It finally happened…

This topic has 14 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 13 years ago by KLizotte.

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July 3, 2012 at 5:17 pm #911667

creadinger
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After close to 25,000 miles over the past several years I think I finally accidentally ended the life of an innocent little mammal.

I was heading west on the W&OD before Cochran Mill Road and I was cruising along at probably 18mph. All the sudden a little bunny sprinted onto the trail from my right and turned right running parallel to my front tire. I guess it figured it was clear of my tire because the next thing I felt was a few bumps as I ran over it…. oiy. I looked back after a couple of seconds and it wasn’t moving. It was a sad few minutes. Another factor which I think added to accident is that I use a pretty large handlebar bag on my touring bike and it obstructs the view of my front tire. So I couldn’t see where the little guy was. All I could really do was keep my line and hope it would dart back into the grass on the right. It all happened so fast.

Why do they wait for someone to come before crossing the trail?! There were only like 6 people on the trail between Ashburn and Leesburg this morning.
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July 3, 2012 at 5:23 pm #944822

KLizotte
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Poor bunny. At least it will provide a feast for the local vultures/wildlife.

I ran over a squirrel on the WO&D the other day. It did manage to dart into the woods so I don’t know if it survived or not.

July 3, 2012 at 5:48 pm #944827

Greenbelt
Participant

I’ve had squirrels try to jump through my wheels several times — they bounce off with a nasty sproing. I guess their vision is such that they can’t see the spokes when you’re moving.

July 3, 2012 at 5:52 pm #944830

Certifried
Participant

I blendered a bird through my front spokes a few weeks back. It’s the spoked circle of life at work

July 3, 2012 at 7:16 pm #944836

rcannon100
Participant

Oye. That’s sad. I use to comment on FB that one of the advantages of cycling is no roadkills. Then I saw that a field mouse had been run over on the Jefferson end of the 14th St Bike Bridge.

When I see small animals on the trail, I try to act as mean and scarey as I can (this usually doesnt take a lot of work). There have been a lot of baby ducks down on the MVT.

July 3, 2012 at 10:31 pm #944855

PotomacCyclist
Participant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocI_R8lMpM

(kidding)

July 5, 2012 at 3:46 pm #944950

americancyclo
Participant

The bunnies are insane this year! There are so many around falls church.

July 5, 2012 at 4:21 pm #944955

vvill
Participant

@americancyclo 24350 wrote:

The bunnies are insane this year! There are so many around falls church.

Yep! I almost hit one on Tuesday night.

July 6, 2012 at 1:33 am #944989

JimK
Participant

I ran over a snake on the W&OD a couple of days ago early in the morning. It was a big, black snake, stretched out across the trail just to the west of Hunter Mill Road. I was heading east, down the big hill approaching Hunter Mill. I saw the snake, but there was no way to avoid it without risking going off the trail. When I got to Hunter Mill, there was a young guy waiting for me, he really excited and said, “Dude, did you roll over that snake?” He did too. It did not jump up and bite either of us!

July 6, 2012 at 1:36 am #944990

JimK
Participant

By the way, regarding bunnies, as others reported, I have seen a lot of them in Falls Church and on the W&OD between mile 2 and 4.5. But I haven’t seen many, perhaps none, further west. I was wondering if they are being wiped out by fox or coyotes. (Is the plural of fox “fox” or “foxes”?)

July 6, 2012 at 1:42 am #944991

KLizotte
Participant

@JimK 24393 wrote:

By the way, regarding bunnies, as others reported, I have seen a lot of them in Falls Church and on the W&OD between mile 2 and 4.5. But I haven’t seen many, perhaps none, further west. I was wondering if they are being wiped out by fox or coyotes. (Is the plural of fox “fox” or “foxes”?)

“Foxes” is correct. I love the little bunnies but I almost took out one with a death wish the other night. Ran right out in front of me.

July 6, 2012 at 1:44 am #944992

off2ride
Participant

Turtles for me on my AM ride. Then a bee or wasp entering my helmet vents then exiting out the exhaust ports. Whew!!! Bunnies on the PM ride. No casualties though.

July 9, 2012 at 1:14 pm #945175

GuyContinental
Participant

Perry the Squirrel:

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/11/squirrely-you-jest-blight-eyed-and.html

July 26, 2012 at 12:19 am #946968

creadinger
Participant

So today I think I reversed my first unfortunate incident and SAVED a poor little animal from a terrible fate.

I was on Mountain Road north of Purcellville. About 50 yards ahead of me I saw a cat wander out the woods from the right. I did not want to kill someone’s pet so I yelled at it to get out of the way. The cat got scared and ran across the road while dropping the chipmunk it was carrying in it’s mouth! The Chipmunk ran straight back into the woods. So I saved it! Actually I came pretty close to hitting it as it ran back across the road, but the key is I did not. Chipmunk saved!

July 26, 2012 at 2:10 am #946976

KLizotte
Participant

@creadinger 26492 wrote:

So today I think I reversed my first unfortunate incident and SAVED a poor little animal from a terrible fate.

I was on Mountain Road north of Purcellville. About 50 yards ahead of me I saw a cat wander out the woods from the right. I did not want to kill someone’s pet so I yelled at it to get out of the way. The cat got scared and ran across the road while dropping the chipmunk it was carrying in it’s mouth! The Chipmunk ran straight back into the woods. So I saved it! Actually I came pretty close to hitting it as it ran back across the road, but the key is I did not. Chipmunk saved!

As much as I love nature’s furry creatures, ya gotta admit it would have been really funny if you had taken out the chipmunk.
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