Wildlife Days
 

I know that every once in a while we'll get a thread going about the wildlife we've seen on our rides. Yesterday was just so unusual that I thought I'd start another one. On a single 30 mile ride just outside of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania I saw the following: 17 whitetail deer (including a buck with eight points), an old red fox (I could tell he was getting old by the grey hair on his face), a red-tail hawk, a blue heron, and... big drum roll, please.... a large black bear that the crossed the road in front of me less than 30 yards away. He actually, stopped in the middle of the road and looked in my direction before continuing to the other side. Now keep in mind that this is a heavily populated area; the county has more people in it than the entire state of Alaska (670,000) - Montgomery County (775,000). So, one doesn't expect to see black bears wandering around. Well, in any event, I can't remember when I've seen so many creatures on such a short ride. And, wouldn't you know it, I didn't even have a cell phone camera with me.

I saw a bobcat sauter across the road on the West Orange Trail here in central FL. I saw a bear canter across the road here in central FL also. I have seen wild pigs beside the road in central FL. I have seen grey foxes, armadillos, red foxes, oppossums, raccoons, red shouldered hawks, barred owls, great horned owls, osprey, and bald eagles.

I was up at Jekyl Island. I dediced to ride around the island early in the morning before dawn. I had brought an HID light. It was a good thing that I did. I had no idea that the island had so many deer. You know what? The stand in the middle of the road and stare at you like deer in the headlights. Also they don't have reflectors on. Seems to be mighty careless of them.

I recall one ride where we were going along at over 25 mph in a pace line. There was an armadillo out in the middle of the road. As we started to pass him, he was startled. He arched his back like a cat would. He stared to hop around in rather random directions on the road. It was possibly comical. He looked like an animated wind up toy. But there was the obvious danger of him deciding to dart into the midst of the paceline that kept anyone from really appreciating the levity of the situation.

Squirrels- Rabbits- Foxes- Deer- and the odd Rambler is about the best I can do.

Night rides are better with owls- Badgers and courting couples.


But one Memorable ride- Out on the hills in the middle of nowhere and came across 6 female foreign students Sunbathing. -Naked. They must have been foreign as they didn't bat an eyelid when I asked them where Eastbourne was and pointed me in the right direction.

Ahh, come on Stapfam - admit it, you knew where Eastbourne was all along. Didn't you?:roflmao:

Like this one? :innocent:
http://images.rodandcustommagazine.c...63_rambler.jpg

I'll bet your eyelids were batting.:lol:

I regret to report that the first deer I've ever seen in my neck of the woods in Indianapolis was being pulled, deceased, away from the road by a property owner a couple of weeks ago. Most of the wildlife that I see from the road is on the road and not breathing. There are quite a few hawks of various sorts, though, in the air around here and they are smart enough to not hang out on the roadways.

Had to ask them something for stumbling across them:innocent:

And If I saw a Rambler like BD posted- It would be sedated and taken home.

:eek: The sun was shining?

Does occasionally happen over here- normally around April Or May but It doesn't always rain over here- Apparantly Snow is forecast for this weekend and that is unusual at any time of the year.

Similar story. Back in the early 90's I backed my Van into a driveway up near the
Lake one sunny July afternoon and it turned out that a young lady was sunning
herself topless back by her garage. Being the perfect gentleman that I am, and
married, I patiently watched in the mirror as she stood up and non-chalantly put
her top back on. I then approached her and gave her flowers. She thanked me and
I went merrily along on down the road.

Of course I was working part time as a delivery dude for a local florest at the time
and the flowers were a delivery for her. :innocent:

Not bike related but ......

I'm debating whether or not I should relay the description of your ride to a friend of mine at work. He spent an entire weekend in the woods deer hunting and came back empty handed.

Some rides are just better than others.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/f...loradobuck.jpg

That's one of the best things about the Jordan River parkway Trail. I saw ducks, geese, hawks, cats, a rat, and a deer today. In the past I have seen foxes, a cougar, beavers, goats, llamas, emus, horses and mules, cows, sheep, eagles, rabbits, pheasants, weasels, muskrats, and many different kinds of birds. Also a lot of pleasant to look at ladies! ;)

I had forgotten about the geese I also saw. Lately, I've been thinking about geese in much the same way I do squirrels, an annoyance that often gets in the way. I swear between geese and squirrels, I'm sooner or later going to go down from hitting one. :notamused: The squirrels are just plain suicidal and the geese that hang by the side of the road on several of my routes, think they own the damn road. They won't move for anyone. I've seen more than one dead carcass from a group of them walking out into traffic.

Up on Glendora Mountain Road I've seen a gazillion (approx.) lizards, furry tarantulas (2 or 3), many deer, a couple of bobcats, multitudes of coyote, fox (once), plus numerous birds which I am unable to identify (being basically bird clueless).

On the Coyote Creek / San Gabriel MUP I've seen skunks (twice!), rats and mice, plus various birds which (I'm told) were sea gulls, pelicans, and egrets.

On Hwy 39 (the part that's closed to cars) one huge bear.