roadiejorge 

deer, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, opossums and rats when riding in NYC.

daddystheman

One particular MUP I ride has rabbits by the score. They run along side me and cross over in front now and then. Reminds me of the dolphins that cruise along next to ships. Man, those rabbits reproduce like... well.. rabbbits!

I was out for an early morning run a couple years ago and saw a couple of cute little dogs trotting along in front of me, in the middle of the road. Teeny little ankle-biters, cute as can be. Until I got within 20-30 feet and saw that both cute little lapdogs had white stripes down their backs. I turned my own tail and fled before they could spray! 'Course, my wife would probably say that the scent only improved my natural exercise, ummmm, aroma.

I see tons of deer and turkeys along the way, too.

And roadkill. Sometimes I'll see a fresh deer kill and for the next month I get to see it in various stages of decomposition until it's just a skeleton. Great fun and <sniff, sniff> so pleasant on hot days.

Phil85207

Large dead dog in the bike lane. So sad. someone's pet gone forever.

redtires

Today? A dead rabbit and a rock. Why a rock you say? Because it gave me two snakebites!!!!

razor244

so far ive seen dogs snakes armadillos vultures frogs turtles squirrels and bunnies, ranging from living to roadkill lol

MadCity Cyclist

I saw an animal on the road my last ride. It was very flat and vaguely grayish.

Um... as to live animals: lots of squirrels, ducks and geese, (the bike path along the lake in town) chipmunks, deer, and of course the giant bugs that hit me in the face.

Casrider

One late night commute home I spotted what I thought was a very large rat crossing the empty four lane avenue I was biking. Got a bit closer and saw it was a possum slowly rambling across the road. I wanted to get past it but it got to the point where our respective trajectories intersected before I did. Then it stopped, look down the road at me and regarded me with more than a slight amount of attitude before continuing across the road. I don't think such a small animal has ever made me double back before that possum did.

I've also seen wild turkeys, big snapping turtles, territorial Canada geese, the usual rabbit and suicidal squirrel. Three very large dogs sauntering down the middle of a country road one day... gave me a bit of worry until I saw their owner round the corner on a bike behind them.
I don't know if you could say that spotting bald eagles, red-tail hawks, peregrine falcons, and other raptors while riding is really an encounter but I see them often.

I'd love to bike the west coast regions but the thought of large carnivores (mountain lions, grizzlies) in some areas puts the fear in me. However, I don't off-road cycle, which is where I imagine most encounters would occur.

JRonaTrek

I saw a Coyote on an early ride. One afternoon in the fall of last year i saw a HAWK (i believe it was a hawk) catch a Pigeon in mid air, i heard the bones of the Pigeon crack.....it was AMAZING! about 1 mile down the road there is a "rest area" there on the fence was the hawk, tearing up the pigeon....pretty awesome.

here in the Phoenix Area, there has been reports of Mountain Lions coming out (actually just 1 mountain lion).....I have yet to see one....BUT i did see an early rider with a gun.....i dont know why he had a gun....he'd get into more trouble if he shot the mountain lion, or if he shot the gun period....i understand where he is coming from and all, but i wouldnt shoot the lion. were going into his land.....

Inertianinja

a wild turkey, about the size of a SMART car, crossing the road while i was hammering my brains out. nearly died!

this was in NJ, btw.

gerald_g 

Darn near hit a PORCUPINE one evening. Glanced down at my computer for a second, and looked up to see him waddling across my path. Luckily no traffic, and a quick swerve let me by within inches. I don't want to go to the hospital with porcupine quills!

Inertianinja

Also, I have unwillingly eaten several flying insects lately. i have to get a better decongestant.


Animals are a big part of what's keeping me covering the brakes on descents. i can prepare for road conditions and generally know about people ahead of me. but a wild turkey? eek

Inertianinja

Also, I have unwillingly eaten several flying insects lately. i have to get a better decongestant.


Animals are a big part of what's keeping me covering the brakes on descents. i can prepare for road conditions and generally know about people ahead of me. but a wild turkey? eek

valygrl

Among other things...

mymilkexpired

You steal his Jerky?

TheOtherZach

A woodchuck almost T-boned my wife yesterday. Today a big o'l bumblebee hit my glasses on a decent with enough force to knock them off my head.

Starting to wonder what our passenger #'s were.

RaiderInBlue47

Just today I was riding along when what I thought was a leaf blew in front of me. I didn't ride over it because in a split second it did the tightest u-turn I've ever seen and went straight back into the woods. Turned out to be a squirrel!

Best animal I've ever encountered was a trout. I was riding along when a trout jumped out of this creek and into the street. I swerved to avoid him and pitched him back in. Weird things happen.

85trek

Buffalo on the county road I was riding on. Made sure to stop a couple hundred feet back.

corbett1010

Red foxes all the time, they usually run away. Turtles and snakes pretty common, skunks every now and then

colombo357

I see a lot of chimps on the road. They're usually moving along slowly. Some of them are on Pinarellos.

Nick386i

Pheasant, rabbits, Hare, dead badger, dead hedgehog, Fox, Grey Squirrell...and I killed one bird that decided it was not going to fly away no room for me to dodge was on cycle path with wife beside me

kleinboogie

Sounds like your survival instinct kicked in and gave you superhuman bike handling skills. I have 2 or 3 squirrels or rabbits run in front of me on every ride and the occasional snake. The worst time is spring when all the newborns are running and don't have the path skills their bruised and battered parents have. ahh kids.

kr32

You know take that bear away that looks like such a beautiful ride! Heck even with it there it looks beautiful! wow

kraftwerk 

Mt biking VT a few yeas ago on a cul de sac trail ( ie. not a loop same trail in & out) Saw something run up a tree, thought at first it was two cats, turned out to be two bear cubs who were scared of me. Never saw the Moma Bear, luckily. Had to take the same trail to get home so I whooped it up a bit to give the Black Bears fair warning.

lpolliard

Riding on the bike path through Irvine I rolled up upon a huge bob cat. At first, 50 yards away, I thought it was a cat. Then as I rolled closer it just kept getting bigger. At one point I was worried it was a mountain lion just off the path a few feet. It stopped growing and I realized what it was.

Daytrip

I've seen snakes, possums, groundhogs, porcupines, etc., but mostly deer and turkeys. They're the ones I worry about because they're the ones most likely to attack me.