Worse than maggies.

[Patdys]

Coming down Greenhill Rd at a fair clip this morning predawn (there are some advantages to insomnia), I rounded a corner to have a moderate size (up to knee height) grey lump bounce across the white line into my lane, startle and then bounce back.

Not even the cable ties on my helmet would have helped me with this one had he/she bounced the wrong way...

[Dahondude]

Yep dangerous little buggers those roos. I had a collision with one on Mt Lofty one morning. Luckily it had the brains to jump as high as it could just before impact and I only caught a glancing blow from its leg across my neck. They are bl**dy solid things and I wouldn't want to hit one at speed.

[Mallacai]

i have seen first hand what the red ones can do to a Kenworth Prime Mover.

Never want to hit one on a push bike.

[MichaelB]

Almost collected a possum whilst descending Mt Lofty at 65km/hr. Thankfully he was quick enough to just miss the front wheel

[you cannot be sirrus]

Had a near miss last week heading towards Clarendon from Mclaren Flat. A roo jumped in front of me, missed me by about 2m just as a car was passing me. I think the driver nearly sh@ himself, he must ahve missed it by inches..

[dirty_harry]

i live in lobethal and work at the local deli, i was working on a saturday in summer last year when a workmates boyfriend came in in tears. his cat had just run out in front of a cyclist coming down the hill into lobethal, the cat got its head in the front wheel and the cyclist went over the bars and ended up in hospital with concussion and a broken cheek (i think) while the cat limped off presumably to pass in peace. one of my sisters friends lives right by were this occured and her dad put his bike in the shed and i seen it a couple days later it was pretty trashed. bent bars broken seat rails and that was only at a glance. looked pretty new aswell. animals and bikes dont mix
harry

[shiv]

i live in lobethal and work at the local deli, i was working on a saturday in summer last year when a workmates boyfriend came in in tears. his cat had just run out in front of a cyclist coming down the hill into lobethal, the cat got its head in the front wheel and the cyclist went over the bars and ended up in hospital with concussion and a broken cheek (i think) while the cat limped off presumably to pass in peace. one of my sisters friends lives right by were this occured and her dad put his bike in the shed and i seen it a couple days later it was pretty trashed. bent bars broken seat rails and that was only at a glance. looked pretty new aswell. animals and bikes dont mix
harry

So the boyfriend was crying over a cat? A cat that didnt even die? He needs to take a long, long hard look at himself I think. Unless of course the workmate you spoke of is also male, in which case, carry on.

[Chops]

Nearly hit one at about 140km/h on my motorbike in Araluen one time. Missed it by literally centremetres. Would not have been pretty.

[dirty_harry]

boyfriend was crying over presumed dead cat however presumed dead cat has never been seen again. so presumptions can probably be confirmed. in terms of workmate, workmate is female however she is a little strange so you know . (boyfriend is also strange so maybe they cross dress lol) also what i dont understand is the motorbike riders find the workmate extremely attractive and offer days out and dates on daily basis. for the record she is not that attractive in my opinion.
harry
ps chops that sounds like a heart attack causing experience and im sure if you hit it it wouldve been nasty

[shiv]

Im totally sus on any male crying over a cat. Just not the done thing.

Also had a bird (not a girl) hit my helmet while doing 210kmh on motorbike once. More then slightly scary so would hate to have a roo attack me at speed

[dirty_harry]

yeah im with you on the crying shiv on the subject of birds and bikes did you see the rider (doviziozo?) at last years phillip island gp hit the seagull on the main straight probably going high 200's into threes maybe. got him right on the hand and he only got a slight bruise apparently
harry

[SLH]

Nearly hit a duck at 65kmh coming down Lofty this morning. Bloody thing just sitting in middle of the road on sweeping bend...luckily it didn't move as I sped past.

[Patdys]

Ok, ride to Strath yesterday.
A deer at Eagle on the Hill. Where on earth did that come from?
Lots of bunnies between Strath and Mt Barker.
And lots of maggies, sitting on the road and not one swoop. Hooray.

[buzz]

A deer at Eagle on the Hill. Where on earth did that come from?

There is always a heap of deer (possibly a small deer farm) in the property next to the animal boarding place. My guess is one smart pants make a break for it. Must have been a bit of a surprise though!

[Dr_Mutley]

there was a chap on this forum cleaned up by roo in belair NP a year or 2 ago... think he came out of it badly from memory and ended up unconscious for a bit.. gotta watch those fellas....

saw a big big roo hit by a small japanse car ths morning on the way bck from victor (on Willunga hill)... front of car very trashed...

