wrenchjohns
XS650 Addict
this is in Texas
and this is the wall behind you at the urinal
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Best Rest Area
- Thread starter wrenchjohns
- Start date
this is in Texas and this is the wall behind you at the urinal
Texas Parks and Wildlife found that tile murals are a stimulating diuretic.
Guess I'll have to start searching.
Closest one to here involves a tree.
Guess I'll have to start searching.
Closest one to here involves a tree.
On the south side of Windham Mountain in the Catskill Mountain region of NYS there is a small pull-over/rest stop. No urinal, no tree, so you just have to gauge the direction of the breeze accurately, and let it go, while appreciating the scenery.
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
Man it's so hot there catiss grows Wild ! EGAD !!!!
reminds me of Arazona !!! LOL there's a reason for that !!!!!
......
Bob......
reminds me of Arazona !!! LOL there's a reason for that !!!!!
......
Bob......
Rest Stop, picnic area, and historical marker in Middleburg, NY, on the banks of the Schoharie Creek.
Timothy Murphy was a marksman hero for the Colonists in the Revolutionary War.
Someone painted a colorful, 300 degree, 12-foot rendition of one of the forts (Middlefort) he helped defend on a large water pipe.
In the distance on the painting and the photo is the landmark, "Vroman's Nose", a hill with a superb hiking trail.
Timothy Murphy was a marksman hero for the Colonists in the Revolutionary War.
Someone painted a colorful, 300 degree, 12-foot rendition of one of the forts (Middlefort) he helped defend on a large water pipe.
In the distance on the painting and the photo is the landmark, "Vroman's Nose", a hill with a superb hiking trail.
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Coming from a different perspective, the Historical Marker could have stated:
"In 1714, this wealthy white man, Vroman, was granted permission to call this grand mountain his own, wiping out the Native American heritage (Onistagrawa) that it previously held for centuries.
A photo from 1919, local Mohawks trading with Frenchman:
...and a view northward from what was The Nose at Onistagrawa Mountain, up the Schoharie Valley:
"In 1714, this wealthy white man, Vroman, was granted permission to call this grand mountain his own, wiping out the Native American heritage (Onistagrawa) that it previously held for centuries.
A photo from 1919, local Mohawks trading with Frenchman:
...and a view northward from what was The Nose at Onistagrawa Mountain, up the Schoharie Valley:
It's really nothing fancy but, I've been going there and stopping by for decades. It's on AZ 79 the Pinal Pioneer Parkway, about 25 miles from the AZ 77 turnoff. Quiet and peaceful. Last couple of years someone has been keeping a visitors sign in log and reprints of a newspaper artical of Tom Mix's car crash and death. Next month theres going to be a celebration of sorts there. Here's some pics.
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Very interesting!
Bowmaker's Pond, just south of Sharon Springs, NY, on Rt. 10, a favorite twisting riding road for me, and entrance to the Catskill Mountains. I often stop to cool off and eat my sandwich here. It is a former marsh which was dredged to create a pond which is now heavily stocked with various fish, and a number of species of waterfowl hang out there. The public is allowed to fish and canoe there (for free, which is amazing).
Additionally, there are a couple spots where you can duck behind some thick bushes and respond to Nature's Call.
Last month, I drove by, instead of stopping, but looked over to appreciate the scenery, only to look back at the road and catch a glimpse of a very, very large cat running across the road, maybe 10 yards in front of me. It seemed to have come from those bushes that I've been watering.
A cougar, a mountain lion, I thought. Or maybe I should get back on my medication.........
So, I stopped at the Sharon Springs gas station and queried a local guy; "Oh, yeah, probably was a cougar, he said. The NYS DEC (Dept of Environmental Conservation) releases a few each year to control the varmints. People do report sightings." he said. Hmmmmm..... Do I now have to worry about both deer and cougars in the road?.
When I got home, I went to the DEC website, where I found this:
Eastern Cougar Sightings
How Common Are Mountain Lions in New York?
Eastern cougars (mountain lions) do not have a native, self sustaining population in New York State. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. A couple of sightings involved captive mountain lions that escaped from licensed facilities in New York State. Another sighting involved a wild cougar that traveled through New York as it trekked nearly 1,800 miles east from its native population in South Dakota.
