Roadkill!



maydog

maydog

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2010
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About 15 miles in to a 135 mile trip early 5 am yesterday morning, I got to see some nature up close an personal. Some sort of small game animal darted under my front wheel, my GPS says I was going 22 at the time. The collision made my front wheel jump up and I lost control. I came down hard on my side and slid down the asphalt trail.

After coming to a stop, my immediate instinct was to look around to see if any angry injured animal was about to attack. It either got thrown off the trail or hobbled off to die.

Then came the damage assessment. The wheels were true and the gears shifted. My clothing was in tatters and my right knee and elbow hurt but I and my bike were road worthy. I decided to keep going. Getting back on my bike, I noticed that my right handlebar was bent inward enough to make going in the drops and riding on the hoods feel wierd, but that was about the extent of the damage.

After the sun came up, I stopped for a refill and in the restroom I took a better look at my injuries. I had significant rash on my elbow, I tried to clean it out but the black from my shirt and or the road was worked in pretty well. My knee was injured as well but not as bad.

Anyway, I kept going and made it to my destination. The ride ended up being great after that one episode.

I dont know exactly what I hit, it had a ringed tail but appeared more slender and ran faster than a raccoon.

Has anyone else had close encounters, if so please share!
 
Animals make me nervous as heck when riding at night, there are more of them out and your peripheral vision is severely compromised, limiting your reaction time. The two night rides I have been on this season we have nearly hit deer, talk about bad news smoking a deer at 20+mph will not end well.....
 
This year the only relatively close encounters have been with a family of bobcats and rattlesnakes. About 5 years ago, I was pedaling home one night down a small unlit road when my headlamp it up a coyote. I came to a stop and suddenly found myself surrounded by coyotes. Well, by surrounded I mean that more than 10 of 'em walked casually around be, front and back, as they crossed the road. It was one the coolest experiences ever. In the past there have been encounters with other coyotes (one at a time) and with javelinas. Javelinas are evil because they **** a lot; they're stupid; they're mean; and they've got way too much inertia. On fast descents, it's always in the back of my mind to hope there isn't a big, fat javelina standing in the middle of my lane around the next bend.
 
A few months back I came across a Turkey Vulture eating road kill. The Vulture pulled its head out of its meals gut and gave me the full display of its 7 foot wing span. Quite impressive.
Deer and Northern Coyotes are very common around these parts and I see them just about every time I go mountain biking. They will be out in the road ways as the winter begins to set in.
The squirell population has been growing quite steadily over the past few years due to the abundant acorn supply. These buggers are darting across the road ways constantly. Luckily for them and me alike I have not got one caught up in my wheels yet.
 
Fortunately I've only been threatened by a few hyper squirells, and a rare on the road snake now and then. I am waiting for the day a deer darts out from a corn field and takes me to the other side of the road. Right now the biggest worry are the dipsh$t rednecks.
 
http://www.break.com/index/buck-slams-into-mountain-biker-2180455 . I thought this is relevant to the discussion.
 
Originally Posted by hippie .

http://www.break.com/index/buck-slams-into-mountain-biker-2180455 . I thought this is relevant to the discussion.
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That's what happens to people who were sleeveless jerseys: nature fights back against such wrongness.
 
I was on a 50 mile ride today. On the return trip, i was attacked by a Killer squirrel /img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif . Actually he started two cross my path. Then changed his mind, then he changed it again & jumped into the side of my right calf. I'm glad i didn't run him over.
 
Got a chipmunk because of the reverse course manuever. He ran from the left, halfway across my lane, and I swerved left to miss him. And then he reversed course and ran right under my front wheel. His head was crushed so at lease he didn't suffer long.
 
That's exactly what the squirrel did /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif. Luckily for him he hit my leg instead of my wheel.
 
Originally Posted by kdelong .

Got a chipmunk because of the reverse course manuever. He ran from the left, halfway across my lane, and I swerved left to miss him. And then he reversed course and ran right under my front wheel. His head was crushed so at lease he didn't suffer long.
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You killed Alvin. Bad very bad.
 
Originally Posted by alienator .

That's what happens to people who were sleeveless jerseys: nature fights back against such wrongness.
Click to expand...

The funny part of this video is the rider points out the antelope that takes him down!
 
Took out a smaller size ground hog that decided to try and run through my back wheel. Nearly took his head off as he made a full revolution with the wheel and through the seat & chain stays. Only bent the wheel a little, no broken spokes and bent the derailleur cage a bit. Gotta love bladed spokes.
 
You're right, it had to be Alvin. Simon would not have been that stupid and Theodore would have been too timid. I hope Dave doesn't come looking for me with a sawed off shotgun. Whoops...now this thread will probably be merged with one of the "Gun" threads.
 
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