Happy to be back and alive.......

[trip]

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

[flightdoc]

WOW Trip...my heart was racing just reading your account. Lady luck was riding with you for sure.

[jon]

Wow Trip

I'm glad your okay and nobody was hurt. Too bad it was not on video. You could be a YOUTUBE Legend!

Jon

[Top Cat]

Glad your OK Trip. Sounds like an Adrenalin rush for sure ;)
Again I will state my opinion on deer. They should be hunted to extinction. I'm serious :(" title="" border="0"/>

[dank]

Glad you are OK. Must have made for a nervous ride for a while after that experience.

Deer are impossible to predict. I had one dash out and run parallel with me last summer. I sped up and it raced me for 50-60 feet then went behind me. Relatively low top end, but wow can they accelerate! They must have some kind of torque! Good cornering too. But clearly they need bigger brains.

[ringadingh]

Glad to hear you escaped unharmed, at least you'll have a good story to remember the trip by.

[nightmare]

Glad to hear you are ok, gotta stay away from all that excitement

[dantama]

Similar to that one, but the deer coming from the into the first lane to jump, not the second one.

Trying to make logical decisions, about an animal that runs almost entirely off instinct, doesn't usually work out in a tidy equation :)

I suppose this is the type of story that will get told around the campfire decades down the road.

I noticed that you are trying to put the blame on the deer for the broken back, claiming it broke it while twisting, when clearly you tripped the bastard cutting a leg out from under it with your helmet

Glad it all worked out for you and those behind you. Would've love to have seen a picture.

[caddman11]

Glad to hear you came out of that one in good condition. I only had one run in with a deer; my daughter was on the back, the deer jumped in front of me and stopped in the middle of the road with his white butt and tail facing me as he looked back daring me to hit him. As both wheels locked up, my daughter held on and luckily the bike skidded in a straight line; I missed him.

Thank God Tripster! BD was already putting a campaign together to take over the board!


He would've lost. ;)

Welcome back !! Good thing that deer ate his Wheaties !! Glad there was no harm done.

[rewindgy]

Them Deer are nasty little critters - buddy of mine had one jump into his lap - he was on a Voyager with his buddies behind him watching the whole affair. The stupid thing kicked the sh*t oot of the bike and sh*t all over his bike then manged to jump off! He never fell down or got hurt! Just scared the bejesus out of him! His bud's at first thought is was funny until they inspected the damage to his bike and then couldn'd believe that he didn't either fall down of get hurt!!! His insurance company didn't believe him but after seeing the bike and the deer fuzz stuck and gouges from the hoves theypaid him out real fast!! Sad thing is he isn't riding anymore and last time I saw him he stated that even now in his truck when he see's a deer he freaks!!

[dkdixie]

Unbelievable!

Glad you came through it OK.

[ponch]

I am sure Nico the DC could have gotten the deer up and going in no time. :) If it were me, I would have setup a grill and had some venison. :)

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

I noticed that you are trying to put the blame on the deer for the broken back, claiming it broke it while twisting, when clearly you tripped the bastard cutting a leg out from under it with your helmet

[davidjones1]

Glad you all made it home safe, that will be the campfire storie for a long time and it sounds like you should go and buy a lottery ticket. lol
ride safe.