What's your best "find" while riding?
#26
Newbie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The best "find" I ever had? One time I was out riding gravel and a nice ditch fairy put out an ice-cold 12-pack of Budweiser right there on the side of the road. It was magical.
#27
Dirty Heathen
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MC-778, 6250 fsw
Posts: 2,188
Bikes: 1997 Cannondale, 1976 Bridgestone, 1998 SoftRide, 1989 Klein, 1989 Black Lightning #0033
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 889 Post(s)
Liked 906 Times
in
534 Posts
I found a Stihl BG-85 gas leaf blower while I was out on a run. It was in the ditch, so you really couldn't see it from the road if you were in a car. I left it there for 3 days, in case the owners came back for it. Since it was still there when i ran by three days later, I came back with my car
A new spark plug, air filter and a tube/nozzle (free from the dealer, Thanks Guys) and it's been cleaning my driveway for years.
A new spark plug, air filter and a tube/nozzle (free from the dealer, Thanks Guys) and it's been cleaning my driveway for years.
#28
LBKA (formerly punkncat)
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Jawja
Posts: 4,299
Bikes: Spec Roubaix SL4, GT Traffic 1.0
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2208 Post(s)
Liked 960 Times
in
686 Posts
I found a few random good things and seen a few bad things too.
I found a nice Leatherman tool on the ground during a ride in Terra Ceia, FL. I carry it in my bike bag. Have found/seen various tools although I rarely stop for those. For some reason I see gloves on the ground a lot. During a rest break on one ride I saw one of those fidget spinner things laying on the ground. I left it, as it was at a bus stop location and sure the kid picked it back up later the same day.
Some miles from my old house one of the ride routes I took went by the interstate and a truck stop area. There were commonly a bunch of those "coke bottle meth lab" things laying around. It was bad enough at one point that as I passed by there was a HazMat team out there cleaning the area up. That lasted all of a couple of weeks before it was right back the same.
I found a nice Leatherman tool on the ground during a ride in Terra Ceia, FL. I carry it in my bike bag. Have found/seen various tools although I rarely stop for those. For some reason I see gloves on the ground a lot. During a rest break on one ride I saw one of those fidget spinner things laying on the ground. I left it, as it was at a bus stop location and sure the kid picked it back up later the same day.
Some miles from my old house one of the ride routes I took went by the interstate and a truck stop area. There were commonly a bunch of those "coke bottle meth lab" things laying around. It was bad enough at one point that as I passed by there was a HazMat team out there cleaning the area up. That lasted all of a couple of weeks before it was right back the same.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,766
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,873 Times
in
4,637 Posts
I once found a nice 14" crescent wrench on the roadside...I forget the brand, but it was well-made - forged construction. It was also great to have the extra weight in my jersey pocket since I was doing intervals that day.
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,056
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 15,289 Times
in
7,228 Posts
I found a local townie tart in a laundry while riding across the country. Yadda, yadda, yadda, I Googled her name several years later and discovered that she and her boyfriend got arrested for cooking meth.
#32
Senior Member
I find solace, every time out.
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Boston Roads
Posts: 978
Bikes: 2012 Canondale Synapse 105, 2017 REI Co-Op ADV 3.1
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 507 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times
in
133 Posts
I've told my wife for years that I could start a successful non-profit organization with all the good, usable hubcaps I see along the roads (If I actually stopped to pick them up. Alas I haven't come up with a good way to carry them home on the road bike...nor a place to store them all once I'd have them.). I'd call it "Hubcaps for Humanity" and donate 100% to charity.
Dan
Dan
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3931...7i13312!8i6656
#34
Junior Member
A german shepherd... I saw some dude abandon the dog and instantly picked the dog up. I called a friend that lived nearby to drop me and the dog off at my place so I wouldn't have to bike home with a dog that has no leash lol
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947
Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times
in
936 Posts
Not me but a friend of mine found some women's panties up in a tree, proudly stretched between a couple of limbs.
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,655
Bikes: iele Latina, Miele Suprema, Miele Uno LS, Miele Miele Beta, MMTB, Bianchi Model Unknown, Fiori Venezia, Fiori Napoli, VeloSport Adamas AX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1324 Post(s)
Liked 927 Times
in
640 Posts
I guess my best find was a guy who sold used bikes at the end of his country driveway. Dropbar bikes were really cheap as no one wanted them. One day he showed me a MIYATA SEVEN TEN with brand new tires with the wrapper still on them. Cost of bike and brand new tires? $30.00 CDN.
