Watch out for MENACING GEESE on MVT near 14th St bridge access

[esquiver]

I was riding into DC from Crystal City this morning about 9 am — trail very empty, probably due to rain forecast. I was a little ways behind another cyclist, when he encountered a flock of geese covering the trail just before the turnoff for the 14th St bridge. He slowed down, rang his bell, and the flock parted. As I approached, one very belligerent goose came back onto the trail and straddled the center line. I slowed way down, not wanting to hit it and not knowing which way it was going to randomly dart — same thinking as for a squirrel or a jogger, basically. It totally faced off with me, neck extended, trying to stare me down, standing its ground even as I slowly approached while aggressively ringing my bell.
Finally, I thought “*fine*, I’ll just go around,” gave it a wide berth and tried to zoom past — and it lunged for my leg, beak outstretched and wings flapping, and very nearly caused me to lose control.
(And, yes, of course the guy ahead of me had paused on his way up to the bridge to watch and was laughing his tuchus off. I would have done the same.)

Anyway, I mention it because I was surprised to see that the geese were still there, in exactly the same place, when I was heading south again at 6:30 pm. They weren’t on the trail this time but grazing the longer grass that sticks out right next to the asphalt. I don’t know anything about the territorial habits of geese, but if they’ve set up camp there, be careful — at least one of them has a real attitude problem.

Topic

[Judd]

I know that goose well. He’s usually down near the underpass to LBJ with his lady goose often right on the edge of the trail.

He hisses at me nearly every morning and will charge once you get within 10 feet. I usually keep moving and hiss back for fun.

Seems to happen every spring which I suppose is just goose species survival mode during egg laying season.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[elbows]

Like Judd, I am regularly scolded by the male goose near the underpass. I admire his pluck.

[Rootchopper]

Just wait until you get a load of the snapping turtles. They lay their eggs around this time of year.

[Vicegrip]

My fix for most forms of unpleasantness encountered along the way that can’t be ignored is spray it with the water bottle.

[Crickey7]

@Rootchopper 158939 wrote:

Just wait until you get a load of the snapping turtles. They lay their eggs around this time of year.

Yep. I’ve seen them scampering across the CCT.

[Author]

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