W&OD – I know you wanted me to stop… (Missed Connection)

[SteveTheTech]

So it would seem that weird things really do go on in the middle of the night there. WTH

I personally find some of the areas there kind of creepy during the day I cannot imagine what 0200 looks like.

I guess that might explain the rise in dead squirrels I noted this weekend…

Do you travel with any type of protection?

[CCrew]

@SteveTheTech 5304 wrote:

S

Do you travel with any type of protection?

I just travel fast enough that given most situations i’m approaching and departing before thy realize what’s up. That and I’m running with about 1000 lumens of zombie burning lights and I’m leaving them temp blinded if I try. Short of one am on the Key Bridge where two hoodlums tried to clothesline me off the bike I’ve never had an issue.

Today by far qualified as the weirdest I’ve seen. I’m chalking it up to the 4th and alcohol consumption, because when I got near Falls Church there were two guys sprawled in the middle of the trail. She quite clearly was intoxicated, and the only guy close by was not very coherent, so I quickly ruled out assault or I would have stopped. I did pop the next hill and call 911. Let the cops sort that one out!

[eminva]

This was in Vienna? We do love our holiday revelry. Be safe out there.

Liz

[CCrew]

@eminva 5317 wrote:

This was in Vienna? We do love our holiday revelry. Be safe out there.

Liz

Yup, on the stretch between the Community Center and Cedar Lane.

And quite obviously SOMEONE was having fun! :p

[SteveTheTech]

Ah haa so was it fornicators or junkies, or fornicating junkies?

Riding through the woods at 2 am sounds fun,a little reckless, and kind of dangerous. kudos

I don’t know that I would make that ride without at least a stun gun, I guess the best you can realistically do is have your mobile at hand.

I would think anywhere east of Vienna would have the most interesting of characters if characters where to be encountered.

[CCrew]

@SteveTheTech 5330 wrote:

I would think anywhere east of Vienna would have the most interesting of characters if characters where to be encountered.

I think alcohol was heavily involved in the shedding of the garments. My guess is it was aftermath from the 4ths activities in Vienna. They sure know how to party! I will say that there was no modesty involved in the encounter… she was quite proud of her attributes, as she had a right to.

It’s by far one of the weirdest things I’ve come across on the trail. It’s really not unsafe to ride, and I’m on it in the very wee hours (2-4am) of the morning. Sure, I see what I’d believe to be some questionable specimens of humanity, but have never really had an issue. It’s a lot safer than a lot of people would believe.

My biggest issues have really been the deer and the urban assault bunnies. Oh, and the skunk the one time. That was a very bad thing. I’ve had two collisions with deer, one that ended me in the hospital with surgery on a shoulder, but you’re talking dumb animals in a close quarters suburban setting. These things happen. I’ve gotten 1 deer with the car and did $4k damage in the same timeframe.
This is with me entering the 4th year of riding on a daily basis year round, so I really don’t think the odds are that bad. I’m pushing 1200-1400 miles a month on the bike – With that kind of seat time I’m going to see more than the average rider.

[KLizotte]

@CCrew 5333 wrote:

My biggest issues have really been the deer and the urban assault bunnies. Oh, and the skunk the one time. That was a very bad thing. I’ve had two collisions with deer, one that ended me in the hospital with surgery on a shoulder, but you’re talking dumb animals in a close quarters suburban setting. These things happen. I’ve gotten 1 deer with the car and did $4k damage in the same timeframe.

You must have been a hunter in a former life. The deer are getting revenge! Maybe you should spray yourself with eau de coyote.

I see a ton of bunnies every day (they are so cute!) but have yet to see a single one place a paw on the trail. I think they are smarter than the Kamikaze Kiddies.

Tonight I saw a racoon up close and personal on the MVT about 8:30 pm. It was walking on the rocks near Gravelly Pt. Turned around and walked up to me then stopped when it was about seven feet away. Did this numerous times like it was looking for food from me. Rabies did cross my mind since this is not typical coon behavior (I grew up in the country and we used to catch them in traps all the time) but it looked healthy and on the young side (I reckon it’s a teenager). I suspect it’s overly friendly because it’s young and dumb as well as a city animal.