Internet/E-mail Rumors:
False Rumor: DEC Releasing Cougars to Control Deer
Rumors have been circulating for the past few years that the DEC has released cougars to control deer populations. Some of these rumors claim that Officer 'Jones' participated in the release, or that people have actually seen cougars with ear tags or neck collars, so they must have been released by the state. This is not true. The DEC has never released cougars, despite what you may hear to the contrary.
So, I'm uncertain as to exactly what I saw, but I'm probably not going to water those bushes, anymore.
Additionally, there are a couple spots where you can duck behind some thick bushes and respond to Nature's Call.
Last month, I drove by, instead of stopping, but looked over to appreciate the scenery, only to look back at the road and catch a glimpse of a very, very large cat running across the road, maybe 10 yards in front of me. It seemed to have come from those bushes that I've been watering.
A cougar, a mountain lion, I thought. Or maybe I should get back on my medication.........
So, I stopped at the Sharon Springs gas station and queried a local guy; "Oh, yeah, probably was a cougar, he said. The NYS DEC (Dept of Environmental Conservation) releases a few each year to control the varmints. People do report sightings." he said. Hmmmmm..... Do I now have to worry about both deer and cougars in the road?.
When I got home, I went to the DEC website, where I found this:
Eastern Cougar Sightings
How Common Are Mountain Lions in New York?
Eastern cougars (mountain lions) do not have a native, self sustaining population in New York State. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. A couple of sightings involved captive mountain lions that escaped from licensed facilities in New York State. Another sighting involved a wild cougar that traveled through New York as it trekked nearly 1,800 miles east from its native population in South Dakota.
Internet/E-mail Rumors:
False Rumor: DEC Releasing Cougars to Control Deer
Rumors have been circulating for the past few years that the DEC has released cougars to control deer populations. Some of these rumors claim that Officer 'Jones' participated in the release, or that people have actually seen cougars with ear tags or neck collars, so they must have been released by the state. This is not true. The DEC has never released cougars, despite what you may hear to the contrary.
So, I'm uncertain as to exactly what I saw, but I'm probably not going to water those bushes, anymore.
That sure looks like a cougar to me Dude.
If you do "water" those bushes again (and without wishing to comment in too much detail....), you'd better have something more potent than the "weapon" you would normally be wielding in such situations - or you just might "piss" him off.
OK - I'll stop now.
Pete
If you do "water" those bushes again (and without wishing to comment in too much detail....
), you'd better have something more potent than the "weapon" you would normally be wielding in such situations - or you just might "piss" him off.OK - I'll stop now.
Pete
Do many get killed by cougars?? The worst we have in the UK are hedgehogs.
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
LOL Oh Pete ! that was bad..... clever but BAD !!!!! I doubt he could fight off a cougar with that weapon anyway ....
I Kicked a Young one in the head several times to get him to let go of a young raccoon we had been raising once.... but when he did
he focused on me then,...... and that was a really bad feeling .... but luckily he thought better of attacking me and bounded off and I went for my shotgun..... never saw him again.... ( they have big blue eyes in the flashlight)
Fortunately cougars usually like smaller prey....but they will take what is convenient too. so don't look convenient !!!!!
.....
Bob.......
I Kicked a Young one in the head several times to get him to let go of a young raccoon we had been raising once.... but when he did
he focused on me then,...... and that was a really bad feeling .... but luckily he thought better of attacking me and bounded off and I went for my shotgun..... never saw him again.... ( they have big blue eyes in the flashlight)
Fortunately cougars usually like smaller prey....but they will take what is convenient too. so don't look convenient !!!!!
.....
Bob.......
Unfortunately my weapon may be seen as "smaller prey".
Bob is right. Incidents of wild life attacking humans are actually quite rare in North America (maybe with the exception of insects and snakes in the SW USA).
Large cats, etc. don't want to attack something as big as a human and generally won't do so unless they are surprised, provoked, extremely hungry or are with their young - in which case any animal is pretty dangerous.
