And now for something completely different.

"William L. Higley, Sr." skrev

Quoted message said:

I'm just curious about other odd sights some of my fellow cyclists may have seen in their
journeys.

I saw two small ducks having a pretty good go at drowning a seagull once. It must have been after
their ducklings. The two ducks went totally berserk and by the time they were finished the seagulls
plumage had become waterlogged and it was barely able to make it to shore.

Regards Mikael

On our trip around Australia we have often had Kangaroo's and Emu run out onto the road unaware that
we are there. Kind of makes the riding worthwhile to know we do no damage to their environment.
Across the Nullarbor we also had plenty of wedge tailed eagles which was also very nice. You sure
miss a lot when in a car. regards, Andrew & Joanne
geocities.comCycleTouring.htmlOpen ↗

"William L. Higley, Sr." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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I live in Everett, Washington. I try to get out and do 10 miles around

town

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at lunch time each day.

One day I was riding along the waterfront and heard a pretty loud

screeching

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sound followed by an 6"-10" object falling in the road. My first thought

was

Quoted message said:

that some raptor had attacked a seagull and what I saw in the road was

part

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of a wing.

I stopped my bike and looked around and saw a seagull harassing a bald eagle. Since both birds
were intact my thoughts turned back to the object

in

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the road. I looked at it trying to figure out what it was, and then it started flopping around.

Apparently the eagle had picked up a small flounder in one the tide pools and was flying off to
enjoy it's lunch when it was attacked by the

seagull.

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I watched both birds jockey for the fish only to be run off by passing

cars.

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I briefly entertained the idea of saving the fish but figured he had been pierced by eagle talons,
dropped from about fifty feet in the air, and the best I would be able to do was through it out
onto the mud flats for some other predator.

I pointed the aerial battle out to another bystander and we observed the scene for a while.

I'm just curious about other odd sights some of my fellow cyclists may

have

Quoted message said:

seen in their journeys.

William Higley, Sr. Vision R50

I live in NJ. One night last summer, I returned to my driveway to see a Swainson's Hawk devouring a
small rabbit that it had killed on my lawn. The hawk stared at me with evil beady eyes for about
five minutes, then took off leaving the poor dead rabbit. It must have had a four foot wingspan. I
checked with some raptor experts and they said that although this hawk is primarily a western bird,
it could have been passing by looking for a snack.

William L. Higley said:

... I'm just curious about other odd sights some of my fellow cyclists may have seen in their
journeys.

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50 kph),
pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I was able
to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably waiting
for cyclists to drop. 😉

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Once I was riding along a road atop the Minnesota hills by the Mississippi River. I had been
admiring the bluebirds that were living in bluebird houses on wooden fenceposts along the road.
Then I saw a flock of butterflies -- yellowish-green ones, nearly Day-Glo bright in the summer
sun. I slowed down to look. There were butterflies (or maybe moths, I didn't get close enough to
look at the antennae) flying in a swarm just off the ground, but there was a huge gaggle of them
sitting on the dirt. They were gathered around, and facing, something that was about the same
color as their wings.

I looked closer, and saw that they were flocking around a mini-pad (feminine hygiene applicance) in
its bright wrapper that had been dropped along the roadside.

I wonder what they thought it was....

Quoted message said:

From: "Jonathan Kaplan" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I live in NJ. One night last summer, I returned to my driveway to see a Swainson's Hawk devouring
a small rabbit that it had killed on my lawn. The hawk stared at me with evil beady eyes for about
five minutes, then took off leaving the poor dead rabbit. It must have had a four foot wingspan. I
checked with some raptor experts and they said that although this hawk is primarily a western
bird, it could have been passing by looking for a snack.

The wildest wildlife I've come across while biking was an extremely large turtle, maybe 18" long and
12" high, crossing the bike path like the proverbial chicken, only infinitely slower.

The most impressive wildlife account in a.r.b.r. so far, is Jonathan's because he identified the
exact variety of raptor. For which he wins the recumbent Audubon award (you can imagine the image on
the trophy).

C.C.

Hey -- so far these are all rural wildlife. Haven't any riders run into urban wildlife, such as
driveby shootings, oxycontin robbers running out of drug stores, hookers on streetcorners giving you
hard-thighed cyclists the eye, road-clogging peace marches, factory arson and car accidents?

C.C.

Quoted message said:

From: Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50
kph), pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I
was able to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably
waiting for cyclists to drop. 😉

There is a red-tailed hawk that hunts on Mt. Tabor Park here in Portland (that would be urban
wildlife). Also, on some mornings while riding though the park, I have heard [censored] pheasants crowing.

