Touring - Roadkill

I was wondering what kinds of interesting road kill anyone has come accross while on the road.

Dave

My 2 most unique were a Luna Moth and a Saw-whet Owl. Both with very little damage, both incredibly wonderful animals that it seems such a shame to be hit by a car.

Racoons, Porcupines, Dogs, Cats, Deer, Moose, various kinds of birds and a Moth whose wingspan was as broad as my hand.

Was riding home, after work, about 1AM. I was passing under a street light when this huge flying insect attacked me. At first I thought it was a bat, until I swatted at it to chase it away and managed to stun it. It fell to the ground where I got to see it for several seconds before it recovered and flew off.

An entomologist friend gave me the name for the moth, but I've forgotten it. Said they are quite common but strictly nocturnal and therefore not often seen. The only thing I know, it scared the hell out of me. Had visions of being devoured by a mutant creature just like in a bad movie.

Skunks, squirrels, deer, cats, mice, birds, opposums.

The other day I saw a big turkey vulture on the side of a trail. Considering that only slow moving tour busses use the pavement, I think it died of natural causes. I was thinking of pulling one of its big feathers out for a souvenier but after a couple of half hearted tugs, I gave up and moved on.

Man, that moth story sounded creepy! Were you riding late at night?

Dave

Kangaroos mainly. They're pretty psychotic some of the time.

We found a freshly dead mute swan (heaviest flying bird in the world) ; it had flown into a high-voltage pylon. Stricly speaking they all belong to the queen, but since she wasnt looking, we snatched it from the roadside and cooked it. It was a bit tough and stringy.

On another ride, we found a roadkill pheasant. These are very common, raised for shooting, and roadkills make good eating. You are supposed to leave your own kills for the following driver, so you dont brake hard to stop for it.
A couple on a tandem picked it up, and the stoker was plucking the bird as sthey cycled along.
When driving back from a birdwatching trip with our ornithologist biology teacher, he managed to run doen a pheasant. He really loved birds, anyway you cook them.

Does anyone else eat roadkills?

Six snakes on one short 18 mile ride!!

Possums, racoons, and the average cats and dogs.

Ive often been tempted to stop and cut the tail off prize racoons but I don't know how to keep em from spoiling.

Food has never crossed my mind while seeing roadkill. Mabey it's a cultural thing.

I attended my Junior year of high scool in Utah and would walk to school everyday. I remember that early in winter a cat was hit by a car and lay on the sidewalk for six months. I'd say hi to that cat twice a day. He wasn't much to look at but he made quite a loyal friend.

In Africa - elephant, hippo, dead people

Around here, beaver, possum, deer, snakes, goats, cat, dogs

I saw two dead humans this summer. One had a heart attack on his bike. I was obliged to perform CPR with another cyclist. (The other rider quickly and wisely chose the chest positon) Poor guy never pulled through.

The other was a suicide hanging from a tree. Thank goodness friend Dave and I missed seeing him on the way to coffee. Someone else made the discovery just before we returned back. It's supposed to be a horrid sight close up.

The coolest roadkills I have ever seen were in Malaysia.

I saw ENORMOUS lizards. I forget what the natives called them, but they were six feet long - monsters really.

The other thing of interest was a most curious looking armadillo. It had scales that looked something like dirty fingernails - not plates like we see in the southern USA.

Of course, there were snakes too numerous to mention including cobras and some other poisonous vipers, but they couldn't match the other beasts from "the land that time forgot".

Originally posted by Greg
Possums, racoons, and the average cats and dogs.

Ive often been tempted to stop and cut the tail off prize racoons but I don't know how to keep em from spoiling.

Food has never crossed my mind while seeing roadkill. Mabey it's a cultural thing.

I attended my Junior year of high scool in Utah and would walk to school everyday. I remember that early in winter a cat was hit by a car and lay on the sidewalk for six months. I'd say hi to that cat twice a day. He wasn't much to look at but he made quite a loyal friend.
Greg, I often take the tail from deer I find to be used for fishing lures. If you cut around the bone and not through it, you can pull the tail off and the bone will stay on the carcass. Fill the void where the bone was with salt and put it in a dry place for a few days. After that, you can do whatever you want with it.

http://cyclingtheamericas.org/Pictures/Gator1_1-9-02.jpg

Ok, ok, its not exactly roadkill, cuz its not exactly dead. But its one of the cooler things I've come across on the road. Smells nicer than a dead body (I think):rolleyes:.

Dave