Before I knew it, it was there. There was no notice, no "Hey, I'm running by," nothing.
It had been a perfectly beautiful motorcycle ride. The September air was warm and the feeling of autumn was far away. There were no clouds, the mountains could be seen for miles.
My friend and I had been riding through the countryside of Washington, going to get a peek of Mt. Adams. We hadn't a care in the world and were thoroughly enjoying every second of our Sunday ride.
Then it happened. It was so fast that I didn't have a chance to react. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a brown fluffy tail, then felt a thump, a thumb beneath each of my tires. I couldn't look back, I couldn't look in the mirror. It had to have died.
Then a terrible thought entered my mind, what if I'd only injured it? My friend was right behind me and I knew he would also feel those thumps, then it would surely be dead.
I couldn't get it out of my mind for the next half hour. I couldn't believe I hit something, I couldn't believe I killed something. No matter what I tried to fill my mind with, thoughts of the horrible act kept creeping back.
Finally we came to a stop. I got off my bike and pulled off my helmet. As I was shaking out my hair he walked up to me. I asked him if he saw what had happened.
As only he can do, he began laughing so hard I thought he might actually have a heart attack.
As his laughter subsided he managed to get out, "Teri you NAILED it! It jumped out of the woods, ran into the road and BOOM, you killed it! Then I hit it, so I'm sure it's dead."
"But WHAT was it?"
"What do you mean what was it? It was a squirrel, what did you think it was? Sasquatch?"
I could feel my eyes stinging with tears.
"Teri, it was a SQUIRREL!"
"I know, but there's probably squirrel guts all over my bike!"
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| Mt. Adams |
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| Mt. Hood |
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| Hood River |
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| Windsurfers |
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| The Columbia River Gorge |
20 comments:
I'm sorry for your accident...God forgives you and so does everybody else...hope you got all the guts off your bike. Great little story, you have much compassion. It was an accident, you could have swerved, fell off you bike and been badly broken...you did good.
OH see I am like you but only because it was an animal not so much the blood. I would have stopped that is just me lol. Jeff however sounds like a typical male, don't matter how you got the kill, you got the kill.
The photos of you guys are cute and the photos of the scenery is incredible, that looks like it was a really beautiful place to visit Teri. Honestly I know it's never right to kill but you shouldn't feel too bad about taking out a squirrel, honestly these kind of things happen when on the road, it's just nature I guess.
Poor squirrel. The pictures are so beautiful.
What GREAT photos!!It must be wonderful to be able to get out and ride... and see that kind of imagery.
I'm guessing that the squirrel must have been caught up in a game of 'chicken'...
No?
~shoes
Just shared your photos with the Mr. - he is beside himself with envy - for the beautiful scenery and that you are taking it all in via motorcycle.
He thinks its fabulous that you ride together and had the same reaction about the squirrel .... thinking whatever you hit probably got your bike dirty.
Things happen and the squirrel is in squirrel heaven - enjoying all the nuts it wants. Don't let it get to you too much. though I would be feeling like you too!
hugs, C. (HHL)
I hear you about the squirrel...terrible feeling.
Great photos!! Especially of you two!
Well I know the trauma you felt is only half that of millions of small children. You now have made it impossible to make any more of those 'ICE AGE' movies! W.C.C.
I ran over a squirrel once. Not something you can forget easily. I had to pull over to the side to make myself breathe again. And everytime I drive dOwn that road I think of the stupid little squirrel that i flattened.
I still can't stop laughing! Only you would be worried about the squirrel guts all over your bike. LOL!
Thanks for posting all the pics too. I love them!
Glad the two of you had a great ride. And I love the pictures!
Sorry about the squirrel. Sad, indeed.
My wife'd probably be crying like a baby too. Frikkin whiners.
Jeff thought it was funny that you killed a squirrel? I don't get it. Human beings are so confusing. I wish I understood their species better. For example, you wear fur coats (probably none of them are squirrel coats, but they're still made of little furry animals) that you, in effect, pay people to kill little caged animals for, yet you mourned so intensely over having killed a squirrel. I feel loving toward you that you grieved so, yet I don't get the coat part.
great pictures. It's so awesome that you get to see these beautiful sites on a regular basis. I live 5 miles from my childhood home. Glad it wasn't sasquatch.
If it had been anything bigger than a squirrel, you would've been thinking a lot more other stuff than the little critter's life.
Hitting the squirrel bothered me more than I thought it would. But they are stupid little creatures that seem suicidal at times. I'm just glad it wasn't anything larger. I would have been in a world of hurt, both my and my bike.
Awww, girl. Here I thought the tears were for the squirrel and I thought you'd lost your sweet sensitivity. But then I saw the pictures and recognized you were still filled with beauty and sooo I still love you.
I would TOTALLY feel the same way you did. You are lucky the squirrel didn't cause you to fall off the bike or swerve off the road.
Your photos are just gorgeous!
A squirrel. I have a few deer I want to run over, but I don't want to hurt my car.
i really need to get over here more. these are lovely photos. thanks for sharing them. and what treasure it must be to take these rides.
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