I love riding motorcycles. This would be evident by the very existence of this blog. But it’s not all sunshine and cool breezes. My LEAST favorite thing about riding is roadkill*. I only know one person who actually likes roadkill (here’s looking at you, PA), but most normal people try to avoid any interaction with smashed critters.

Unfortunately when you’re on a bike, you have a bigger dilemma than when driving a cage… you HAVE to look at it – at least for a second – because you have to avoid it. Not “hope I don’t graze it with a tire” car attitude, but really, in truly, I CANNOT hit this thing because it could throw me off my bike (worst case) or splatter me (for me, an even WORSE fate). My strategy is to give it one quick glance, and then look away to a certain point in the far distance where I can just make out a tiny blip of the offending item in the road slightly, barely out of my peripheral vision. This sometimes entails me riding straight down the highway with my head askew. Awesome.

But worse than looking at roadkill, is smelling it. NOTHING is worse to me. It can ruin the most beautiful stretch of highway. So as soon as I am aware there might possibly be anything dead up ahead, I immediately hold my breath until I am WAY past it.
So if you see a female biker going down the highway fast, turning blue in the face with her head crooked… look out for roadkill.

*this is one post where I will spare you links or images. You’re welcome.