socalrider

I've pretty much seen or had encounters with all forms of wildlife.. Cows, Deers, Possums, Fox's, bobcats and bears.. But the most odd was a blind man standing in the middle of the road during a race..

I am doing the Nisei week criterium in downtown LA.. The race had about 80 riders, the course was flat and super fast.. Halfway through the race a man decides to cross the course, the field is barreling down on him, the announcer starts screaming for the man to get off the course.. He looks at small man crossing the course and realizes the man has a white cane. I have never heard an announcer yell so loudly than that day..

He starts screaming through the PA - BLIND MAN ON THE COURSE, over and over..

Fortunately it was in a long straightaway, we saw him and the field parted like the red sea around him.. A friend of mine said the man stopped and had a look on his face like what the hell just passed me and then just kept on going..

I've heard a few interesting things during a race but you never forget when the announcer yells Blind man on the course..

DieselDan

I have encountered alligators too, both the real ones and large sections of blown truck tires. Other items include a crate of Coke, shoes, a flashlight that still worked, and a boat.

Then:

FunkyStickman

I, too, have run over more than one gator on the road, but they well (thankfully) all dead. One time there was a truck coming, I was checking my 6:00, didn't see the carcass coming up, and since it covered the whole shoulder, couldn't avoid it.. went through it...

CliftonGK1

I used to see one of those when I lived in Cincinnati. The nearest ferry dock was just a dead end section of the road and a pier.

chasmm

Was that on the N. Ky. side of the river? If so, I think I've seen the same sign...

Charles

boy scout 161

On a trail out in the boonies I found a meth lab.

CliftonGK1

Yup. Used to live up the hill on Cinci's west side.

chasmm

As a young whippersnapper I found an old still. However growing up in SC in the 60's/70's that wasn't unusual. Neither was finding the pot plants. I also saw my share of snakes.

I'm still freaked out by the OP and his gator and the poster who saw the dead body. I saw a gator in Hilton Head while on my honeymoon in the late 80's, but we were told to be on the lookout for them, so it wasn't unexpected. They just look so prehistoric...like the stuff of nightmares...shiver...

Charles

dahut

Hats - lots of hats. Ball caps, to be specific. A shoe now and then. And tread sections which have come off truck tires.

None are really weird, I guess.

Neil_B

You have me topped. The young couple I saw weren't as far along as that. Then again, it was December and they were only a quarter mile from the township building.

wild animals

My weirdest one was an alligator too! I mean, an alligator lizard, but whatever.



I almost ran it over, wobbled away, u-turned, cotch that bad boy. Apparently they "bite."

DazarGaidin

Oranges. Yes oranges, and not like they fell off a tree, but ones marked with a grocer sticker at random intervals on the shoulder of the road. And they appear there in different places on different days. I thought this might be some weird local custom, and asked around, but no one seems to know of any such thing. I first started notcing them about 2 months ago when i was walking this route (which i didnt do often), but now that im riding it they are still showing up lol

My sister says maybe someone thought i was hungry

ttibby

I have always wondered about seeing the odd shoe on the side of the road. I am always curious, if I pull over and peek inside will there be like a severed foot in it or somthing. How did a lone shoe find it's way to the middle of the interstate or other major thuroughfares. I always have the image a some lavy driver with his foot stuck out the window and all of a sudden blamo! foot ripped off by a semi! Or is it a sleeping sibling on a long road trip who awakens to find his maughty brethren tossed his shoe out the window in spite!

Just wondering!

Eric...

Saltybeagle

In the southern most area of the Florida main land, we have lots Land Crabs, bluish crabs that during their season come out of their holes and go everywhere, they even climb trees. In my rural rides, these crabs will challenge the front wheel as you ride past them. the biggest ones can weigh a couple pounds.

We also have crocodiles, as opposed to alligators which you can see on the banks as you ride past canals in the water.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw013

kevinvin

The wife and I play a game when we are driving and see the random odd thing.. we call it hubcaps.. It's amazing what you see on the side of the road..

Other than the not very odd deer, turkeys, snakes, turtles, hawks, buzzards and other fauna I see on the Silver Comet trail... I have sped passed two different couples playing just off in the woods, still not very odd.. the squirrel that had clearly gotten run over by a bike was probably the oddest thing I have seen.. had a V just behind where it got hit, looked like it had gotten in a rat trap.. Kinda wondered if it made the bike fall..

dscheidt

seen on today's ride: a pink *****.

raindog1975

Two weeks ago I came across a large herd of sheep ( 200+ ) crossing the road ( it's not very uncommon here in Romania ). The sheep didn't bother me but I became a little nervous when I saw the dogs : three mioritic sheepherd dogs ( they are about the size of english mastiffs ) and despite the sheepherders assurance that ,, they don't bite " I decided that it was wise to slowly turn around a couple hundred ft. and wait until the herd ( and the dogs ) where at a safe distance.
P.S. I love dogs ( I have a spaniel ), but three dogs the size of motorcycles can make anybody nervous.

XR2

A large wood and plastic hot tub that appeared to have fallen from a truck. Hard.

Doohickie

So how much did you save on your car insurance?

RonE

Although I have also seen my fair share of alligators on my commute, my weirdest encounter was a dead armadillo in the middle of the bike trail that was being dinner for a flock of large vultures. I came upon them after rounding a curve, and as I approached, the vultures just did not want to give up their dinner. Defending their meal, they stood their ground until I was almost right up to them. Finally, they scampered to the side and let me pass. When I looked back, they were back at their meal.

fortkentdad

Keep in mind I'm on a recumbent trike, my but is a whole 5.5" off the ground. Ever look up into the snorting face of a buffalo? Yep, as in bison.

Seems our neighbour lady keeps one as a pet. She also had a Saint Bernard who was doing his best to try and herd this beast back into her fenced field. I guess the St Bernard wasn't a big enough pet.

Why did the Buffalo come out to cross the road? I don't know, but when you are as big as a buffalo and have horns on your head, you can cross the road whenever you want.

And for te record, the buffalo was naked.

wild animals

Hundreds.

shmily_dana

I see a lot of those dental floss holder things on the road. So people who litter care about oral hygine? Or are they used for something else?

Kotts

There is no way I will ever top the OP in this thread.


Ever...


I hope...

kevinvin

To get to the other side?