housing
on the south side of the river is up on the bluffs.

The houses on my side of town line the bluffs above the river, but
there's practically nothing on the river bottom, so thirty seconds
from my unremarkable suburban driveway I turn down a gully and am in
the countryside, but still about four miles from the city limits.

Technically, parts of the path are a riparian area, but the wildlife
isn't too sure about the distinctions and happily wanders into
traffic. Deer, foxes, and the occasional black bear or elk wander into
the city, following the river. (No antelope--they prefer the open
plains on top of the bluffs.) Beavers, muskrats, raccoons, badgers,
rabbits, skunks, and prairie dogs are common.

Oddly, I've never seen coyotes in my neighborhood, though I heard them
singing this evening out by the reservoir. The only creatures that I
noticed today were a crow, a hawk, and a great blue heron, none close
enough to justify hauling out a camera.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

R Brickston

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 16:39:18 -0700, Bill <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:

>limeylew@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Jun 3, 2:13 am, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
>>> This nitwit was playing why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road, as they
>>> often do, and finally ran over my shoe. They have a disconcerting
>>> habit of near-sightedly charging at you instead of fleeing:http://i16.tinypic.com/5z6l5y8.jpg
>
>This one reminds me of a nature break I took for about an hour while
>driving between L.A. and S.F. by a man made reservoir. I was just laying
>back and watching the clouds when I felt more than one something on my
>legs. Looking down at my legs I saw about 15 adult Tarantulas marching
>over my legs just like any other obstruction heading for where ever it
>was they were going. I got up and put my hand in front of one and he
>just walked over it like any other object.
>Migrating?
>All in all, an interesting but odd experience.
>Bill Baka

The species in this country live in solitude. Another tall tale from
Planet Baka. If you're going to bullshit, Billy, at least try and make
it entertaining. Like going down the highway at 120 doing one of your
world famous wheelies and seeing a tarantula... no wait... make that a
swarm of tarantulas, coming down both arms.

R Brickston

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 16:42:52 -0700, Bill <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:

>* * Chas wrote:
>> Carl, I thought you lived in Pueblo not Appalachia or the Ozarks.
>>
>> Put yer hand on the radio - now shake that snake...
>>
>> That looked like a prairie rattler, the kind that I accidentally ran over
>> on my bike.
>>
>> I was surprised the first time I saw a tarantula run across the road in
>> front of me. I had never known that they were native to the SW.
>>
>> Chas.
>
>They are in California and Arkansas that I know of. The California ones
>will let you pick them up and the ones in Arkansas will rear up for a
>fight. Completely different temperaments.
>Bill Baka

Billy Baka, the Spider Whisperer

Bill Sornson

R Brickston wrote:
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 16:42:52 -0700, Bill <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> * * Chas wrote:
>>> Carl, I thought you lived in Pueblo not Appalachia or the Ozarks.
>>>
>>> Put yer hand on the radio - now shake that snake...
>>>
>>> That looked like a prairie rattler, the kind that I accidentally
>>> ran over on my bike.
>>>
>>> I was surprised the first time I saw a tarantula run across the
>>> road in front of me. I had never known that they were native to the
>>> SW.
>>>
>>> Chas.
>>
>> They are in California and Arkansas that I know of. The California
>> ones will let you pick them up and the ones in Arkansas will rear up
>> for a fight. Completely different temperaments.
>> Bill Baka
>
> Billy Baka, the Spider Whisperer

ROTFL

* * Chas

<carlfogel@comcast.net> wrote in message
newsf376391uk3s54undf9emoo9ujh99pj2og@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:45:50 -0400, Luke <lucasiragusa@rogers.com>
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 01:13:09 -0600, carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:
> >
> >>Some recent obstructions ...
> >
> ><snip>
> >
> >Great pics Carl. Were you riding through a preserve? Or does a casual
> >ride through your neighbourhood involve such encounters with (to me
> >anyway) exotic wildlife?
>
> Dear Luke,
>
> I just ride up the bike path along the Arkansas River to the dam at
> the Pueblo Reservoir, then up to the top of the ridge west of town on
> the highway:
>
> http://i19.tinypic.com/4kynamo.jpg
>
> I start and end at the tiny red tail on the far right. All the housing
> on the south side of the river is up on the bluffs.
>
> The houses on my side of town line the bluffs above the river, but
> there's practically nothing on the river bottom, so thirty seconds
> from my unremarkable suburban driveway I turn down a gully and am in
> the countryside, but still about four miles from the city limits.
>
> Technically, parts of the path are a riparian area, but the wildlife
> isn't too sure about the distinctions and happily wanders into
> traffic. Deer, foxes, and the occasional black bear or elk wander into
> the city, following the river. (No antelope--they prefer the open
> plains on top of the bluffs.) Beavers, muskrats, raccoons, badgers,
> rabbits, skunks, and prairie dogs are common.
>
> Oddly, I've never seen coyotes in my neighborhood, though I heard them
> singing this evening out by the reservoir. The only creatures that I
> noticed today were a crow, a hawk, and a great blue heron, none close
> enough to justify hauling out a camera.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

I've never seen pronghorns up that close except dropping down into
Cheyenne
on I80. They used to hang out along the freeway.

Chas.