Funny dog/animal stories?
#26
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Not much fun without a picture to prove it, but some time after riding the Trans America I was on another tour in Missouri. I was being chased by a couple dogs when there was suddenly a big king snake in my path. While bunny hopping over it I had to smile thinking about on of my companions from the TA who was terrified of both being chased by dogs and anything to do with snakes. I can't even imagine how a snake in her path while being chased by a couple dogs would freak her out. I couldn't help laughing out loud while riding away all alone. I guess I must have looked pretty crazy.
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#27
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Darn dogs are unpredictable, too. 🙄 One time I was riding North of the Golden Gate bridge and coming into Marin County, and stopped for a break. I was sitting on an old log, and heard someone yelling. Turns out it was the owner of a huge dog, I wanna say mastiff, but not sure, and this dog was off-leash, running hard towards me. 😲 I didn't even have time to get scared or nervous, he flew across that field and pounced on me, and started licking my face, like I was his best friend in the world. 🙄😁
His owner swore he'd never done that before, and seemed just as shocked by the whole thing as I was. I wanted to be mad at him (the dog), because he bent my glasses a little, not to mention all the drool, lol, but how can ya be mad at somedoggy for kissing ya? 🙄😁😉
His owner swore he'd never done that before, and seemed just as shocked by the whole thing as I was. I wanted to be mad at him (the dog), because he bent my glasses a little, not to mention all the drool, lol, but how can ya be mad at somedoggy for kissing ya? 🙄😁😉
Last edited by stardognine; 09-24-22 at 08:47 AM.
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#28
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More than 30 years ago in Marin I had to ride the brakes for a bobcat who was unable to escape my lazy descent. On the same downhill 10 seconds later I had to lay on the brakes for a huge buzzard. In Ann Arbor a rabbit took me out at night, he sped into my front wheel like he had been trained to attack. I went down really hard in an instant. Last month a farmer's cat almost did the same - he used up one of his lives, I'm sure I brushed his tail. Tons of dog encounters, years ago I carried Halt and had to use it a few times. I'm an animal lover, but I like mace for dogs, they really learn quick (medieval, I know, but pain is a great motivator) and usually leave all riders alone after just one dose. After about 1990-95 it seems to me the number of nasty dogs running loose has greatly declined.
#29
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Thursday September 22nd during my weekly gravel ride with the guys (only two of us showed up this week). I had a flat tire so met the guys at the half way point. The other guy who rode said he had see. Bear scat along the road. Several nice sized piles he said.
On the way back we were hoping to see a black bear eating some hawthorn berries or apples from
the shrubs beside the road.
As we were riding home in the dark we heard an elk bugle down in the wild life preserve bellows us. A few minutes later a rag horn and spike elk jumped a crossed the road in front of us by about 30 yards and ran to the top of the bluff above us and disappeared into the dark. About a mile
down the road we heard the far off bugle of the elk above and behind us. Not 30 seconds later me and my friend were locking up the breaks to keep from slamming into about 50 head of elk jumping the road.
Those elk didn’t care one bit that we were there i the middle of the road. They just kept on going.
I wish I would have had my camera on me that night.
Last week saw more bear sign on our way out…
on the way back we saw two of the largest roads we had ever seen just sitting in the middle
of the road about 300 feet from each other… it was cool, but also kind of bizarre at the same time…
On the way back we were hoping to see a black bear eating some hawthorn berries or apples from
the shrubs beside the road.
As we were riding home in the dark we heard an elk bugle down in the wild life preserve bellows us. A few minutes later a rag horn and spike elk jumped a crossed the road in front of us by about 30 yards and ran to the top of the bluff above us and disappeared into the dark. About a mile
down the road we heard the far off bugle of the elk above and behind us. Not 30 seconds later me and my friend were locking up the breaks to keep from slamming into about 50 head of elk jumping the road.
Those elk didn’t care one bit that we were there i the middle of the road. They just kept on going.
I wish I would have had my camera on me that night.
Last week saw more bear sign on our way out…
on the way back we saw two of the largest roads we had ever seen just sitting in the middle
of the road about 300 feet from each other… it was cool, but also kind of bizarre at the same time…
#30
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I almost forgot to post this here, it's been a busy week. 😉
I was recently over in Davis, accumulating bike parts, and one evening, I was taking a break under an overpass. I've seen quite a few skunks, and knew that the one walking towards me was a biggun.
