Another NYC moment biking in the park; riding past the carosel on the east side Thursday and saw a red tailed hawk pick off a white pidgeon 15 feet in front of me, perch on a tree and enjoy dinner!
bike and birds
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 11:52am
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 2:20pm
#1
Bikes and Birds
A bird once flew through the front Spinergy Rev-X wheel I had on the bike I was riding at that time. Had I been going a bit faster, I would have had a myself a meal!
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 2:54pm
#2
Bikes and Meals
I was hammering in the park one night.
A VW size Central Park rat darted out from the side and ran in between the front and back wheel.
If I had crashed, I would have been the meal.
Chuck
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 4:04pm
#3
Bikes, Birds and Meals
While cycling the North County Trailway this past Saturday, a wild turkey ran across the trail right in front of me...now that WOULD have been a meal
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 5:02pm
#4
Meals on wheels
Stay or go? Go or stay? At the last possible instant a (hungry?) squirrel dove between my friend's wheels, and in the split-second before being pureed by the spokes, jumped onto his foot! Pedaling, shaking, and kicking couldn't dislodge it so he had to reach down, grab it, and toss it onto the grass!
Mon, 05/12/2003 - 7:45pm
#5
More Animals
I ran over a squirrel in Central Park, but he thankfully survived. Hit the tail feathers of a goose once. Anyone ever see any of the Central Park raccoons? I almost hit deer on several occasion, while both road and mountain bike riding. Saw wild turkey on River Road, and many ground hogs, but nothing beats the alligator I saw in a creek in Philadelphia (true story).
Fri, 05/16/2003 - 5:10pm
#6
Raccoons in Central Park
Yup. They tend to hang out on the North side of the park. There was one at dusk on a Wednesday night about three weeks ago. Saw none last year, but the year before I saw them on a regular basis.
I also keep seeing animal control vehicles, which make me nervous. If the raccoons get caught, do they get deported or executed?
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 5:38am
#7
Killer lambs
Last year in Connemara, Ireland, I got chased for a mile, going 18 mph, by a psychopathic lamb.
Apparently, I rode too quickly past the flock and startled the poor thing, which then took off after me, bleating pathetically. Two humongous tourist buses were driving past just then and slowed down. I could see the tour guide speaking into her microphone to alert the passengers, all of whom were looking out the window at me and laughing.
Thankfully, Fluffy wore himself out by the time I reached a hill, where I couldn't maintain that pace on my folding bike. I wonder what he would have done if he'd caught me.
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 1:00pm
#8
Wheels and Veal
"While riding out of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for a 120 miler towards Zion National Park. I was the third behind 2 other riders cruising in a wide open meadow for miles and miles. We came upon a herd of free-range cattle grazing along the road. When the first rider gave the customary ""MOOOO"" greeting. A startled cow and its calf jumped out in front of the second rider and myself blocking the road causing us to swerve wide left and stop. Fortunately, the heffer did not charge and no contact was made (that would have hurt!), and we all went on our merry way.
"
Wed, 05/14/2003 - 5:26am
#9
More Critters
On the last two A-Classic STS rides we saw beaver dams, but no beaver were spotted. One dam is along 209 just south of Ellenville. I forget where the other one was; we were moving fast at when we passed it...
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 11:38am
#10
Going up the hill on the north end of the Park one sunny morning, I encountered a hesitant squirrel who at the last moment darted across the road and into my front wheel. He spun around on the front hub for a couple of revolutions and spun out onto my left thigh. I looked at him/her, and it looked at me for a couple of minutes, totally dazed, before it darted off once again leaving me with two deep scratches from its claws, and a bunch of bemused joggers coming down the hill from the opposite direction.
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 12:01pm
#11
Beware of hedgehogs in Britain
A friend of mine, who wasn't looking where he was going, ran over a hedgehog that was curled up on a road in Scotland and the spines on its back punctured both of my friend's tyres in several places. When they are frightened, hedgehogs curl up into a ball and their spines stick out, forming an excellent defence against most creatures, including bicycles. They are not very effective against cars and trucks though.
I once ran over a pigeon commuting on my bike to work in London, which made one hell of a mess. The stupid thing took off from the curb, flew about three feet and landed about one foot in front of my front wheel and I was doing around 18mph at the time. There were feathers everywhere.
I guess it was suicide.
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 12:06pm
#12
Birds
On 9-11-2002 my friends and I did a ride I suppose because I was still here to participate. Anyway, at one point a turkey vulture we did not see got scared and started flapping it's wings to get away. It was right alongside of me and it's wings just about clipped me. Who would have had the meal?
Wed, 05/14/2003 - 6:47pm
#13
A bird well spoken for...
3 or 4 years ago I was going through a red light, no, wait, that's another story. I was doing laps in Central Park and was between the 7th and 6th Avenue exit/entrances on the south side when a pigeon, flying along side, turned and flew through the spokes of my front wheel. This was one tough bird, it just kept going after a bit of the windmill effect. It tough but not very bright. I don't suppose the experience made it all that much smarter either.
Thu, 05/15/2003 - 8:07am
#14
this story?
"Hank, I bet the mishap would have been easily avoided if you were donning red spoke reflectors. ;-)"
Thu, 05/15/2003 - 9:15am
#15
Its the Law
Yes. NY traffic law requires reflectors if riding after dusk, along with front and rear lights. Helmet too, at all times. I forgot about a bell or other audible device. Bicycles must also have brakes; therefore, it is illegal to ride a fixed-gear bike on the road unless it equiped with brakes.
Next, tassels will be required. I am thinking pink and white ones will add a little color to my primarily black bicycle.
Thu, 05/15/2003 - 10:35am
#16
Silly rabbit, laws are for kids.
"There is no NYS law requiring helmets for riders over 14. There is some vague law in Rockland, but it's essentially unenforceable.
NYS requires bikes to have one working brake that can bring the bike to a stop within a certain specified distance (50 feet, IIRC). It could be argued that a ""brakeless"" fixed gear is within the law if it could be stopped within that distance by back-pedaling.
Tassels would be nice, but only on a red fez. There was an attempt to make raccoon tails mandatory some years back, but the PETA people sucessfully lobbied against that."
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 12:27pm
#17
Raptors In Brooklyn
And last year, while I was cycling up the hill in ProPark, I saw some kind of raptor (hawk? small eagle?) jump out of the bush at the right side, top of the hill, and fly across my path just about eye level.
If I were faster, I probably would have hit the bird.
David, who sometimes is glad that he's not too fast
Tue, 05/13/2003 - 6:09pm
#18
And furthermore...
Came to a cattle crossing in New Zealand and slowed to let a group of 4 go across the road. The lead bovine stopped, turned and stared as I approached - suddenly I realized, that's not a cow, it's a bull!! And I in my bright red jacket....
Sat, 05/17/2003 - 6:22am
#19
Catastrophe averted
"Oh, my. And the grisly outcomes of such encounters are vividly displayed in the Met's ""Manet/Velasquez"" exhibition. (through June 29)
How fortunate that you did not inspire a twenty-first century version of the ""Dead Toreador"" theme! (A video installation, no doubt, with bike instead of horse.)
A loss for art, but a gain for the NYCC."
