WestCoastDan

Riding on the bike path @ the beach provides all kinds of entertainment.
There's the beautiful ocean view, plenty of other cyclists to chase, catch, pass etc, an almost endless supply of fit females running in less than what most would wear to bed, and of course the birds.
We have all kinds of birds here, pigeons, seagulls, and a host of other unknown varieties; all doing thier part to make our rides more interesting.
I've been victim to numerous dive-bombs, fluttering flocks and swaggering swarms but today... I actually had a collision with a pigeon.
I was cruising @ about 20-22 mph and this pair of birds were strutting around on the path. They reminded me of that pair of birds in the cartoon movie "Bolt". Most usually fly off or scurry away long before you approach, but this one bird was clearly there to test me. I'm certain he was trying to send me into the sand, but unfortunately it was not his day....
As I approached, they started to flee toward the shoulder, but the dumb one decided to make a U-turn and head back towards the old french frys for a second helping.
I struck the bird with my right pedal and sent him whirling under the bike between my tires. I was sure it was curtains for the bird, but miraculously, he shot out the other side with little more than a damaged ego and a few bent feathers.

The 2 guys behind me were lucky to have missed him as well because it was spinning, bouncing and flipping across the entire bike path like an out of control bowling pin.

There is no moral to this story, but it was the most exciting thing that happened while cycling this week so I thought I would share.

Spookeay Bird

Was it Harold Meeker? You know the bird for the Gary Larson Plane crash? I have a soft spots for birds. Sounds like you made a soft spot in a bird. LOL

rjones28 

Awesome.

Makel

Squirrel!!

WonTian

Squirrels sure are cute and fuzzy, but they sure are slippery...

urbanknight

I like birds... particularly chicken, turkey, and ostrich.

rushbikes

Bird strike?

Makel

My entire family is addicted to that game. I prefer crosswords, even though my spelling sucks.

Rowan

What makes an ocean view beautiful?

I mean, why wouldn't you feel the same way looking out on a desert of sand?

urbanknight

All those maniacs who do the Death Ride or Furnace Creek are with you on that.

Pedaleur

Who said he didn't?

What a weird post.

bigboyd937

haha thats a good story! i'm glad neither of you guys ended up hurt too bad. i've had a few run ins with big stupid geese on the bike path by the river..hate those creatures.

climber7

i almost crashed into a bird - or rather, a bird almost crashed into me - in the easterns road race this past saturday. it took off from the side of the road straight into the path of my front wheel and escaped by about an inch. scared the crap out of me because i didn't even see it until it took off.

glad to hear you emerged the victor.

Nachoman

Birds are rats with wings. I applaud you for being the victor.

longbeachgary

Hello PETA,
There's this bird killer on the cycling forum............

sbxx1985 

This thread is for the birds.

wheelset

A true Larson fan would have just left it at "Was it Harold Meeker?" but I see the necessity for further explanation lol.

Last Saturday on a team ride, another guy and myself broke off from the pack for the last few miles. I was only a couple inches off his wheel and we were doing about 27mph when I noticed a gooey roadkill rabbit 4 feet in front of him. I just got out from behind him when he hit it. Gore. Went. Everywhere.

Glad I didn't get hit. Also glad to hear your feathered nemesis got away relatively unharmed, although he might have just been stunned into "recovery." I've seen animals do that before. They seem fine right after but they're really not. The bird probably died in some kid's sand castle later that day.

Velo Vol 

I've never hit a bird before.

Then again, I don't frequent the pigeon hangout.