Wildlife Spottings

Last night I took my first mtb ride through the Marin Headlands. I live in SF and usually drive to other spots to mtb and could kick myself for overlooking this awesome place just over the bridge from me. It is close enough to ride out after work for a nice 3 hour loop and still be home in time for dinner.

And the best part of it all was seeing a mountain lion jumping off the trail in front of me during a descent. I've seen wild turkeys, deer, skunks and other fun creatures but nothing this cool before. And just 15 minutes away from downtown SF. Can you believe it?!?

So what cool wildlife do you see on the trails in your neck of the woods?

:D Erin

I don't know if it's cool, but I've seen many a snake hanging out on the trails around here. Have yet to run over one, but I've come pretty close. I saw a family of deer walking next to the trail once.
I love being a part of nature!
A mountain lion might have scared me a bit- but how cool!!

Hey, Erin! Come to our Thursday night ride at Arastradero!!!

Back to the topic. Two weeks ago I saw not one, but two, rattlesnakes at Arastradero. I always get to the ride early to warm-up. I head up the fire road for about 20-30 minutes then spin back down and meet the group. Well, as I'm heading back down (at about 30mph), I see this long snake completely across the trail from one side to the other. After an emergency stop with about two feet to spare, I see it's a rattlesnake. And, he apparently just had dinner because his belly is HUGE. Not knowing what to do, I was glad to see two hikers approaching. Girl hiker tells me rattlesnakes have a four foot strike range (so I back up). Since the snake is completely across the trail, she walks into the bushes at his tail end. He rears up his ugly head and she runs back out. Then, she throws some pebbles at him. I guess he was bored with us, because he just slithered off the trail. Thank goodness, because there was no other way out for us.

So, I continue down the trail and not half a mile later I spy another rattlesnake -- this one much smaller -- coiled on the side of the trail.

Not a mountain ride, but a couple of weeks ago I was doing a stage race in Kern County (Bakersfield) and I saw a HUGE pink shiny snake on the road. Pink snakes aren't scary.

Be careful-- a mountain lion killed one mtb'er and attacked another a few years back in Orange County.

I saw a peacock yesterday- transplanted wild life. A coyote on saturday. All my rides- snakes- rattlers and gopher snakes. Bunnies, other rodents, road runners, lizards and... vultures.

The headlands as a number of Bobcats, hence the name of "Bobcat" trail....I saw a Bobcat on "Bobcat" trail last year....but they are not as big as mountain lions....Frankly, if I did see a mountain lion I would probably be very freaked out. Although they are generally shy, one did kill one mtbiker in Socal in a park a couple years ago (he had stopped to fix his chain) and attacked and badly injured another rider later the same day.....her riding partner was able to fight him off, saving her life. I love wildlife, but that's one creature I have NO desire to see when biking.....

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Originally Posted by E2theD

Last night I took my first mtb ride through the Marin Headlands. I live in SF and usually drive to other spots to mtb and could kick myself for overlooking this awesome place just over the bridge from me. It is close enough to ride out after work for a nice 3 hour loop and still be home in time for dinner.

And the best part of it all was seeing a mountain lion jumping off the trail in front of me during a descent. I've seen wild turkeys, deer, skunks and other fun creatures but nothing this cool before. And just 15 minutes away from downtown SF. Can you believe it?!?

So what cool wildlife do you see on the trails in your neck of the woods?

:D Erin

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WOW! We're pretty sure we've had a lion visit our yard up in Santa Rosa, but we never saw it, just heard it and saw the claw marks on a tree. Kinda creepy given that my son and the neighbors' kid were sleeping out in a tent that night. :eek: But speaking of the Marin Headland, did you know that it's also called "Hawk Hill"? This is because lots of raptors migrating southwards will stop there, not daring to cross over the water. So especially in Fall there can be dozens of hawks circling on the updrafts over the headland. :)

Okay, I thought of this thread on my ride tonight.

I'm reluctant to mtb alone because I feel more vulnerable and at risk. At risk of what, I'm not sure, but needless to say, I tend to mtb with groups. However, I usually get to our Thursday night ride early so I can warm up before the group arrives.

Well, tonight reminded me why I don't ride alone. I'm rolling up the fire road at Arastradero and I get almost to the lake when I see a guy standing by the side of the trail. I think I've caught him in the act of relieving himself. As I get closer, I realize he's not urinating, but rather he's masturbating and making eye contact with me as I roll by. Yuck!

Somehow, I've made it to 40 years old and never seen a flasher until tonight. I wasn't as scared as I was just plain shocked. I didn't feel threatened just surprised. Not sure if he's dangerous, but I promised my riding partner that I'd call the park rangers tomorrow.

Ick, that form of "wildlife" is the worst kind.......:mad:

Ew! Only ever seeing pidgeons suddenly seems so much better than it did...

I was just thinking on my ride today about the wildlife thread and here you all are...cyber-telepathy
I saw a group of 6 pied kingfishers this morning, "my" gorgeous summer resident bee-eaters at their bank-nesting-place, 2 big lizards (well not monitors but about 25 cm = 10 inches), and one giant cormorant on the riverbank drying its wings
I also saw a small flock of sheep (in the distance on the Jordanian side of the Border). More accurately, I heard their bells - the sound of which carries so clearly in the still morning air - and then I saw them.

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Originally Posted by fatbottomedgurl

Be careful-- a mountain lion killed one mtb'er and attacked another a few years back in Orange County.

I saw a peacock yesterday- transplanted wild life. A coyote on saturday. All my rides- snakes- rattlers and gopher snakes. Bunnies, other rodents, road runners, lizards and... vultures.

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That story really scared my husband! A month after we saw that story on TV my husband was riding on he's normal trail, and right in front of him the bushes moved. He said all he saw was this tan fur and then all of sudden this deer bounded out in front of him. He said he had to change he's shorts after that one!

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Originally Posted by velogirl

Okay, I thought of this thread on my ride tonight.

I'm reluctant to mtb alone because I feel more vulnerable and at risk. At risk of what, I'm not sure, but needless to say, I tend to mtb with groups. However, I usually get to our Thursday night ride early so I can warm up before the group arrives.

Well, tonight reminded me why I don't ride alone. I'm rolling up the fire road at Arastradero and I get almost to the lake when I see a guy standing by the side of the trail. I think I've caught him in the act of relieving himself. As I get closer, I realize he's not urinating, but rather he's masturbating and making eye contact with me as I roll by. Yuck!

Somehow, I've made it to 40 years old and never seen a flasher until tonight. I wasn't as scared as I was just plain shocked. I didn't feel threatened just surprised. Not sure if he's dangerous, but I promised my riding partner that I'd call the park rangers tomorrow.

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That's one kind of snake I don't wish to see when I am riding alone!

Margo, I love it when you describe wildlife in Israel. So unique from any place I've ever been!

Karen

went out on sunday and actually had a grizzly bear on the trail. wasn't a very big one, about 8ft or so. he took one look at my boyfriend's bright jersey and took off as fast as he could. i still don't think he knew what was infront of him.

OMG I think I'd die if I saw a grizzly bear or a mountain lion. I did spot two deer today..my first wildlife spotting...I'm new to MTB but I'm in Oklahoma and well...how much wildlife could one possibly see here;)