Reminds me

This last ride report from our friend Big Ed, describes his encounter
with one of the big birds of Texas, the buzzard.. I'm reminded of the
event several years past, when Brian and I had made one helluva nice
ride out into West Texas Hill country.. We'd spent the weekend roam-
ing all those wonderful and exciting back roads and had commenced
our swing back towards home..

We were on a two lane blacktop and hadn't seen another vehicle for
a long time, when we rounded a slight curve and there about one
quarter of a mile in front of us, was a group of those buzzard creatures
feeding on a deer carcass..

As we approached, me being in the lead.. those buzzards commenced
to abandon the carcass and fly off.. Looked like the scene had been
well rehearsed and all those birds took off from the left and right sides
of the highway..

One of them, however.. wasn't ready to give up his meal and he kind of
crouched in what I assumed was his attack mode, as he looked direct-
ly at me coming towards him.. That sucker was sitting on top of that car-
cass, like he was daring me to challenge him..

We were doing about 85 mph, with me in the lead, and as we got clos-
er, that damned buzzard was getting more and more agitated.. Evident-
ly, he finally decided he'd take his fight to the source, when we were
probably less that fifty feet from him.. Still looking directly at me, that
damned buzzard took off like a rocket.. headed right for me and low
enough to do some serious damage.. The thought going through my
mind was.. "this sumbitch is going to take me out"..

You can believe that I was doing some serious tank hugging when that
thing flew over me.. He cleared the windshield on this Green Vulcan, by
about six inches or less.. I think I could smell the bastard.. All of it
happ-
ened in a flash, but I bet that buzzard had a wingspan of more than six
feet.. He was huge and looked even bigger to my panic stricken eyes..

I don't recommend that anyone challenge a west Texas buzzard for his
roadkill..

Bill Walker
Irving