trip
05-01-2008, 08:22 AM
Hi Guys......
Well, Bluetongue, Coon, txcwdancer and myself made it back OK from Big Bend. I settled back into work yesterday after riding about 2041 miles. Big Bend National Park and the surrounding area is beautiful and sports some very nice roads to ride. I would recommend a ride there to anyone that likes riding in the wide open spaces of the desert, sprinkled with numerous mountains.
Just in case you were wondering, the deer story you may have heard about is true. In fact, txcwdancer witnessed the whole thing along with coon. I think txcwdancer will be writing up a small report about it soon.
For the record, here is my take on what happened:
On Thursday, April 24, 2008, a group of us were riding South on Hwy 674 between Rock Springs, TX and Bracketville, TX. We were about 30 miles North of Bracketville and riding as a group about 55 MPH. It was about 2:30PM and I was located in the middle of the group.
Out of the tree line to my right sprang a deer that ran into the road and started running parallel with my bike. Startled, I ducked my head and quickly accelerated hoping to make the deer pass to the other side of the road behind me instead of in front.
According to txcwdancer and coon, who were riding directly behind me, the deer then JUMPED over me. I couldn't see, due to being ducked down. As the deer jumped in the air over me, it twisted its' body with its' rear legs going one way and its' front legs going the opposite direction. While twisting one of the deer's hoofs scratched the top of my helmet.
The deer tracked over me and landed on the other side of the road where it landed on the pavement and slid off into the gravel and dirt. I was told that it didn't get up and flee. It must have broken it's back during the jump. I was looking in my rear view mirror hoping that txcwdancer wasn't going to get hit, not knowing that it flew over me. All I could see was a cloud of dirt when the deer hit the other side.
Being versed in EMS procedures, txcwdancer and coon thought that they were going to have to help me. They thought I'd been hit, but once they saw that I was still upright and riding along OK, they were relieved.
Needless to say, when we stopped on the side of the road about a mile or two down, everyone let me know what happened. I feel lucky to go through that without a scrape (well, except for my helmet). That deer could have landed on top of me and broken every bone in my body.
As far as I know, there are no photographs or video of the incident. txcwdancer was busy photographing the whole trip, but didn't have any of his gear running at the time.
I'm thankful to be alive and breathing.
Trip
Well, Bluetongue, Coon, txcwdancer and myself made it back OK from Big Bend. I settled back into work yesterday after riding about 2041 miles. Big Bend National Park and the surrounding area is beautiful and sports some very nice roads to ride. I would recommend a ride there to anyone that likes riding in the wide open spaces of the desert, sprinkled with numerous mountains.
Just in case you were wondering, the deer story you may have heard about is true. In fact, txcwdancer witnessed the whole thing along with coon. I think txcwdancer will be writing up a small report about it soon.
For the record, here is my take on what happened:
On Thursday, April 24, 2008, a group of us were riding South on Hwy 674 between Rock Springs, TX and Bracketville, TX. We were about 30 miles North of Bracketville and riding as a group about 55 MPH. It was about 2:30PM and I was located in the middle of the group.
Out of the tree line to my right sprang a deer that ran into the road and started running parallel with my bike. Startled, I ducked my head and quickly accelerated hoping to make the deer pass to the other side of the road behind me instead of in front.
According to txcwdancer and coon, who were riding directly behind me, the deer then JUMPED over me. I couldn't see, due to being ducked down. As the deer jumped in the air over me, it twisted its' body with its' rear legs going one way and its' front legs going the opposite direction. While twisting one of the deer's hoofs scratched the top of my helmet.
The deer tracked over me and landed on the other side of the road where it landed on the pavement and slid off into the gravel and dirt. I was told that it didn't get up and flee. It must have broken it's back during the jump. I was looking in my rear view mirror hoping that txcwdancer wasn't going to get hit, not knowing that it flew over me. All I could see was a cloud of dirt when the deer hit the other side.
Being versed in EMS procedures, txcwdancer and coon thought that they were going to have to help me. They thought I'd been hit, but once they saw that I was still upright and riding along OK, they were relieved.
Needless to say, when we stopped on the side of the road about a mile or two down, everyone let me know what happened. I feel lucky to go through that without a scrape (well, except for my helmet). That deer could have landed on top of me and broken every bone in my body.
As far as I know, there are no photographs or video of the incident. txcwdancer was busy photographing the whole trip, but didn't have any of his gear running at the time.
I'm thankful to be alive and breathing.
Trip