Not a good weekend to ride for weak stomachs/ animal lovers

So, since the weather was so nice this weekend (it hasn't disappointed all fall actually) and my body refuses to stay inside on days like this, I opted to ride both days this weekend, each one memorable in its own right. Yesterday started off harmless, I decided it would be a nice day for some climbing so up towards Jamestown I headed. Right past the first turnoff at Old Stage Road, I noticed something in the road: A dog. Silly boy was zigzagging all over both lanes, in a winding canyon! Saying his last prayers for him in my head, I got off my bike and tried to lure him over to the shoulder of the road. It headed in my direction, but then decided otherwise and turned back around, crossing the road and weaving in and out of oncoming traffic. I also had noted THREE plastic collars around his neck, one with what resembled an antenna- wtf? The poor thing looked like it hadn't eaten in weeks and it was just so lost it seemed. I followed him on my side of the road for a good 1/4 mi until a car stopped and asked if he was my dog... We had a brief conversation about his freakishly looking collars and then the guy decided to sack puppy in his car, which I was glad about- out of harm's way, but then said that he would just drop him off at his buddy's backyard, who lived up in Jamestown. Um, what if the dog wasn't even from up there? I told him to call Animal Control, it would be the best thing, but I am not sure he ever did. He closed the hatch in the back, and off they were.

I have no idea whatever happened to that poor dog, I hope he got some help, and someone cut those things off his neck, I mean he looked like he was being remote- controlled. Ugh, weirdness...

Today, I get 5 mins into my ride before I slow down for police and ambulances right out on 36 past Broadway. Assuming a "typical" (sad but true) crash, I was amazed to see a huge dog (Think Harry Potter) wrapped in a blankie with one of his legs bandaged, surrounded by people and a small pool of blood, along with a trail of bloody paw prints. I tried to make sense of this and thought that the poor thing somehow escaped from somewhere and then got hit. Then I noticed that the bloody paw prints continued on for another 2 miles or so! That's where more police and ambulances and a firetruck were parked. It dawned on me that the car I see in the ditch there (completely totalled, on its head) probably had the pup inside and when it crashed, he somehow escaped, but shocked, ran into traffic, maybe got hurt that way, or was already wounded from the crash but escaped. Either way, it was so incredibly sad, I wanted to turn around and go back home right then and there.

Car crashes are the worst, and I hate riding past the carnage, it spooks me out and makes me incredibly sad. I don't know what the cause of the crash was, and I don't know for sure the dog was connected, but it's a pretty safe bet. We will probably get to read about it in tomorrow's Daily Camera. As for my ride, it turned sour rather quickly, once I turned onto 75th heading out towards Carter. The winds were incredible and I was barely moving forward. Not yet ready to tackle Kona-like conditions again, I made the choice to turn around and head back home, avoiding the crash sites and taking 75th back to the Diagonal. When I passed the crash sites, my worst fear was cyclists being involved, it probably would have scared me out of riding again the rest of the year. I wish we didn't have to fear for our lives each time we step out for a ride, but it is always at the forefront of my mind, and even when I ride all the way to the right of the shoulder, some idiot driver still manages to come too close and scare the hell out of me. Please, the road does not belong to just cars or bikes)- let's put road rage aside and share the lane, it is not worth it ending up in the ambulance or even worse.

Ride safe and please watch for stray pets- their owners are looking for them and want them back home, so please call your nearest Animal Control or Humane Society, or if you don't have the numbers, just dial 911. My heart just breaks when I see these things. I would expect the same from someone if they saw my pet lost outside.