[Quinns Rocks Roadie]

Im totally sus on any male crying over a cat. Just not the done thing

I thought crying over a lost pussy was just part of growing up...

Eric 'been there, done that' McG.

[Patdys]

Now a kanga climbing just past devils elbow.
Nice to see them on the way up.

Is it just me or is there a lot more wildlife this year?

[318ute]

Dr_Mutley,
Yep, that was little ol me, I live in Upper Sturt and ride through Belair around 6am each morning towards the city...
Short story, it's still dark, stars glittering, riding at a good speed on the bitumen, when I hear thump thump, glance to the right and caught a glimpse!
Oh crap, next I am litterally looking at the stars unable to breath laying on my back! I had the stuffing knocked out of me!
End result, Specialized helmet cracked in four place(wont ride without a lid), bark off both knees & one elbow, plus a stuffed ultegra lever and assorted scratches to my roadie...
The bloody roo was no where to be seen!

Noel from the Bike Station on Brighton has told me of a group ride when a roo bouncing alongside them decided to hop into the action and onto the back of a rider and sent a couple flying!!
Solid is an understatement for a roo regardless of size...

Mind you the park is full of all kinds of critters and I have seen most!

Steve.

[Dr_Mutley]

Dr_Mutley,
Yep, that was little ol me, I live in Upper Sturt and ride through Belair around 6am each morning towards the city...
Short story, it's still dark, stars glittering, riding at a good speed on the bitumen, when I hear thump thump, glance to the right and caught a glimpse!
Oh crap, next I am litterally looking at the stars unable to breath laying on my back! I had the stuffing knocked out of me!
End result, Specialized helmet cracked in four place(wont ride without a lid), bark off both knees & one elbow, plus a stuffed ultegra lever and assorted scratches to my roadie...
The bloody roo was no where to be seen!

Noel from the Bike Station on Brighton has told me of a group ride when a roo bouncing alongside them decided to hop into the action and onto the back of a rider and sent a couple flying!!
Solid is an understatement for a roo regardless of size...

Mind you the park is full of all kinds of critters and I have seen most!

Steve.

Thanks steve, i remember your name was holdenish from memory but just couldnt remember.... ive had a few close calls with bush chooks and jolly jumpers, but not quite as close as u

[318ute]

Oh and I forgot to add, I ended up with 3 cracked ribs.....that is not a good feeling and the discomfort lasted for a good couple of weeks..
Roo's generally aren't the major issue in the park, the rabbit population seems to grow and shrink depending upon baiting and nature, but when I ride past the open spaces the little bugga's make a bee line for the scrub!
This means they come close to hurling themselves into the wheels!
All said and done though the hour of the morning I ride it's much safer than the tradie traffic on the Upper Sturt Road, they are doing all of 80kph++ with trailers and I am just not confident that they would see me all bleary eyes and sucking on their coffee!

Steve.

[trailgumby]

There was a girl taken out by an adult grey at the Back Yamma Bigfoot mtb race last month.

She was not in a good way and got choppered out. Didn't hear about it until I got to the finish line.

A guy in front of me had a near miss as well. The mob took off and the straggler was racing to catch up. I yelled at the top of my lungs but don;t think he saw it until it crossed his path. Missed him by about 2-3m. We weren't going slow - it would not have ended well for him. After that, every time I glimpsed something big and grey and furry moving through the trees - no matter how far away - I was a-tinging like a madman on my bell.

It's not uncommon either. The guy at my LBS who has been a past Aussie marathon champ got hit by one the day before he was due to shoot off overseas on a mtb trip. Busted collarbone, and I think other shoulder damage.

Beautiful to watch, but fair dinkum they've got brains the size of peanuts.

[Patdys]

Beautiful to watch, but fair dinkum they've got brains the size of peanuts.

That is how my wife describes cyclists.

[Chriss]

And more fun of the animal variety just now, a koala sitting right in the middle of Norton Summit Road, in the middle of the day, along with another one at the side of the road.

At least they don't jump.

[sikracer75]

There was another koala just taking an afternoon stroll on norton summit road. Next time you descend just keep a good eye out for them. I dont imagine they would get out of your way in a hurry.

[MichaelB]

On my Mt Lofty ride last night, spotted and echidna wombling it's way across the road. Fortunately, it was on the dge of the road when I came flying around a corner, so no hassles.

Stopped to make sure it didn't get cleaned up by car or cyclist and then went on my way again.

It's the 2nd one I've seen up there as well as Koalas, and Kangaroos and the odd possum going hell for leather trying to get across the road.