What Have You Passed?
Just one of the many things I love about being out cycling is surrounding myself with nature. Biking past lakes, over creeks, alongside canola fields or sugar cane fields make being out there on the bike, even better. But as I passed by a cute little fox yesterday on my ride, I got to thinking about all the animals and creatures I’ve cycled past over the years. Of course there are the regular ones like cows, horses, dogs, sheep, goats, and pigs….but I’d love to hear about some of the more unique animals you’ve cycled past.
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I’ve been lucky enough to cycle in many different locations….and here is a list of some of my more unique animal sightings while out on my bike:
Green Vervet Monkeys, Mongoose, Road Runner, Porcupine, Skunk, Zebra, Armadillo, Donkey, Badger, Emu, Hermit Crab, Snake (didn’t slow down enough to know what kind), Deer, Buffalo, Frigate Bird, and Llama.
Okay, keep on adding to the list. Let’s see who can come up with the most mind blowing animal crossing.
Armadillos at Crockett Garden: http://youtu.be/ys_iDrYgiaE
I’m pretty sure I’ve passed some, but none that were alive.
How about a peacock? On start of Leon Creek Greenway in NW San Antonio. http://twitpic.com/29k9ay
I cannot wait to read more of this great topic. So much from it Ive never even contemplated. You sure did put a whole new twist on something that Ive heard a great deal of about. I dont believe Ive actually read whatever does this subject of the same quality justice as you basically did.
On the Daily: Turtles, Geese, Goats, Horses and the usual farm animals. Recently, Alligators and snakes while biking with my brother in Florida. However, of all the wild animals I’ve seen nothing beats the kids who hang out under a local bridge scaring the crap outa unsuspecting passer bys by doing this grunting thingie (almost fell off my bike the first time I heard them)…
Desert tortoise.
Great photos and story. Thanks for sharing it.
It’s not like it can come after us but Tarantula’s are sometimes seen around Austin. Always fun to see. I ride early Tuesday mornings and the deer are all over the place which is not unusual for most but for me its still startling to see. Especially because I am riding through established neighborhoods. I love seeing them though. Taking their time crossing the street telling the cars to slow down!
It’s me skirt from twitter! Sorry…should have told you. I live NW on 360. Hope to ride with you soon!
When I was touring in New Zealand we passed so much roadkill (mostly possums) that it became a running joke about who had more roadkill on their side of the road. Then I passed the one that took the prize – another possum, but this one had a white stripe painted over it…the road crew didn’t even bother moving it before striping over it!
HOOT
Once when I was doing the Rosarito to Ensenada ride here in San Diego there was a huge, swollen dead cow on the side of the road going up the one major climb of the ride. It was a really horrible smell the say the least. Nothing like a large animal on the side of the road in 90 degree heat on the slowwest part of the ride.
Wow, I don’t see near the stuff you guys see. Last year I saw a couple of Llamas but on my routine daily rides it’s mainly armadillos or opossums. Even an occasional raccoon. Alive and dead. There’s always the darting squirrel as well. You know, the one that crosses in front of you, gets to the other side, decides he’s in danger, and then darts back where he came from right into you. Stupid squirrels.
By far, the most interesting to me are the buzzards that sit atop the light poles behind a local grocery store on my daily morning route. Each morning they’re just sitting up there watching me ride by. I can’t see their eyes but I know they’re tracking me. Waiting for me to keel over so I can become breakfast. Waiting for me to do something stupid so they can cackle at my expense.
Deer, hawks, Wild Turkey, Bard Owls, Cattle…
On one 5 mile stretch of rural road I counted 36 deer. Was actually almost taken out on a ride by a cattle stampede! We also have to watch out for Turkey Vultures. They will inevitably be on the side of the road out of site and will spook and fly right in front of you. If you are not familiar with Turkey Vultures they are large and slow flying raptors.
Spent most of my life (and most of my bike miles) in the Virgin Islands, things I passed.
Cows,horses, pigs and goats etc etc, AND
sugar mills, plantation ruins, palm trees, and sandy beaches. conch shells, turtles, crabs, old west-indian men playing dominos on a street corner, ladies with huge bags of groceries balanced on their heads, chicken fights, packs of dogs who really would like to eat me, pot holes large enough to swallow a Volkswagen, drunken partiers coming OUT of the bars as the sun is coming up, mango trees loaded with fruit, a beer drinking pig (yes this is true), a steel pan band and a mucko-jumbie, VI National guard trucks looting a store after a hurricane, and many places where some of my skin is still embedded in the pavement (the most memorable was when a riderless horse bolted across the road in front of me during a race, I did not even get to the brakes before my head and bars smacked the soft part of his belly, flipped me over and left me looking up at him as he trotted off unhurt (and laughing I think).
Oh man, you are really bringing back the memories for me. Thanks for sharing this.
Not too many dangerous and unusual animals here in England, although a Badger might give you a nasty nip!
My favourite things to see are birds of prey of which we do have a good selection of.
I regularly see Kestrels, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Falcons and I’ve just started seeing Red Kite in my neck of the woods. I always stop and watch them!
Cheers
Clive
What are Kestrels, Clive? I’ve never heard of them before.
Darryl
These cheeky little buggers Darryl…
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/k/kestrel/index.aspx
Thanks Clive….seems like I’m always learning something from you whether it is a new word, animal, or way to cook chicken. Hahahaha.
They look sort of like a hawk.
An Alligator…in Chicago. It seems someone threw away a pet and it was on the banks of the Chicago River where I bike.
Of course, I have seen deer, turtles, and so on…but the gator takes the cake.
Monkeys and water buffalo. I have also passed a 6′ python sunning itself in the road and Golden Orb spiders the size of a man’s hand. I still love seeing monkeys.