Canyon Runs and Wildlife

With Mrs. RedTigre working this evening I thought I'd take a canyon run. The day was good relaxing in the morning, getting some chores out of the way,picking up some new tools and then went to see a friends new 2009 V-Strom 650 (John hit a deer two weeks ago and did significant damage to his NT700, but you can't keep a good man down and a replacement was found whilst figuring out what to do with the other).

Nahahum to Swakane Canyon was the destination...

The  overlook near the top of the canyon was so cool.  I forgot to look at the altitude but you can see quite a ways on a clear day.  A couple miles further up I ran into three Wild Turkeys along the road.

 There is still a fair quantity of snow up here at the summit of the canyon exchange and as I crested I was surprised by a red VW Jetta that had decided to adventure up here as well.

 The road  were mostly clear with sections of runoff creeks and ice/snow/mud

The way down dropped significantly in altitude enough that I could shut off the engine and coast down the Swakane side quietly, this is where I hit the deer... literally. I must have been coasting 3 miles when I rounded a corner and there on the side of the road stood a deer with it's back to me. It must have heard the tires of the bike on the dirt because it started into a slow trot where I caught up to it doing about about 20 mph.with it's hindquarters running just about even with my handlebars.  We ran this way for about five seconds when I realized this guy really wasn't aware I was his wingman.


Thinking " if this guy cuts me off we are both going down" and since I was only coasting with the engine off and didn't need any throttle, leaned forward off my seat and with my right hand smacked that poor guy right on the ass and eased on the rear brake in case he darted to the left in front of me. I came to a full stop and not 3 feet in front of me so did the deer! I now know why deer are where they are on the food chain... because he turned and looked at me, gave it about two seconds and literally jumped  sideways when he realized where I was and trotted across the road where it stopped again to look at me while I was trying to navigate my phone out to get a picture. The sound of the velcro spooked it more as it worked it's way up the hill while I got what picture I could.

Coasting the rest of the way down, I fired Mystique up about a mile off the highway and was home in 20 minutes... now I can tell my friend John I also hit a deer, but this one didn't hit back.  ;)