North American bears come in three (I think) varieties:
- Black bears which live in the southern regions of Canada and the northern US (these eat berries and bugs and some fish and small game - but they are largely vegetarians); Black bears are usually around 2-300 lb but can hit 500 lb for a large male. They are generally shy and will run away if you make noise while walking through the bush.
- Brown bears which are generally much larger than blacks (up to 1000 lb) and eat more meat; (NOTE: brown bears live in more remote areas and particularly in northern BC, Alberta and Alaska). They're sometimes called grizzly bears and will attack people in competition for food etc. They have a big hump of fat on the backs and much larger feet and longer claws which prevent them from climbing trees;
- Polar bears which are generally pure white - live in the arctic regions of Canada and Alaska. These are even bigger than brown bears and will eat anything from a fish to a seal and are extremely adept at hunting in the water and on ice floes. These guys can be quite dangerous because they blend in with their surroundings, they are fast on land or in the water and they are always hungry. Trees aren't a factor as the big hairy white folks live well above the area where there any significant forested areas.
As long as you make some noise while walking in the bush, you don't have much to fear though.
Pete
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Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
Very Rare to have a cougar attack reported..... lots of people go missing per year however ...and it's quite possible that they are the cause
bears are the same .... but a cougar doesn't attack unless he is sure he will win a bear not so much, they are the biggest toughest thing in the woods and they know it..... a cugar is a stelthy hunter when he attacks there is no body left to report it .
Back on the ranch I didn't go into the hills unarmed because you never know what you may come across. when Hiking for pleasure I always carry a gun.... almost every critter out there will run from a human...and rightly so.... if they don't run that's a cause for alarm !
you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than a Cougar attacking you or so they say.... myself I think a 200lb cat that is hungry will kill you and eat you at it's leisure and not even think twice about it.... their not Lions, their cats and there is a big difference
I have hunted Deer most of my life and Never seen a Cougar in the wild...their smart..... very smart, and a human doesn't stand a chance against one when it's one on one.... I think the reason the statistics say Cougar attacks are so rare is that no one lives to report the attack
therefore it doesn't get reported.... between that and their reduced numbers it's near impossible to ever see one in the wild
their so smart they stay out of sight.... but they are not afraid of you taking a leak behind a bush.... but they know what you are and know humans are bad news so stay away from them.... but if the circumstances are right and he's hungry, maybe hasn't eaten in a week,
your food to him and he don't miss. you'll never know what hit you till it's too late !
i've been in the country all my life and I know critters and the Cougar/Mountain Lion is one critter i am wary of. another is the Bear.
think of him as a furry Raptor or a shark on legs, when their numbers grow back I guarantee you there will be problems
....
People in Alaska know the dangers that the Bear pose and they tell tourist by posting signs but tourists always leave their brains at home when they go to Alaska and the results are bear attacks every year
my wife bought a t-shirt when her and her Mother went up to Alaska to sight see and it says "step off the bus and into the food chain"
and that is a sobering reminder at how real the wilds Are in Alaska ..... it ain't like California ! LOL
....
Bob......
bears are the same .... but a cougar doesn't attack unless he is sure he will win a bear not so much, they are the biggest toughest thing in the woods and they know it..... a cugar is a stelthy hunter when he attacks there is no body left to report it .
Back on the ranch I didn't go into the hills unarmed because you never know what you may come across. when Hiking for pleasure I always carry a gun.... almost every critter out there will run from a human...and rightly so.... if they don't run that's a cause for alarm !
you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than a Cougar attacking you or so they say.... myself I think a 200lb cat that is hungry will kill you and eat you at it's leisure and not even think twice about it.... their not Lions, their cats and there is a big difference
I have hunted Deer most of my life and Never seen a Cougar in the wild...their smart..... very smart, and a human doesn't stand a chance against one when it's one on one.... I think the reason the statistics say Cougar attacks are so rare is that no one lives to report the attack
therefore it doesn't get reported.... between that and their reduced numbers it's near impossible to ever see one in the wild
their so smart they stay out of sight.... but they are not afraid of you taking a leak behind a bush.... but they know what you are and know humans are bad news so stay away from them.... but if the circumstances are right and he's hungry, maybe hasn't eaten in a week,
your food to him and he don't miss. you'll never know what hit you till it's too late !
i've been in the country all my life and I know critters and the Cougar/Mountain Lion is one critter i am wary of. another is the Bear.
think of him as a furry Raptor or a shark on legs, when their numbers grow back I guarantee you there will be problems
....
