Kawasaki Concours Forum

Riding => Rides and Stories => Topic started by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 12:48:32 PM

Title: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 12:48:32 PM
I took a long lunch hour (maybe two) and went for a ride. It's beautiful outside, upper 70's, light breeze, low humidity, and crystal skies.

Some HD folks have told me about a great twisty road near here. I thought I'd see for myself. They were right, it was a great road. Lots of banked corners and switchbacks a few sweepers and all of this out in the country. The trees are starting to change and this added to the attraction. The only problem was the entire road was covered in tar snakes.

The good part of the road is about 20 miles long and I took it somewhat easy on my first pass, picking out a line so that I could avoid as many snakes as possible. I turned around and tried it again, this time riding like I meant it. I was having a great time when I headed into a blind corner, taking it pretty fast. I was at the apex when I saw them. A flock of turkeys was right in the middle of the road! There must have been 15 or so, I grabbed a heaping handful of brake and got slowed down enough to take the shoulder and miss the gobblers. I got back on the road and stopped to admire the birds. The male was strutting around making lots of noise trying to get his harem across the road. Once my heart slowed back down I had a good laugh at his antics. Then they were gone into the bush.

Life is good.
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: koval68 on October 06, 2011, 01:00:05 PM
I'm glad you're ok!
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 01:02:09 PM
Thanks! Me too, I'm glad that I didn't hit some of those snakes when I was braking!
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Excavator on October 06, 2011, 02:01:30 PM
I had the same thing happen last weekend while riding through Texas on a rural farm road, being used to seeing geese here in Arkansas, that was the first thing that flashed in my head but then I could see the beards hanging down and remembered I was in Central Texas where geese are not likely to be. The abs worked great and the turkeys disappeared very quickly.

The next morning on that same road I came up on a very big 12 or 14 point white tail buck standing 20 ft. off the road just behind a barbed wire fence, I have hunted for 30 years and never have seen a buck that big in the woods. i'm glad he stayed on his side of the fence.

Sorry, I guess I should be writing this for a hunting magazine.


 
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: VirginiaJim on October 06, 2011, 02:04:07 PM
oops, wrong area.

What are you trying to do, confuse me?
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 02:07:40 PM
What are you trying to do, confuse me?

Did it work?

I meant that I should have, and did, post my story in the rides and stories section.
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 02:12:06 PM
I had the same thing happen last weekend while riding through Texas on a rural farm road, being used to seeing geese here in Arkansas, that was the first thing that flashed in my head but then I could see the beards hanging down and remembered I was in Central Texas where geese are not likely to be. The abs worked great and the turkeys disappeared very quickly.

The next morning on that same road I came up on a very big 12 or 14 point white tail buck standing 20 ft. off the road just behind a barbed wire fence, I have hunted for 30 years and never have seen a buck that big in the woods. i'm glad he stayed on his side of the fence.

Sorry, I guess I should be writing this for a hunting magazine.

That's funny you should mention deer. When I first got on the road in my story a doe ran across the road about 50 yards in front of me. I got off the throttle and covered the brakes cuz where's there's one there's always another, I didn't see the others though.
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: VirginiaJim on October 06, 2011, 02:12:16 PM
Yes, it did confuse me (more than I usually am) and I removed your duplicate post so that we could keep the responses intact.  :)
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 02:12:51 PM
Yes, it did confuse me (more than I usually am) and I removed your duplicate post so that we could keep the responses intact.  :)

Thank you Sir!
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Excavator on October 06, 2011, 02:35:44 PM
That's funny you should mention deer. When I first got on the road in my story a doe ran across the road about 50 yards in front of me. I got off the throttle and covered the brakes cuz where's there's one there's always another, I didn't see the others though.

No doubt there's usually more. Years ago I spotted one on the right side of the road and when I looked back to the front all I could see was a deer head just above the hood of my Dodge truck....bang, there was blood and hair everywhere, it was not a good day.

I always look for the second and third one now...not just the first.
Title: Re: Turkeys!
Post by: Conrad on October 06, 2011, 03:18:04 PM
No doubt there's usually more. Years ago I spotted one on the right side of the road and when I looked back to the front all I could see was a deer head just above the hood of my Dodge truck....bang, there was blood and hair everywhere, it was not a good day.

I always look for the second and third one now...not just the first.

Imagine the day that deer had!