https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/...yclist_vs_bear

MISSOULA, Mont. - A middle school teacher suffered some bruising and a big scratch on his back after he struck a bear while riding his bicycle to school.

Jim Litz said he was traveling about 25 mph Monday morning when he came upon a rise and spotted a black bear about 10 feet in front of him. He didn't have time to stop and T-boned the bruin.

He tumbled over the handlebars, his helmet hit the bear's back and the two went cartwheeling down the road.

The bear rolled over Litz's head, cracking his helmet, and scratched his back before scampering up a hill above the road.

Litz's wife drove by shortly after the crash and took her husband to the hospital. He hoped to be able to return to teaching science at Target Range Middle School on Friday.



Anyone ever hit an animal on the trail before?

Glad to see the bear was wearing a helmet.

Had he been riding a nice MTB...he could have had time to stop and give the poor bear a fighting chance instead of taking a "cheap-shot".

"target range middle school"......

wasnt on a mountain bike though as far as i can tell....

baheheheeheehee

my day has been made

Sounds like the kind of guy you'd want with you when your out "bearcane" hunting.

When I was a kid, a squirrel bounced off the sidewall of my tire. Scared the ***** out of both of us.

Close call with a young bull moose once, but no collisions thankfully.

I ran over a rattlesnake a couple years back on the American River Trail near Sacramento, on my road bike. Happened too fast to bunnyhop, and I didn't want to stop and find out how the critter made out. It did make a hissing sound as I rolled over. Still feel badly about damaging wildlife.

I've almost hit a deer that hangs out at one of the local trails and a local guy hit actually hit it about 3 weeks ago or so. He was fine, but he said it scared him.

I hit a giant caterpillar riding home from school the other day. Made a nice sound and got some brownish green stuff on my shin. And of course I've had a number of close calls with giant bushy tailed rats.

How 'bout beaver?

I was riding my Honda 200x down a gravel road at dusk and a Bat smacked me dead square in the face I was 10 years old and to this day...I love Bats.

Thank god he and the bear is fine

I was charged by a moutnain lion on a trail outside of Missoula. This is amuch, much better story.

Nope, only ever seen a couple(most in zoos) and never seen one from a bike.

I was riding in explore park in Roanoke. Climbing a hill when to the right of me 4 deer crested the hill one ran right in front of me and the other three just behind me. I think they where just as suprised as I was.

Best "Cheetoed story" ever.

I killed me a bar when I wuz only 3.