Saved another Turtle......
 

My son has a Turtle habitat in the backyard. We've learned a lot about the common box turtle that is found in the SE USA.

While out doing a 60 miler today, I spotted a turtle enjoying the warm asphalt on a beautiful sunny day on one of NC's backroads. Sometimes, if I have something to carry them in I'll bring them back home. They will wet you when spooked or uncomfortable or just trying to show off.....I took this one off the road a good ways and encouraged him to stay off the road. He hissed at me but I think he knew it was for his own good.

Anyone else do anything special with animals?

Good karma for you jppe.

When I'm going uphill on my bike I usually can't catch turtles to help them.

Ride likea bat out of H and scream at those country dogs that chase me:)

I haven't seen too many animals this year other than the usual squirrels, chipmunks, etc scurrying across the roads and trails.

I happened upon this Turtle Crossing sign while cycling near Westport, Ontario, Canada this past summer.

http://www.brucew.com/images/prr/100_1434.jpg

There weren't any crossing there at the time.

You're a good man, jppe. I once made my daughter get out of the car in the rain in her cheerleader uniform to get a tortise off the road. It jumped and hissed at her, which made for quite a scene. It's important to do what we can.

I rescued two young swans that got into a chain link fence along the bikepath. Someone had cut the fence and folded it back against itsself and the little ones got between and couldn't get back with there parents. The parents weren't so sure about what I was doing, but they were on the other side of the fence, thankfully. They are big and ornery.

You are a good man, jppe. While cycling in Florida I moved this gator from the road to the shoulder. He hissed at me but I think he knew it was for his own good.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...lleytrail3.jpg

My sister-in-law used to keep box turtles in the back yard for their kids. When the little ones hatch they have a sharp point on there upper beak or lip. It is called an egg tooth. It allows them to cut out of their soft egg shells. I think that I remember that the males have red eyes and the females have yellow eyes but I am not sure about this.

I was out riding my usual route and saw a snapping turtle on the side of the road with about 2 inches of mud on it's back. The shell was about 12 inches long and his head was about the same diameter as a golf ball. Needless to say, I did not stop to offer assistance.

Just a few days ago, Donna found an injured wood thrush in a neighbors yard. It had been attacked by some blue jays (they were flying in and out of the tree which the thrush was under (on the ground). Didn't have any luck, as it didn't survive. She also tried to save a hummingbird once, that had been the victim of an in air collision. But it was also too far gone. And once, noticed a house with a chihuahua chained up outside, day after day, in the winter. She stopped and politely informed the owner that it wasn't a good idea to keep a chihuahua outside in the winter time. It was not chained outside after that.

I haven't had any animal adventures on my bike lately, but I did have one in my truck a few weeks ago. I was towing my boat to Lake Bardwell for some crappie fishing. The road, just before you enter the park, is the roughest, narrowest road you've ever seen. As I crept along this road just at dawn, I came upon one of the biggest snapping turtles I've ever seen. I got close enough to startle him before I stopped, and he stopped, turned, and faced me.

We sat there staring at each other for several minutes. I tried backing up 30 feet and killing my engine, but he still just stood there facing me. The was no way I was going to run over this giant creature, so I got out of my truck, found a pretty good size tree limb, and herded him off the road. He did not go easily, clamping down on that limb several times. You forget just how fast a snapping turtle can latch down on something, if you haven't seen it in awhile.

I've escorted turtles and the occasional snake off paths and roads a few times. Once I noticed a pony entangled in a barbed wire fence beside a road. I told a man on a neighboring farm about it and watched while he managed to free the animal after an impressive struggle. It wasn't cooperative and didn't seem the least bit grateful for his efforts. Fortunately, neither the pony nor its rescuer appeared to be injured by the ordeal.

I haven't saved any turtles lately, but the other day, I think I drafted one. :D

I used to see, and occasionally rescue, box turtles in Pa every summer. I don't think I've seen one in three or four years now. Sad

I ate a pulled pork sandwich at Fresh Air BBQ after my long MTB ride Sunday. ;)

I rode the C & O Canal Towpath a couple of years ago. We saw hundreds of Turtles in the remnants of the old canal. Now I know why the University of Maryland's motto is "Fear the Turtle!" They were all peaceful and none attacked!! Seriously, we always make a point of moving turtles and non poisonous snakes to safety whether they like it or not!!

Around here turtles end up in the pot.:p

BluesDawg, I had the same thing sun. while watching some cyclocross racing and it was good. To balance out the karma I saved a snake on the ride back home.