@CCrew 5333 wrote:

This is with me entering the 4th year of riding on a daily basis year round, so I really don’t think the odds are that bad. I’m pushing 1200-1400 miles a month on the bike – With that kind of seat time I’m going to see more than the average rider.

Wow, I only do 3,000 miles in my car per year!

[acc]

Holy Cow. That many miles?! I guess Mr. Kelley will have some company on my Dias of Worship. I am glad you called 911, I would not know what to do. My heart would want to protect anyone of a diminished capacity but I guess she probably would resist any protection I would offer. Thank you for being a gentleman and not taking pictures. Or at the very least, not posting any.

ann

[5555624]

@KLizotte 5336 wrote:

You must have been a hunter in a former life. The deer are getting revenge! Maybe you should spray yourself with eau de coyote.

I would think that would run the risk of attracting a coyote. (Yes, they have been sighted in the area.)

@KLizotte 5336 wrote:

I see a ton of bunnies every day (they are so cute!) but have yet to see a single one place a paw on the trail. I think they are smarter than the Kamikaze Kiddies.

Other than one I used to see almost daily on the Custis Trail, several years ago, I don’t think I’ve seen more than a handful in the last five or ten years. I’m riding 2:30 – 4:00 a.m., so maybe it’s too early for the bunnies. I don’t see many racoons, either. I see foxes all the time, including one in D.C.

Oh, there was a time I was stopped by Catwoman and asked for directions…

[CCrew]

@5555624 5339 wrote:

. I see foxes all the time, including one in D.C.

I’ve noticed that in the areas where you see lots of foxes (and cats) you tend to see few bunnies. Must really suck to be at the bottom of the food chain :p

[creadinger]

@5555624 5339 wrote:

Oh, there was a time I was stopped by Catwoman and asked for directions…

Tell me that that was within a week of Halloween??

Unrelated to cycling, but one afternoon my wife and I were walking out of the lobby our of apartment building and saw 8 ft tall Bumblebee off of the Transformers standing in our path… we were a bit taken aback, but then we realized there were like 20 ten year olds running around and it was a birthday party.

It was actually a pretty sweet costume.

[Greenbelt]

Slightly off the already weird topic, but I’d appreciate tips from night trail commuters on what lights to get, and any other tips (besides watch out for critters). Next winter, I want to start riding home after dark (can’t get off work early enough to get through the trails before full dark). Do you use both a helmet-mounted light and a big handlebar mounted light too?

[jrenaut]

@creadinger 5345 wrote:

8 ft tall Bumblebee off of the Transformers standing in our path…

New Transformers or real Transformers?

[Joe Chapline]

@Greenbelt 5346 wrote:

Slightly off the already weird topic, but I’d appreciate tips from night trail commuters on what lights to get, and any other tips (besides watch out for critters). Next winter, I want to start riding home after dark (can’t get off work early enough to get through the trails before full dark). Do you use both a helmet-mounted light and a big handlebar mounted light too?

I know there have been posts about light recommendations before, but I can’t find them at the moment. If anyone has some recommendations, or happens to know where the previous posts are, please start a new thread under “Bikes and Equipment.”

[eminva]

@CCrew 5341 wrote:

I’ve noticed that in the areas where you see lots of foxes (and cats) you tend to see few bunnies. Must really suck to be at the bottom of the food chain :p

I was coming back from Leesburg a few weeks ago when a rabbit darted out onto the trail ahead of me and went sprinting up the trail a little faster than I thought bunnies could go. My first thought was that my bike must be pretty intimidating to a bunny. Just as I got to the place in the bushes where the rabbit had come out, another animal darted out, which I thought might be another rabbit, but was instead a fox. My wheel was almost on top of him, so he gave me a startled look and took off in another direction. The bunny got a stay of execution.

Liz

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