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Day: June 25, 2010

Very Lucky Shot

Published June 25, 2010

On the way home from work today a bird evidently got in a very lucky (for me) shot. This bit of bird dropping fell, just barely missing me, and ending up right on the joint between the seat tube and the top tube.

If you’d like to see the route I took home from work (same as the route to work, but mostly downhill), you can find it here: 25-Jun-2010_Work_To_Home.kmz.

I’ve also got two more photos from biking today if you’d like to see them: my bike parked outside work this morning, and my shadow on the Clinton River Trail while riding along somewhere in Rochester.

Now, time for bed. Tomorrow’s lined up to be lots of manual labor, hopefully wrapping up the first phase of some new, park-approved single track trail at River Bends Park.

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Squished Squirrel, Squished Banana

Published June 25, 2010

Riding to work along the Clinton River Trail this morning I happened upon a squirrel, which is not unusual at all, until I ran over it. Typically animals see you coming and do their best to dash off to hide in the woods, but this squirrel, laying in the middle of the 12′ wide gravel path, ducked down, waited until I got within 15 of it, dashed off into the brush, then immediately back out in front of me, running in a small circle twice directly in front of my tire before I hit it. Thankfully only my front tire hit it†, and when I looked back I caught only a brief glimpse of it ducking back into the brush.

While squishing the squirrel (and throughout the ride) I was apparently also squishing my post-ride banana. While the skin didn’t rupture, a fair part of it was mashed into a nice banana gel which tasted surprisingly sweet and good. It was a bit of a hassle to eat, but the taste made it worthwhile. I think that a bowl of well-mashed banana, topped with (real) whipped cream, and some nice oaty biscuits (HobNobs?) could make for quite a treat.

UPDATE: Now that I think about it, hitting the squirrel felt not unlike the time I hit a discarded banana in the road. A little slick, a slight sliding/rolling feeling, and an ever so slight bump.

† Front wheels generally have less weight on them, and while I definitely hit a squishy part of the squirrel, there wasn’t a noticeable thump or bump as I went over it, so hopefully I hit a less-essential part and its still alive.

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