Since I am an animal lover, one of the hardest things for me to deal with is getting up close and personal with the road kill that we roadies see out there. I guess the most disheartening thing to see is a full grown dog or cat that's been struck. People should know better than to let their pets run loose near roads but even I have had my dogs dig under fences or sneak though open gates from time to time. Usually I just turn my head and hammer for a few pedal strokes to leave the scene behind.

Even when it's a wild animal, one that no person had an emotional attachment to, I stiil don't like to see the gruesome remains of animal vs. car.

Living as I do, close to a huge military reservation, there is plenty of habitat for the critters. Though it may be gruesome, here's what I've seen this season:

• opossum
• raccoon
• rabbit
• squirrel
• deer
• a small black bear (that's what got me to thinking about this)
• song birds
• turtle
• snake
• beaver
• Canada Goose
• cat
• dog