This has been my "Good Samaritan" year for roadside finds.
ONE: First, this spring I found a really nice Felt Carbon Fiber road bike laying beside the road. Apparently it had been there for at least an hour, probably overnight as it had some mud on it and a few fresh sprinkles. I yelled and nobody answered.
So, about a mile from home, I was walking my bike and the Felt home, when a neighbor pulled out of the driveway in her SUV, looked at me funny, and said it was her bike. She seemed to fit on it. We rode back to where I picked it up. Then left it with her. There appeared to be another road bike in the garage, so I'm inclined to believe her.
I had been contemplating how to place a "Found" ad on Craigslist without giving too much away. And, also calling two local PDs and the Sheriff's office. At least finding the neighbor was easier.
That reminds me, I saw another neighbor riding a nice road bike with two young kids near there... I've been meaning to ask if he was the one, and ask if he wished to borrow a Fuji Ace 24 which needs to be passed on.
TWO:
About a month ago, I decided to stop buy the local LBS to pick up some rim tape for Mom's bike. But, I decided to try a different store than usual which included an extra hill climb. So, at the base of the hill, I saw a woman and a kid around 10 or so. She yelled across a 4-lane road asking if I had seen something, and seemed to indicate a square, and I finally heard the word envelope. I was thinking a large manila envelope. I replied NO. But, while I do glance at some roadside debris, I wasn't quite sure if I would have noticed an envelope among other roadside trash. Nonetheless, I kept my eyes open for large envelope shaped objects as I headed up the hill. And, about 1/2 mile up the hill, I found a small white sealed envelope with a name scrawled on it and no stamp. Somehow I knew that was the one. So, I turned around and headed back down the hill. She wasn't where I saw her earlier, but I did find that she had crossed the road (and I had crossed the road, again on opposite sides). Anyway, I whistled, and she yelled, and I made out the word KIETH. Which turned out to resemble the nearly indecipherable scribble on the envelope, so I gave her a

, and made may way back across the road. It turns out the envelope was full of cash. She offered me $20 out of it (which I didn't take), but obviously enough to be out searching for it, and the $20 was just a fraction of it.
At least with that one, I'd have ignored it if I hadn't been specifically looking for it. But, she was looking quite far from where it actually was found.
THREE (Today):
Out again today. On my way back home, I saw a really nice pocket knife on the side of the road, a yard or so past a driveway, but on the road shoulder. Not battered like many of them. A genuine Leatherman Skeletool. I stood and thought about it for a moment. Then put it in the pocket and headed on. Then 1/4 mile away, I decided to turn around and knock on the door of the house it was in front of. First a woman answered, the said she'd ask her BF/Husband, and he came out and said he had been working on removing some roadkill from in front of the house. He offered me a bottle of wine or beer (I don't drink). Well, anyway, he was quite happy to get his knife back.
So... just my luck, all the really good finds... and I found the owners.