I got up & gave him lots of room to go past, but just then, a policewoman drove up, right to me, obviously wanting to talk. She was just looking for a missing person, and wanted to know if I'd seen anyone around there.
It went pretty weird, because she didn't see that skunk, & stopped her cruiser right next to him, so that she was between me and the skunk. I tried to warn her a few times, especially when she had her window open, but she was on a mission. 🙄😲
I never found out if she got sprayed or not, I never smelled anything, but she sure changed her mind about talking to me, all of a sudden. 🤔😁😉
Lady, I honestly hope you only saw him, but if you did get sprayed, you "almost" deserved it. 😉
I was recently over in Davis, accumulating bike parts, and one evening, I was taking a break under an overpass. I've seen quite a few skunks, and knew that the one walking towards me was a biggun.
I got up & gave him lots of room to go past, but just then, a policewoman drove up, right to me, obviously wanting to talk. She was just looking for a missing person, and wanted to know if I'd seen anyone around there.
It went pretty weird, because she didn't see that skunk, & stopped her cruiser right next to him, so that she was between me and the skunk. I tried to warn her a few times, especially when she had her window open, but she was on a mission. 🙄😲
I never found out if she got sprayed or not, I never smelled anything, but she sure changed her mind about talking to me, all of a sudden. 🤔😁😉
Lady, I honestly hope you only saw him, but if you did get sprayed, you "almost" deserved it. 😉
#31
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Skunks spray when threatened. They also have very poor eyesight. About 10’. It’s believed that’s why they often approach people and why you often see a lot of skunk road kill.
My ex used to feed feral cats near her parents’ former house. It was not odd for skunks to walk across the lawn and head for the food bowl while she was outside putting out the trash and recycling. They acted like she wasn’t even there.
My ex used to feed feral cats near her parents’ former house. It was not odd for skunks to walk across the lawn and head for the food bowl while she was outside putting out the trash and recycling. They acted like she wasn’t even there.
Last edited by indyfabz; 10-09-22 at 04:49 PM.
#32
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Skunks spray when threatened. They also have very poor eyesight. About 10’. It’s believed that’s why they often approach people and why you often see a lot of skunk road kill.
My ex used to feed feral cats near her parents’ former house. It was not odd for skunks to walk across the lawn and head for the food bowl while she was outside putting out the trash and recycling. They acted like she wasn’t even there.
My ex used to feed feral cats near her parents’ former house. It was not odd for skunks to walk across the lawn and head for the food bowl while she was outside putting out the trash and recycling. They acted like she wasn’t even there.
And yep, people feed feral cats right there too. That's why I didn't see him quite as soon as I maybe should have, he was leaving the cat food area, and I was expecting a cat, more than a skunk. 🤔😉
Part of me thinks skunks could be very friendly, if given the chance, but I just don't feel that testing that is a good idea. 😋😁😉
#33
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All true, especially the poor eyesight. I didn't mention it, but when I moved for him, I also talked to him, in a friendly voice. That works with a lot of critters, just letting them know you're not "necessarily" their enemy. 👍
And yep, people feed feral cats right there too. That's why I didn't see him quite as soon as I maybe should have, he was leaving the cat food area, and I was expecting a cat, more than a skunk. 🤔😉
Part of me thinks skunks could be very friendly, if given the chance, but I just don't feel that testing that is a good idea. 😋😁😉
And yep, people feed feral cats right there too. That's why I didn't see him quite as soon as I maybe should have, he was leaving the cat food area, and I was expecting a cat, more than a skunk. 🤔😉
Part of me thinks skunks could be very friendly, if given the chance, but I just don't feel that testing that is a good idea. 😋😁😉
#34
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My dad was visiting his veterinarian friend in a nearby town. He noticed a skunk with a red collar and asked about it. The vet said it had been de scented and was prone to escape and wander the area. Kind neighbors would pick it up and take it home. On a call to a farm, they saw a wild skunk run into a culvert. They used an animal anesthetic, pulled it out, took it back to town. Bought a red collar and turned it loose.
