Wildlife sighting when riding?
#151
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#152
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Just curious what you guys see. Last couple of rides I've had to dodge tarantulas on the road. Not worried about the bite or anything, just don't want to run them over. I do find it a bit odd I've seen so many lately. It's gotten quite cool out here the last few weeks and, despite my location, I rarely see them anyway. I've dodged a few live ones but seen many more dead either in the travel lane or on the shoulder.
Not as though we have a great deal of wild life out here anyway. I do see the occasional rabbit and even the odd road runner from time to time. Surprisingly, no live snakes. Couple that got got by cars and I've never seen a coyote while riding. I figure mainly because I never ride early enough for them.
So what do you guys see?
Not as though we have a great deal of wild life out here anyway. I do see the occasional rabbit and even the odd road runner from time to time. Surprisingly, no live snakes. Couple that got got by cars and I've never seen a coyote while riding. I figure mainly because I never ride early enough for them.
So what do you guys see?
#153
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I was riding up near Helen Hunt Falls in Colorado too early in Spring and I was pedaling hard to avoid freezing my @$$ off. (The waterfalls were surreal and gorgeous: they looked like blue, frozen blobs swelling on top of each other because the water kept flowing and compressing the ice below.)
On the freezing ride back down the hill, I saw a family (pack?) of black bears having a trash-picnic in a deserted camping area near the falls. I stopped and unclipped to take a picture. But the CLICK of my cycling shoe unclipping alerted them and a black-bear grenade went off. Trash picnic over. Panicked bears running in every direction. I stood there feebly in plastic shoes on slippery asphalt while one of them charged directly at me. I ducked behind my puny Masi bicycle and waited to be mauled in my ridiculous cycling shoes and outfit.
And the bear ran around me as if I were just another tree in the forest. It was not a pleasant ride home in tights on such a cold day with a urine-soaked chamois. Didn't get that picture either, but the bear passed close enough for me to smell him; smelled like valerian tea.
On the freezing ride back down the hill, I saw a family (pack?) of black bears having a trash-picnic in a deserted camping area near the falls. I stopped and unclipped to take a picture. But the CLICK of my cycling shoe unclipping alerted them and a black-bear grenade went off. Trash picnic over. Panicked bears running in every direction. I stood there feebly in plastic shoes on slippery asphalt while one of them charged directly at me. I ducked behind my puny Masi bicycle and waited to be mauled in my ridiculous cycling shoes and outfit.
And the bear ran around me as if I were just another tree in the forest. It was not a pleasant ride home in tights on such a cold day with a urine-soaked chamois. Didn't get that picture either, but the bear passed close enough for me to smell him; smelled like valerian tea.
Last edited by calamarichris; 01-31-24 at 01:04 PM.
#154
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Nothing of note recently.
When I was in southern Colorado, I definitely ran into tarantulas pretty often. Once, a roadrunner which is pretty rare there.
I saw a Lnyx while on a road bike, which probably never happens.
Years ago, a mountain lion cub ran across the trail in Wyoming. Mom never introduced herself to me thankfully.
20-25 years ago, I’d see porn blown against a fence fairly often. I think the internet has reduced nudie magazine sightings for sure.
When I was in southern Colorado, I definitely ran into tarantulas pretty often. Once, a roadrunner which is pretty rare there.
I saw a Lnyx while on a road bike, which probably never happens.
Years ago, a mountain lion cub ran across the trail in Wyoming. Mom never introduced herself to me thankfully.
20-25 years ago, I’d see porn blown against a fence fairly often. I think the internet has reduced nudie magazine sightings for sure.
is a heptathlon champ. Her lady's team was NCAA champs. She ran an Ultra in the mountains of N N.M. and passed a bawling cow with a few cowboys on horses. In 2 miles she found a newborn calf with cord attached. Tossed the calf over her shoulders, ran back to the cow and kept back on racing. (she did a marathon at 18,000 in South America on way to watch Olympics which she didn't qualify for) Running ultras at night they see so many critters that are not out in daylight.
I see a lot since I ride 8,000 miles a year.
50 years of yacht racing and cruising I collect memories of unique birds.
#155
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The crows diving into this tree got me wondering what was up. I didn't expect to see Andy Rooney...
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My favorite birds. During my 2022 cross-PA tour I camped the first night in a shelter along the Allegheny River Trail in Franklin. Just after I crawled into my tent, an owl on a limb just above started hooting. We had a conversation for about 5 minutes. I don’t think either of us knew what the other was saying, but it was fun. I wanted to get out and try to see him, but I thought it would scare him off.
During another cross-PA tour I camped the first night in Rockwood. I was sitting at my picnic table when I heard hoots as dusk was approaching. Maybe 5 minutes later, a small owl pounced on a chipmunk that was hanging around a tree stump about 12 feet away. Heard the poor thing make his last sounds before the owl flew off with it. Real Wild Kingdom moment.
Last edited by indyfabz; 01-31-24 at 03:58 PM.
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From the American River levee I spotted splashing, large, near the opposite shore. Seeing gulls swooping I stopped to watch and a sea lion surfaced, holding a fish. The show went on for 5-10 minutes until it dove out of view and the gulls departed. Couple minutes later the critter surfaced half a mile upstream.
Amazing to me was how far he was from the Bay--a mile up the American from where it enters the Sacramento River at mile 60. Guess they follow the salmon migration, it's the beleaguered winter Chinook run at present.
Craptastic video frame grab and crop.
Amazing to me was how far he was from the Bay--a mile up the American from where it enters the Sacramento River at mile 60. Guess they follow the salmon migration, it's the beleaguered winter Chinook run at present.
Craptastic video frame grab and crop.
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#158
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From the American River levee I spotted splashing, large, near the opposite shore. Seeing gulls swooping I stopped to watch and a sea lion surfaced, holding a fish. The show went on for 5-10 minutes until it dove out of view and the gulls departed. Couple minutes later the critter surfaced half a mile upstream.
Amazing to me was how far he was from the Bay--a mile up the American from where it enters the Sacramento River at mile 60. Guess they follow the salmon migration, it's the beleaguered winter Chinook run at present.
Craptastic video frame grab and crop.
Amazing to me was how far he was from the Bay--a mile up the American from where it enters the Sacramento River at mile 60. Guess they follow the salmon migration, it's the beleaguered winter Chinook run at present.
Craptastic video frame grab and crop.
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yesterday / Friday Feb 9 - Apollo PA (northeast of Pittsburgh)
( not me btw )
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I like to believe he was thinking, "Okay crows, just you wait 'til dark."
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#167
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‘Difficult to see here, but two manatees while I was tootling along Little Mud Creek.
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This is Thor. He lives at the Audubon Center in, you guessed it, Audubon, PA. You don’t mess with Thor.
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Is that an alligator or a caiman? Either way it is either a photo shop, and a good one too, or a released one that someone got tired of, or maybe an escape artist.