Motorist, Cyclist, Pedestrian

We live on a stretch of road twelve miles from town. Traveling from here to there, or any part inbetween, gives one chance for observation. For instance, barreling down the road (assuming Officer Higgs is off-duty...) for twelve miles allows for excellent hawk-spotting, especially this time of year. I like to count how many high-line poles between each perching hawk, who like to spy little vermin and snakes from up-high, and then deftly swoop down. I have found that motoring down the road allows for better hawk observation, because they tend to fly away when one approaches on a bike, and forget about seeing them up close and personal if you're on foot.

Cycling, on the other hand, allows for environmental observation. On our 12-mile stretch, I know exactly where the cooler temperatures can be found on my ride. I know exactly which turns in the road will lead into a windy headwind or tailwind. There is a stretch of about one mile which has no trees or hills to speak of, and those few minutes of cycling are more than likely miserable if there is even a slight breeze in the air. It is like the wind just lies in wait before it determines which way it should aim to make the cycling the most horrid.

Cycling this 12-mile strip has given me many opportunities to see deer in fields, in tall grass, lazing the the sun or resting in the shade of the trees along the road. Cycling is relatively quiet, and riding 15-20 mph, I have come upon deer many times before they have had a chance to flee. And then - I am the one who is gone! Once, however, I did have a deer run across the road in front of me. Not so close to me that I had to brake, but I have tucked that experience into the back of my mind, so as to not become complacent about a deer hightailing it and colliding with my bike.

Walking, running...
Today I went on a 7.5 -mile jaunt down the road, and I got to study a whole different scene than what I might view from a 55 mph car or a 18 mph bike. Roadside coyote tracks: the coyotes seem to trot parallel to a road; I don't know why. They also seem to poop alongside the road. I don't know why. Deer, on the other hand, seem to pick favorite places to cross the road. In a 20-yard stretch, I can see hoofprint-upon-hoofprint crossing back and forth across the road...not walking along the side of the road. And the hooves are all sizes: large, medium, and little ones, too. Then, maybe a mile or so down the way, I will spy another deer crossing point. Interesting. Turkey tracks, too, seem to cross the road ("Why did the chicken cross the road?").

So...are these observations to mean that deer and turkeys just meander from field-to-field, whereas a coyote has a place to be and is beating a path down the highway to get there?

I don't know, I'm not an animal behaviorist. I just notice things. Running along a familiar stretch, I see that the capstone on the limestone bridge down the way is beginning to look snaggle-toothed. I see a raccoon down in the creek, washing something. Cycling down the road, I am more aware of the clouds, the sun, the wind. I have noticed many times that if I am cycling or running (or of course, driving), that people will give a friendly wave. But if I am walking, people have no qualms about stopping for a quick chat. Case in point: today, I had two neighbors stop roadside for a chat. One was a friendly Hi-haven't-seen-you-in-awhile, and the other one was a Hello-have-you-seen-our-heifers?

Any way I do it, this traveling can be fun, if I let it be. Sometimes the car, the bike, the running shoes are nagging reminders that I have to be somewhere or do something. But...if I keep my mind on what's fun, interesting, beautiful... it seems to make all the difference.