Deer

October 1, 2019

October morning sun is the best. Peeking above the treetops to the east, its rays set the cut cornfields on the hillside to my right ablaze with light, while at the same time the valleys smoldered in early morning fog. The ride into town was pleasant; perfect weather for three wheels as once more I reveled in the beauty around me. 

After breakfast with some pastor friends, I rode over to Options Care Center to sand drywall again. It’s slow going, feathering the edges of the joints, doing our best to make them seamless. I expected to see my friend already at work when I got there, but instead there was a text message: “Late start today, Jim. Patrol car flying past the house hit a deer and deer flew into our vehicle early this morning. Of course it was the new vehicle. Sheriff’s suv was totaled.” He wasn’t even on the road. His brand new car was sitting in the driveway. 

It’s that time of year. I love the fall; its beauty, aromas, and bounty. Part of that bounty is the deer that populate our woods and fields. Many of them will end up in area freezers as hunting season gets under way, but way too many of them will end up lying at the side of the road after having jumped in front of cars and trucks...and motorcycles. My greatest fear in riding is hitting a deer. If a deer can total an SUV, imagine what it would do to a motorcycle, and to the rider who would certainly have an unpleasant encounter with the road. I love to ride, and am grateful to have not had the misfortune of a close encounter with Odocoileus virginianus while on my bike. I hope to keep it that way.