--
This look left intentionally blank "Carol Cohen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey -- so far these are all rural wildlife. Haven't any riders run into urban wildlife, such as
driveby shootings, oxycontin robbers running out

of

Quoted message said:

drug stores, hookers on streetcorners giving you hard-thighed cyclists the eye, road-clogging
peace marches, factory arson and car accidents?

C.C.

Quoted message said:

From: Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50
kph), pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I
was able to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably
waiting for cyclists to drop. 😉

Tom, It was definately not me,no way could I overtake and pass you! Ben Fox "Tom Sherman"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

William L. Higley said:

... I'm just curious about other odd sights some of my fellow cyclists may

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

seen in their journeys.

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50
kph), pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I
was able to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably
waiting for cyclists to drop. 😉

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Carol, You need to ride in the "country" more ,the urban areas sound way too dangerous! Ben Fox
"Carol Cohen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey -- so far these are all rural wildlife. Haven't any riders run into urban wildlife, such as
driveby shootings, oxycontin robbers running out

of

Quoted message said:

drug stores, hookers on streetcorners giving you hard-thighed cyclists the eye, road-clogging
peace marches, factory arson and car accidents?

C.C.

Quoted message said:

From: Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50
kph), pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I
was able to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably
waiting for cyclists to drop. 😉

C'mon Carol, the hookers give everyone the eye. "Carol Cohen" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hey -- so far these are all rural wildlife. Haven't any riders run into urban wildlife, such as
driveby shootings, oxycontin robbers running out

of

Quoted message said:

drug stores, hookers on streetcorners giving you hard-thighed cyclists the eye, road-clogging
peace marches, factory arson and car accidents?

C.C.

Quoted message said:

From: Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was riding in eastern Piatt County Illinois (very rural), when I noticed what appeared to be a
small dog running in the field next to me. The animal accelerated to an estimated 30 mph (~50
kph), pulled ahead by about 100 feet (~30 m) and crossed the road in front of me. At that time I
was able to see it well enough to identify it as a fox (no, not you Ben!).

On another ride, we passed a group of 6 or 7 turkey vultures sitting on a fence - presumably
waiting for cyclists to drop. 😉

Carol Cohen said:

Hey -- so far these are all rural wildlife. Haven't any riders run into urban wildlife, such as
driveby shootings, oxycontin robbers running out of drug stores, hookers on streetcorners giving
you hard-thighed cyclists the eye, road-clogging peace marches, factory arson and car accidents?

Years ago when I was in the Navy and stationed at Great Lakes Navy Training Center in Illinois
(Great Mistakes we called it) I worked late shift and comuted home at midnight through the lesser
desirable neighborhoods of North Chicago that surrounded the Navy base. I saw plenty of drug
dealers, street walkers and undefined groups of people hanging out on the corners. I found the most
inconspicuous method of travel was to coast pass them in the middle of the wide streets with my
lights off. If they noticed me at all, I was pass them before they could react. Never had any
problem from any one on foot, a couple times I had a car pass me and then stop, prompting me to make
a quick U-turn and change of route, but no real problems there either. I felt safer at midnight due
to the lack of traffic then I did during the afternoon commute in.

I couple years ago in the much different small town I now live in, I accidentally found myself in
tail end of the highschool home coming parade. I made a turn and discovered I was behind a hay truck
full of cheerleaders jumping up and down and waving at me. With my faired Tour Easy pulling a BOB
trailer, they probably thought I was part of the parade. Interesting experience.

Lorenzo L. Love home.thegrid.net~llloveOpen ↗

"We recognize, however dimly, that greater efficiency, ease, and security may come at a substantial
price in freedom, that law and order can be a doublethink version of oppression, that individual
liberties surrendered for whatever good reason are freedom lost." Walter Cronkite, in the preface to
the 1984 edition of 1984

I live in Maverick County, Texas and one evening as I was on my way back from my daily 16 mile loop
I spotted a big Mexican Rat snake. They look just like Indigo snakes at first glance.

I stopped to watch it and then noticed that it was facing down a large Rattle snake. It was
facinating to see the Mexican Rat snake "herd" the rattler towards it's head with movements of it's
tail. The rattler made a tactical error and decided to go past by way of the end that wasn't moving.
When the rattler's head passed close to the Mexican Rat snake's head, the rat snake made a lightning
grab at the Rattle snake and caught it by the head.

I stuck around for about 45 minutes or until about 25% of the rattler had been swallowed.

