Bears are DANGEROUS!
 

Cyclist OK After Crash With Bear

Fox News

Thursday, September 11, 2008


He may have been going green by riding his bicycle to work, but a Montana middle school teacher is pretty black and blue after he struck a massive bear.

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 300-pound 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 by Friday. (AP)

Saw that, glad he's ok...wonder if his students believed his excuse for not getting to school....

We are here right now - everyone keeps telling us about that!! I sure hope we don't crash into a bear as we ride through! I can't imagine how scared they both must have been!

I wonder which was more terrified?

I saw 3 bears on the icefields parkway, one crossed between me and my riding partner. On my way out of Missoula, I had to stop in the road and wait for a herd of like 50 deer to cross in front of me. Wildlife is cool.

Pics**********

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 by Friday.

Appropriate School Name,LOL

Every year or so a bear/cyclist collision occurs just outside Boulder. The following is from 2006 but a bear/cyclist collision occurred a few months ago in almost the same spot as the collision described below.

From an article in the Daily Camera (local Boulder newspaper).

"Competitor Sabrina Oei, of Denver, flipped over her bike and skidded along the road on her shoulders and back after hitting a black bear she and witnesses estimated to weigh 550 pounds. Oei — who was going about 35 miles per hour — said she slammed on her brakes when she was 10 feet away from the bear.

"He was just sauntering out in the road, taking his time. I had no time to stop," she said Sunday night after the race.

The bear continued into a wooded area near the course, and Oei finished the triathlon, biking for another 20 kilometers before completing the running portion of the race."

Link to the full story:

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2006...ual-triathlon/

These are the only bears we have around here, only dangerous when there is a sale at Pier One. As a precaution don't leave bottles of Kahula and cream out or play Liza Minelli CD's at your campsite, It attracts them.

http://valleylodgemusic.com/images/media/bears.jpg

Ha!

A few years ago, a mountain biker came around a bend and literally bounced off a grizzly. The guy he was riding with came up right behind him. Since the first guy was now lying in the woods, it was the second guy the bear saw and gave the mauling to. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!