clfjmpr44

Rydwhite,
Maybe the squirrels near you are using EPO, you should have them tested, just make sure you don't freeze the second sample...

Drayko

At least they're not jumping at us from overhanging tree limbs yet...

UziBeatle

Interesting thread.

Down here in Texas just off Galveston Bay I ride almost every day and have seen for the past week or so
a BUNCH of road killed squirrels. A dozen or so at least. A bunch more than I usually see that's for sure.


Something must be in the air. Secret government spraying squirrel-nip from high altitude jets? Eh?

sizmaters

i did not realize there were that many northern virginians here. high all ride the w@od most sat. see you all there. any group rides i always go it alone?

fujibike

We had one try to cross the street during a mass start of a 1500 person ride. That squirrel took alot of tumbles between pedals and spokes but finally made his way across. All cyclists were safe.

clfjmpr44

There are regular group rides through the Reston Bike Club
www.restonbikeclub.org
I live in Herndon and commute to Sterling on the WOD almost every day.

drumbum

Had a wierd experience the other day....was riding along a two lane road in backcountry PA. I see a deer up ahead, standing in the middle of the road. I yell and slow down, and it runs back into the woods. So, I start to speed up again. Right as I near the spot that he used to be standing, he ran back out into the road...at this point I locked up my brakes. Instead of crossing the road, this deer runs ALONG IT. Any bystander would have claimed I was "chasing" the deer.....so wierd...

mrq35

maybe something is in the air...i am in western MA...had a ride today and one squirrel fell of a long branch just about on top of me...i looked back thinking he was dead, but the bugger just ran away...a few miles later i almost ran over one...geez...

SteveE

Surgeon General's Warning to squirrels: Gathering nuts may be hazardous to your health.

wfin2004

When I lived in Ohio, I had a large lot w/ house. 27 huge Oaks and maybe 15 Hickory trees. Squirrels were always falling from trees with a huge "thud". ALWAYS would run back to the same tree after a second or two of indecisivness like they left their wallet up there or something! Always amusing to watch and just as dumbfounded that they survive without any injuries.

bac

Suicide?

Kid-Cycle

As Cerberusgl says ... they have been all over the AR trail all summer. So far this year I hit three, or rather; I have been 'T-Boned' by three of these pesky long tailed rodents. One went into my front wheel and was thrown up and bounced off my shin. It was kind of gross.

My biggest concern with the change in season coming on is all of the acorns on some parts of the trail. It can get kinda interesting when rounding a bend at speed and your front wheel hits an acorn and slides radially outward over the acorn. It tends to get your attention rather quickly.

Anyway, I just don’t want to go down from hitting a long tailed rodent.

feltdude

I got one on a group ride last tuesday. 23 MPH and I got it with tires.. thought for sure I was going down (I didn't) took me 8 miles to get my breathing back in rhythm and the group almost dropped me. Oh well, scary!

rat

That's an awful picture - did you go have to search for it or what?
I have hit several squirrels in my career, and this year they seem to be more numerous and crazier than ever. Just the other day I was rolling thought the arboreum (tree place) near my house and one faked me out completely - doubling back just after he crossed the path. Went right under my front tire, a 20mm at about 130 psi. I stumbled and almost crashed, while he scrambled away and up the nearest tree, whereupon we locked eyes for what seemed like a long time. Maybe he climbed it on adrenaline and dropped dead as soon as I left.
Why do all of my cycling stories involve animal death or near death?

RoundTrip

A week ago, I hit a sqirrel with my car. I was on my way home from the bike shop. It made me feel pretty crappy. Poor little guy : (

clfjmpr44

I haven't been dive-bombed from above yet, but that has to be pretty freaky. I know it's bad enough trying to predict their path when they are in front of you. (impossible to account for the actions of somebody or something that is irrational...)

Longshanks

Same here in Annapolis, MD. Little buggers wait till the last second, can't decide which way to go...thank God I haven't hit one yet. Scary the way they scatter one way and the other, I just stay loose and hope for the best for us both.