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#36
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You ain't kidding. We took a tour of Fort Union and then rode to see the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone. The whole area was pretty empty. At one point we rode by some collapsing structure. It looked like it could have been an old pioneer settlement house. Someone jokingly put a sign in front of it that read "Buford Model Home". Williston seemed like New York City compared to that area.
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Hey, are we counting snakes as animals, in this thread? 🤔😉
A short story this time. Last night, I was riding on the paved trail, between Nimbus Flat & Folsom, just before the sun set. I wasn't going very fast, it's fairly curvy.
Anyways, I came up on a rattlesnake, must've been around 3' long or more, crossing the trail. His head was already across, in the weeds, but the coloring and his tail/rattle left me no doubt.
I managed to avoid running him over, but my heart definitely got pumping good. 😉
This one was the third I've seen up close, and definitely the biggest.
A short story this time. Last night, I was riding on the paved trail, between Nimbus Flat & Folsom, just before the sun set. I wasn't going very fast, it's fairly curvy.
Anyways, I came up on a rattlesnake, must've been around 3' long or more, crossing the trail. His head was already across, in the weeds, but the coloring and his tail/rattle left me no doubt.
I managed to avoid running him over, but my heart definitely got pumping good. 😉
This one was the third I've seen up close, and definitely the biggest.
#39
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I saw a Blue Heron up close yesterday, maybe 5 feet away. 😁 Down here in Fairfield, they have some bike paths, and one in particular (Route 40?), has some fancy cement benches, with columns and a sunblock. I was slowing down by one, for a break, and saw this Blue Heron, just standing by the bench. He never really freaked out, just looked at me pretty funny. 😁 I thought his beak was a really bright orange, up close, otherwise, pretty much what you'd think. 😉
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I saw a Blue Heron up close yesterday, maybe 5 feet away. 😁 Down here in Fairfield, they have some bike paths, and one in particular (Route 40?), has some fancy cement benches, with columns and a sunblock. I was slowing down by one, for a break, and saw this Blue Heron, just standing by the bench. He never really freaked out, just looked at me pretty funny. 😁 I thought his beak was a really bright orange, up close, otherwise, pretty much what you'd think. 😉
Not my photo:
Probably my favorite bird sighting was in 2016 in Montana. American White Pelican. Saw 3 flying overhead in Twin Bridges. Saw a few more flying overhead two days later. I had no idea what they were until I got home and did a search. I only knew that they were shaped sort of like pelicans you see in places like Florida, but I didn’t think any species of pelican could be found that far north.
Second largest average wingspan of any bird in north America behind the California Condor. They are easily recognizable by the black markings on the undersides of their wings. So cool to see them slowly flapping their wings as they cruise over.
Again, not my photo:
#41
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Yep, I've seen several turkey vultures recently too. They also have that lazy-looking way of flying, almost like they're posing for pictures. 😁
I was at the Fairfield library recently, and they have several ducks there, (there's a large pond) with weird bumps all over their beaks. 🤔 Apparently, it's normal for them, but they look like they caught some weird disease. 🤔 😲
I was at the Fairfield library recently, and they have several ducks there, (there's a large pond) with weird bumps all over their beaks. 🤔 Apparently, it's normal for them, but they look like they caught some weird disease. 🤔 😲
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The "horn" on the beak of the white pelican is shed once the bird has mated and eggs have been laid. It is the only one of the 8 pelican species to have a bill horn.
#43
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Well, here are the ducks I was talking about, but not the old one I call "grampa". He's noticeably bigger, and his nose ornament is about twice the size of any of these. And he apparently gets to have sex with any and all of the females, lol. 😲😁😉
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#44
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The thread has moved towards birds, great! This was a lucky sighting on a ride. Wasn't camera shy. Tough to get owl pics.
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#45
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I also hold a grudge against a certain owl up in Seattle, who thought destroying my bar bag was the best way to get cheese. 😲🤬 Heck, all he had to do was ask, I'm always feeding birds & critters. 😉
#46
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I think I mentioned that I had a conversation with an owl on the first night of my September trip across PA. He was on a limb directly above my shelter. We chatted for a few minutes shortly after I had gotten in my tent.
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