Jerry

" Here in Texas there are large ugly turkey buzzards that diet on road kill. They are very slow and
reluctant to stop their feast even when you are bearing down on them in a truck. But they have a
good sense of timing and always fly off just at the last moment. One fine day I was on a narrow
country lane descending a long hill at a pretty good clip, and a group of buzzards up ahead were
pecking at an unidentified furry object. As I got closer to them I yelled for them to get out of my
way. As usual, they took their time about it, and one of the greedy fellows decided to take his
portion of the food "to go". In his grips were about 12 inches of slimy entrails, and he was flying
straight in front of me, and not gaining altitude. I had to brake to keep from rear ending him and
his nasty meal.

This is one of the interesting things about riding a recumbent, isn't it? I think we see things
people on other types of bikes just don't notice. On a tour from Boise ID to Portland OR, the
recumbents would get into camp a little later than the wedgies. As we talked about the day's ride
over drinks and dinner, it became clear that, while we seemed to be on the same roads, we were
riding a different route.

I watched an English sheepdog run her puppies through basic training, chasing a bunch of penned
lambs. A pair of hawks courting in strong thermals. One hundred and thirteen dead quadripeds, none
of which were once cats or dogs. Two trees containing more than seventy-five pairs of sneakers.
Dozens of improperly displayed American flags. Billions of empty plastic bottls and aluminum cans
and just as many blue Walmart bags.

david boise ID

"William L. Higley, Sr." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I live in Everett, Washington. I try to get out and do 10 miles around town at lunch time each
day. One day I was riding along the waterfront and heard a pretty loud screeching sound followed
by an 6"-10" object falling in the road. My first thought was that some raptor had attacked a
seagull and what I saw in the road was part of a wing. I'm just curious about other odd sights
some of my fellow cyclists may have seen in their journeys. William Higley, Sr. Vision R50

Carol Cohen <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

From: "Jonathan Kaplan" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I live in NJ. One night last summer, I returned to my driveway to see a Swainson's Hawk devouring
a small rabbit that it had killed on my lawn. The hawk stared at me with evil beady eyes for
about five minutes, then took off leaving the poor dead rabbit. It must have had a four foot
wingspan. I checked with some raptor experts and they said that although this hawk is primarily a
western bird, it could have been passing by looking for a snack.

On one early fall ride, I observed a wild turkey standing near the road. On another ride in the
same area, mid-afternoon, a coyote ran across the road in front of me. Seeing a coyote in this
area is uncommon. One of my favorite routes involves a road thru the only "canyon" in the area. In
a shaded section of road ahead, there was an object. As I got closer I realized it was someones'
shoe. A left. I rode on making several turns down backroads and about 5 miles later, I rode past
the matching right shoe!

rorschandt

rorschandt said:

On one early fall ride, I observed a wild turkey standing near the road....

I was on an invitational ride with two other members of my cycling club. It was cool and had started
raining consistently. A wild turkey ran across the road in front of us, and I called out, "turkey
up" to which one of the other riders' replied, "four turkeys".

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

The way things are going here I thought the story was some kind of political analogy at first.

"William L. Higley, Sr." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip>

Quoted message said:

I'm just curious about other odd sights some of my fellow cyclists may have seen in their
journeys.

William Higley, Sr. Vision R50

I've come to the conclusion that we men are ducks.

My wife and I on our Longbikes Tandem and our neighbors on their Burley Tandem took a ride out to
one of our neighborhood lakes a few Sundays ago. When we got to the lake, we grabbed a seat on a
park bench and relaxed. The lake had quite a few ducks swimming around and a few started heading
towards us. No big deal. Probably looking for something to eat.

Well this group of ducks came to shore about 10 feet to our left and flew right up the beach, around
our backs and right under our bench. At first, I thought we were being attacked.

I stood up and looked down and just to the side of our bench was a poor female duck pinned to the
ground by a big male duck with about 6 or 7 other ducks fighting for position. Well the male duck
mounted the female duck and the other ducks kept trying to mount the male duck and the frenzy was
on. By this time, I'm laughing histerically and my wifes telling me I'm a jerk.

After about a minute the male duck must have finished his business because he falls off the female
duck and just lays there (Asleep?). I mean he just plops on the ground and doesn't move. Does the
female duck get to rest. Hell no. She waddles quickly back into the water and swims for her life
while the other male ducks clamber after her. How she kept from drowning, I do not know.

Well, we're all laughing and the women are calling us names and I look down to see if the first male
duck is still there. Nope. He's back in the water swimming very slowly in the opposite direction
just strutting his stuff and waging his tail from side to side (Probably off to tell his friends
about the fun he had). The icing on the cake was when he stretched his wings and stuck his neck way
high as if to say "Yep, I'm the duck. I'm the stud. Here me quack"

And all I have to say is deep down, we men are ducks.

Bill Meacham