The Luckiest Squirrel in Colorado Springs...
03-22-18 | 01:43 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,667
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Specialized Rockhopper, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
The Luckiest Squirrel in Colorado Springs...
...from this morning's ride in to work.
03-23-18 | 06:35 AM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
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From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
I had one go under my back tire once upon a time. Felt his tail hit my foot and a little bump in back. I looked back and he was still running.
03-23-18 | 11:22 AM
#8
-
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 41
Bikes: yes!
I once had a squirrel run between my front and rear wheels as I rode along about 15mph. A few weeks later a bird flew through my front wheel and seemed to have made it out mostly unscathed, minus a feather or two. Both these incidents occurred in a 3-mile wooded section of a MUP which I consequently referred to as The Incredible Woods.
03-23-18 | 01:43 PM
#9
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
[MENTION=151366]BobbyG[/MENTION], sometimes it seems that the squirrels wait for the danger and then jump out into it.
Why couldn't you eat a cat?
Why couldn't you eat a cat?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
03-23-18 | 06:23 PM
#11
Thread Starter
Senior Member
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Specialized Rockhopper, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
03-24-18 | 08:48 PM
#14
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
Likes: 6,637
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Fantastic shot! What happened immediately after you shot that?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
03-24-18 | 09:03 PM
#15
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,102
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From: Zang's Spur, CO
A week ago I was on a bike path that passes through a through a prairie dog colony.
Just then, 3 dogs on the left of the path suddenly decided they need to be on the right.
And simultaneously, 3 dogs on the right suddenly felt the need to be on the left.
Just as they all reached the middle of the path, they realized the danger I presented, so all of them suddenly turned 90 degrees and ran away from from me.
So there I was, driving a herd of prairie dogs down the path.
Just then, 3 dogs on the left of the path suddenly decided they need to be on the right.
And simultaneously, 3 dogs on the right suddenly felt the need to be on the left.
Just as they all reached the middle of the path, they realized the danger I presented, so all of them suddenly turned 90 degrees and ran away from from me.
So there I was, driving a herd of prairie dogs down the path.
03-25-18 | 09:40 PM
#17
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
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At the start of last spring I had a couple close calls with squirrels too. I also ran over a magpie that swooped under my bike for whatever reason too. The crunch was disturbing, but oddly enough it still managed to flap away after. Blech.
03-26-18 | 03:32 PM
#18
Keepin it Wheel
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,971
Likes: 5,263
From: San Diego
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus
And then, just after they've actually cleared the danger, recognize the danger and reverse right back into it, like this guy did. I see this with rabbits a lot too, but I've never had that near a miss.
03-26-18 | 04:26 PM
#19
Banned.
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,128
Likes: 315
From: Vegemite Island
Bikes: 2017 Surly Troll with XT Drive Train, 2017 Merida Big Nine XT Edition, 2016 Giant Toughroad SLR 2, 1995 Trek 830
...from this morning's ride in to work.
https://youtu.be/boQMWXuphRo
https://youtu.be/boQMWXuphRo
03-30-18 | 04:50 PM
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,221
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From: Highlands Ranch, CO
Bikes: '13 Diamondback Hybrid Commuter, '17 Spec Roubaix Di2, '17 Spec Camber 29'er, '19 CDale Topstone Gravel
03-30-18 | 11:29 PM
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 163
Likes: 2
Bikes: Two. One daily rider. One with detachment issues.
We have little lizards that lay on the pavement, then take off running in full panic mode at the last second ... impossible to avoid as their direction is random. (They occasionally audibly pop when run over, BTW) I finally realized they ALWAYS run, so now I steer straight at them and they are gone just before my tire arrives.
03-31-18 | 07:49 AM
#23
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
Likes: 6,637
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
We have little lizards that lay on the pavement, then take off running in full panic mode at the last second ... impossible to avoid as their direction is random. (They occasionally audibly pop when run over, BTW) I finally realized they ALWAYS run, so now I steer straight at them and they are gone just before my tire arrives.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
03-31-18 | 12:04 PM
#24
Keepin it Wheel
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,971
Likes: 5,263
From: San Diego
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus
Last week I took a mtb ride not long after a rainy night, and the trails were COVERED in snails. I don't want to squish the little guys, but nearly impossible to avoid completely.
THey're probably also ALWAYS running, but steering straight at them would be the wrong strategy...
03-31-18 | 02:42 PM
#25
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,667
Likes: 2,411
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Specialized Rockhopper, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V