Cheers
Cheers
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: By theBeach and Palos Verdes, CA adjacent
Posts: 553
Bikes: One of each: Road, Hybrid, Trekking
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 136 Post(s)
Liked 115 Times
in
53 Posts
I figure that what I find is something somebody else lost. I leave it or move it to the closest spot that makes it easy to spot and hope they come back and find it. If it’s on one of my regular rides and the item is still there the next time I ride by, I’ll snag it then if it is of interest to me.
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604
Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times
in
499 Posts
I figure that what I find is something somebody else lost. I leave it or move it to the closest spot that makes it easy to spot and hope they come back and find it. If it’s on one of my regular rides and the item is still there the next time I ride by, I’ll snag it then if it is of interest to me.
#40
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,752
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1524 Post(s)
Liked 1,513 Times
in
906 Posts
I guess my best find was a guy who sold used bikes at the end of his country driveway. Dropbar bikes were really cheap as no one wanted them. One day he showed me a MIYATA SEVEN TEN with brand new tires with the wrapper still on them. Cost of bike and brand new tires? $30.00 CDN.
Cheers
Cheers
Likes For thinktubes:
#43
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
On a group ride 3 years ago we found a pistol laying by the curb. Luckily one of the riders was a cop so he stayed till the local police came for it.
Personally I found a number of outdoor child play sets. It got to the point than my son told me to stop bringing them.
Personally I found a number of outdoor child play sets. It got to the point than my son told me to stop bringing them.
#44
Junior Member
I found an aluminum LED flashlight that's been working for me ever since.
IDK if this counts, but walking I found a 1/2 inch swivel ratchet head breaker bar.
IDK if this counts, but walking I found a 1/2 inch swivel ratchet head breaker bar.
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,056
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 15,289 Times
in
7,228 Posts
Likes For indyfabz:
#46
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,935
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3571 Post(s)
Liked 3,367 Times
in
1,916 Posts
I found an intact Samsung Galaxy S8 cell phone while riding. I took it to the police station so they could re-unite it with its proper owner.
#48
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
When I was a kid maybe 10 years old I found a gold bracelet when riding in in a drainage ditch and horded it with other stupid kid treasure crap. Years later, home from college, I found it in a box of stupid kid treasure crap in my old bedroom closet. I brought it to a gold broker and they paid me $300 for it. I bought Christmas presents for my family. It would have been worth $1350 nine years later. No regrets.
#49
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times
in
2,331 Posts
I found a pocket knife. since my Dad is a collector, I told him about it & showed it to him. he sent it to the manufacturer, who refurbished it & sharpened it & returned it for free. gave it to my son
#50
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604
Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times
in
499 Posts
Great find near the end of today's ride. A 250lb capacity fold-able hand truck was in the grass, so I picked it up, laid it across the bars and bicycled 17 miles home. As if the 17 mile distance wasn't uncomfortable enough, it was the finishing 17 miles of my 103 miler today. Wife will use it for all things Girl Scouts related.
similar to ----
https://www.amazon.com/Rendio-Portable-Wheels-Black-Shopping-Industrial/dp/B07BFBG1JR/ref=pd_cp_229_4/132-7170819-3671145?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BFBG1JR&pd_rd_r=192f8207-dfb1-4daf-86a4-105082081294&pd_rd_w=WU8yW&pd_rd_wg=ddhPT&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=RXR9Q5EGM52EP6XEE0GF&psc=1&refRID=RXR9Q5EGM52EP6XEE0GF
similar to ----
https://www.amazon.com/Rendio-Portable-Wheels-Black-Shopping-Industrial/dp/B07BFBG1JR/ref=pd_cp_229_4/132-7170819-3671145?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BFBG1JR&pd_rd_r=192f8207-dfb1-4daf-86a4-105082081294&pd_rd_w=WU8yW&pd_rd_wg=ddhPT&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=RXR9Q5EGM52EP6XEE0GF&psc=1&refRID=RXR9Q5EGM52EP6XEE0GF