People in Alaska know the dangers that the Bear pose and they tell tourist by posting signs but tourists always leave their brains at home when they go to Alaska and the results are bear attacks every year
my wife bought a t-shirt when her and her Mother went up to Alaska to sight see and it says "step off the bus and into the food chain"
and that is a sobering reminder at how real the wilds Are in Alaska ..... it ain't like California ! LOL
....
Bob......
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
Pete Don't believe everything you read about bears not climbing trees I read a story in Outdoor life Mag. one time the title was "Who says Black bears won't kill?" to make a long story short a black bear climbed the tree grabbed his foot and pulled him out of the tree and tore him up and left him for dead..... but he survived.... the guy was deer hunting and startled the bear..and it was on him in a flash he dropped his rifle and climbed the nearest tree and the bear came up the tree after him.
Grizzlies now, as far as I know will only go a few feet up a tree, they don't climb trees, but a black bear is at home in the trees.
even at that the guy writing the story said it's still your best bet ...to climb a tree to get away from a angry bear.... but the one that found him knew how to climb very well....
.....
Bob....
Grizzlies now, as far as I know will only go a few feet up a tree, they don't climb trees, but a black bear is at home in the trees.
even at that the guy writing the story said it's still your best bet ...to climb a tree to get away from a angry bear.... but the one that found him knew how to climb very well....
.....
Bob....
Bob: if you'll re-read my post, I stated that brown (aka grizzly) bears cannot climb trees due to their long claws. Black bears are excellent tree climbers however.
If you are ever accosted by a bear - of any variety, and you cannot get away, the best thing to do is to curl up in a ball, protect your head and be silent. Most bears will nudge you and see if you will react - and if you don't, they'll usually just wander off.
You will not be able to out run or out-swim any bear - so unless he's a heck of a long way off - don't try. They may look like fuzzy-wuzzy, rolly-polly chubby 'n cuddley characatures of kids toys - but they are intelligent, incredibly strong, they have enormous reserves of endurance and they WILL catch you.
Now, having said all of that in most parts of urban North America, the chance of encountering a bear or let alone a cougar, are extremely low. Basically, I have seen one bear in Southern Ontario in my entire life - and that was in a very remote rural area. He just seemed to want to roll around on the road and soak up the sun. Five minutes later, he had gone. We had a summer home in that area for more than 30 years, and I had just that one encounter - from a long distance.
The major wildlife hazards around here are deer, raccoons and other larger rodents on the road - and while they won't attack you, bashing into one of these lads on a motorcycle could be fatal. I sure wouldn't want to hit a 100-150 lb deer that stands about 4 feet tall
If you are ever accosted by a bear - of any variety, and you cannot get away, the best thing to do is to curl up in a ball, protect your head and be silent. Most bears will nudge you and see if you will react - and if you don't, they'll usually just wander off.
You will not be able to out run or out-swim any bear - so unless he's a heck of a long way off - don't try. They may look like fuzzy-wuzzy, rolly-polly chubby 'n cuddley characatures of kids toys - but they are intelligent, incredibly strong, they have enormous reserves of endurance and they WILL catch you.
Now, having said all of that in most parts of urban North America, the chance of encountering a bear or let alone a cougar, are extremely low. Basically, I have seen one bear in Southern Ontario in my entire life - and that was in a very remote rural area. He just seemed to want to roll around on the road and soak up the sun. Five minutes later, he had gone. We had a summer home in that area for more than 30 years, and I had just that one encounter - from a long distance.
The major wildlife hazards around here are deer, raccoons and other larger rodents on the road - and while they won't attack you, bashing into one of these lads on a motorcycle could be fatal. I sure wouldn't want to hit a 100-150 lb deer that stands about 4 feet tall
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Both of ya'll need to google "can a grizzly climb".
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