Finally something to write about! Figures, the weather turns a bit better, and things start to happen! Enjoy:
An interesting thing happened on today's ride.
Granted, I've had close encounters with animals in the past; Riding next to coyotes running along side me. Coming around a corner and seeing a gaggle of cattle. (gaggle?) Even the occasional suicidal-squirrel-near-miss. Those guys are crazy. And not so smart.
But nothing like this.
Of course, to tell this story, I have to let you in on a little secret about me. A little confessional on my part. You see, I am one of those people that when they pass near an animal, I nearly always make the sound of that animal at them, as if I'm trying to say, "Hey fella, how's your day going?" Just friendly banter, nothing more. I usually make those sounds, more often than not at the bovine sort, and then quickly look around and think, "I should check for people within earshot before starting a conversation of this nature."
Of course, this usually takes place on the bike. In the car, Im usually a little more closed off from the rest of the world, as well as not near enough for said creatures to hear me. But I digest
Todays ride was no different. Starting out the third climb, this time up Harry Road from Almaden Valley to the Bernal Road IBM facility, I passed the usually cows on the farmland bordering all sides of the road up the hill. The regular conversations ensued, with several cows chomping away at lunch. Even a few calves were out today, chillin with mama, I imagine. They got not only the regular guttural, mmmmmmmmm, but also the classic, Helloooooooo from City Slickers.
I passed the crest of the road, cruised through IBM, waved as I passed through the gates, and started my descent down Bernal Road. Up near the first corner, a sweeping right hander, I noticed a rather large turkey crossing the road. I had heard them earlier on the ride, so I knew they were out.
Now, I know these are not necessarily intelligent creatures, so I slowed down, thinking it might change its mind, and thus its direction, and cross in front of me. As I got close, guess what it did?
Of course, this was after I struck up the conversation with some loud, Gobble gobble gobble noise. On the third set of three Gobbles, all of them with this creature staring right at me, it turns around and starts to cross the road right in front of me. So I slowed down a bit to see if I could beat it or if I should let it go.
I chose to try to beat it. And damnit, I would have, had it not decided it must at all costs win the race, and at that moment, about 5 feet from me, it took flight.
Now, I havent seen many turkeys fly. And definitely never that close, having taken off within spitting distance, aimed directly at my head. And I can now say, with this new found information, that I never want to FEEL one in flight again. I ducked just in time to not be possibly decapitated, but I did feel its massive left wing graze my left shoulder, then coupled with the feeling of a large amount of wind on my back as it also did everything it could to not fly straight into me.
A near miss. And a bit of an education on the mindset of the wild turkey. I will make a different choice next time.
An interesting thing happened on today's ride.
Granted, I've had close encounters with animals in the past; Riding next to coyotes running along side me. Coming around a corner and seeing a gaggle of cattle. (gaggle?) Even the occasional suicidal-squirrel-near-miss. Those guys are crazy. And not so smart.
But nothing like this.
Of course, to tell this story, I have to let you in on a little secret about me. A little confessional on my part. You see, I am one of those people that when they pass near an animal, I nearly always make the sound of that animal at them, as if I'm trying to say, "Hey fella, how's your day going?" Just friendly banter, nothing more. I usually make those sounds, more often than not at the bovine sort, and then quickly look around and think, "I should check for people within earshot before starting a conversation of this nature."
Of course, this usually takes place on the bike. In the car, Im usually a little more closed off from the rest of the world, as well as not near enough for said creatures to hear me. But I digest
Todays ride was no different. Starting out the third climb, this time up Harry Road from Almaden Valley to the Bernal Road IBM facility, I passed the usually cows on the farmland bordering all sides of the road up the hill. The regular conversations ensued, with several cows chomping away at lunch. Even a few calves were out today, chillin with mama, I imagine. They got not only the regular guttural, mmmmmmmmm, but also the classic, Helloooooooo from City Slickers.
I passed the crest of the road, cruised through IBM, waved as I passed through the gates, and started my descent down Bernal Road. Up near the first corner, a sweeping right hander, I noticed a rather large turkey crossing the road. I had heard them earlier on the ride, so I knew they were out.
Now, I know these are not necessarily intelligent creatures, so I slowed down, thinking it might change its mind, and thus its direction, and cross in front of me. As I got close, guess what it did?
Of course, this was after I struck up the conversation with some loud, Gobble gobble gobble noise. On the third set of three Gobbles, all of them with this creature staring right at me, it turns around and starts to cross the road right in front of me. So I slowed down a bit to see if I could beat it or if I should let it go.
I chose to try to beat it. And damnit, I would have, had it not decided it must at all costs win the race, and at that moment, about 5 feet from me, it took flight.
Now, I havent seen many turkeys fly. And definitely never that close, having taken off within spitting distance, aimed directly at my head. And I can now say, with this new found information, that I never want to FEEL one in flight again. I ducked just in time to not be possibly decapitated, but I did feel its massive left wing graze my left shoulder, then coupled with the feeling of a large amount of wind on my back as it also did everything it could to not fly straight into me.
A near miss. And a bit of an education on the mindset of the wild turkey. I will make a different choice next time.
ryu:
That sounds insanely hectic! There are a whole load of geese on the bike paths I ride and I don't think they're nearly as big as a turkey and I can't imagine how bad it would be to have those nearly hit me....