LesterOfPuppets

Craziest thing happened to me on the ride yesterday. I was cruising along the Beardley Canal and flushed out a handful of mourning doves that were in the bushes to my left and one of them headed out away from me and did a right hand sweeper until striking my left deltoid. Felt like getting a soft grapefruit lobbed at me.

Damn birds need to watch where they're going!

WhyFi

LoP's story reminded me of my bird sighting today. Turkeys are becoming common in my part of the metro, there have even been complaints of traffic jams caused by impertinent rafters, but today was the first time that I'd seen a couple of males on full display. They looked pretty damn magnificent, all puffed up, their tails fanned out and had very distinct red, white and blue sections of their head and neck.

rjones28 

Many of my routes do not feature traffic lights.

rjones28 

That's life in the big city.

WhyFi

Circling back because I think that this has finally put me on to the right path.

I got the new upper assembly, put it in and it still ran just as ****ty. The surging comment made me think though - if a blockage causes surging, maybe just not having enough water would, too. I started a cycle, filmed for a minute or two, then I opened up the machine and dumped in another 6 cups of water, closed it and let it run. Lo and behold! Water started sprayin' all over the joint with the additional water.

A little more searching tells me that it could be a bad water inlet valve, but I also see that most washers fill based on time rather than relying on a float. Welp, I just replaced my kitchen faucet a month ago, put in a hands-free jobber with all of the Corona handwashing going on, and the hot water pressure has sucked, since. I had noticed that the shut-off valve was kind of wonky, so I bought a new one, but it's just been sitting around for the last month, waiting for me to get off my ass and install it. I guess I've got a good reason to, now!

WhyFi

How's your average speed, then?

kissTheApex

I hope everything went well.

rjones28 

Hills or flats?

indyfabz

I once saw something off in a field during a ride. Stopped to check it out. First thought it was a calf or sheep then realized it was a Tom turkey. The think was pretty darn big. Only Tom I’ve seen in the wild.

datlas 

My bird story is on the bike trail near Manayunk a couple years ago I rode near a goose who attacked me with its wings. It must have had a nest nearby because it was very aggressive. My cheek got a little red from the wing-slap but otherwise I was more surprised than hurt.

berner

Growing up in a rural part of upstate New York, I never once saw a wild turkey. Wild life has been coming back and turkeys are common around the town of Bristol that still has wooded areas. I like having that wildlife around. A week ago, in an old cemetary adjacent to the bike path in the next town north of Bristol, was a fine looking, healthy mature doe browsing the new grass. I've seen her there twice and seemingly not over concerned by proximity to people.

WhyFi

Which would result in more shame for Bah Humbug?

WhyFi

On a ride a couple weeks ago, I saw something cross the road a hundred yards ahead of me. I initially thought it was a dog, but saw that it was a turkey when I got closer. Big mother.

Bah Humbug

No shame until we're on the same course at the same time.

Bah Humbug

Apparently the geese at the ESPN campus terrorize the former football players. Geese are mean, but if one tried anything with me now I'd smack it's head. They did scare me growing up though.

ericy

We have hundreds of the things that come through our back yard. Not many this time of year - usually spring/fall.

We have never cooked goose - I guess if I wanted one, I would just get it from the supermarket and not traumatize the neighborhood kids by trying to catch and kill a goose.

indyfabz

A doctor I know was riding on MLK Drive when a group of geese took flight. One of them struck her in the head, causing her to crash. The force of the collision ruptured the bird’s abdomen. It fell to the ground and literally spilled its guts in the road.

indyfabz

[QUOTE=ericy;21475296]We have hundreds of the things that come through our back yard. Not many this time of year - usually spring/fall.

We have never cooked goose - I guess if I wanted one, I would just get it from the supermarket and not traumatize the neighborhood kids by trying to catch and kill a goose.[/QUOTEI believe the the Canadian goose is a protected species in the U.S.

rjones28 

Plenty of turkeys here. See them in the fields around the house and on the road when I ride.

rjones28 

Probably nothing, so far this season.

bampilot06

Velo is even in my advertisements now

indyfabz

Welcome to the club. I’ve been seeing him for a while.

Jadesfire 

Contribution to bird stories: I once had to catch a peacock and administer subcutaneous fluids to it. Also got to care for some "domesticated" hunting hawks.

2manybikes

I have seen some there. Once two at one time. I stopped to take pictures once in a while and did not spook them.. The pictures were lousy because of the fence and the bushes and vines etc. I wonder where they get in and out of the cemetery?
I saw a young one eating five feet from the path in the next town past the cemetery I stopped and he kept eating until a cyclist rode very close to him. Mostly late summer and around dusk. I saw a couple north of the pond north of the harbor last summer. Right on the path in the middle on the day.

Velo Vol 

Pests? wut