# black bear encounters road biking



## NJcycler

i have had 3 close encounters in the last couple weeks.

encounter 1 was on Mott road in Marksboro off RT 94. There is a climb. At the top of the climb a 500 lb+ bear crossed the road ahead of me. he then proceeded to walk along the other side of the road towards me. this bear was impressive because instead of going around fallen trees on the ground he just busted through them. he stared me down a couple times. i clicked in to my pedals and slowly peddled past him not to do anything he would think was aggressive. as close as 20 yards from me.

encounter 2 was on silver lake road close to the intersection of Kerr road. cycling along the road in the thick foliage the bear was coming up the embankment and we spotted each other. startled the bear back in to the brush. estimate of 300 lbs.

encounter 3 was yesterday on Hibler road over near greendell before Route 519. straight away where I put me head down to dig deep and accelerate. going low 20's and looked up and a 200 lb bear cut me off running across the road. little time to react and missed him by feet. the only reason we did not collied is that the bear was FAST and did not break stride and just out ran my bike hitting him. scared the you know what out of me because I was so surprised. 

had several encounters last year but this season seems like it is going to be very often.

anyone else is sussex and warren county meeting bears along the way?


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## veloduffer

No bears but some deer. Not surprising as they are foraging for food after a long winter. In today's paper, there's a photo of a black bear in middle of a Wayne intersection.

BTW, unless you are riding downhill, you will not outrun a bear. Bears can travel at speeds up to 30 mph for miles; a grizzly has been clocked at 30mph for 5 miles being chased by helicopter. Since bear lumber slowly, folks often believe bears are slow runners. 

You may want to bring a whistle or put a bell on the bike to not scare a bear, which in turn may cause him/her to defend themselves. Mtb bikers often ride with bells to forewarn bears of their presence. Bears often avoid humans but if you surprise them, especially a mother with cubs, you might get attacked.

One more thing, have you thought about turning around away from the bear? You seem to keep moving toward the bears.


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## jmoryl

I ride up that way on occasion and have seen two bears in recent years. One was also on Hibler Rd. (IIRC) and was checking out some road kill. When it noticed me coming it took off into the woods. And just a few weeks ago I was going north on Shades of Death on the part where there are a lot of big boulders and thinking that it looked like a place that bears might like. Minutes later I spot a smallish bear (maybe 1-2 years old) sitting on top of a boulder about 50 ft from the road. I looped back to have a look - it looked at me and I looked back - it was pretty calm. 

Black bears aren't by nature very agressive, although they might put on a show trying to scare you if cornered. Most of the time they will try to run up trees, including mothers with cubs.


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## NJcycler

i've had some real close encounters mountain biking this area also and never had an issue with them. 
is that section of shades over near ghost lake? as you head over the hill towards great meadows there is also lots of marsh lands. that whole area is just great habitat for them.
i've run in to them over on RT 521 in Hardwick, up in stockholm which is smithtown road I think near Rt 515 off RT 23. Out on Lake Wallkill rd over near Owens station.
Rt 519 up near Beemersville. this is the one from last summer near Owens Station.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=55423&id=1742405047

I love watching them.


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## zac

Lots of deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, turtles and the occasional frog. (All over New England)

Several times with moose, over the years. They are both very big and very fast. (Mostly in northeastern Vermont, but a couple times in northern New Hampshire and mid western Maine. 

Once with black bears, it was pre-dawn in Vermont (just outside of Glover in the Northeast Kingdom). It was just at breaking light and they, it was either two or three, were a good 50-75 yards up the road, just off the road surface. In just the few seconds it took to get close enough, they were gone like ghosts into the woods. I am surprised I have never seen more given the amount of early morning rides I do.

Of all, deer are the worst. They will just run right across your path, or even into a group of riders. This has happened several times, and they appear and disappear so fast that if you are not directly looking you may not even know they were there. Don't even have enough time to react sometimes.

While I have seen some fox and coy-dogs, never cycling, usually early morning cross-country skiing.

Oh yeah, ran over a skunk once. I was sad about that one, because its back was broken and it died on the road.

zac


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## Terex

NJcycler said:


> anyone else is sussex and warren county meeting bears along the way?


Mother with two cubs on Mine Rd. in the Water Gap NRA. Two summers ago on a ride I was on, and same mom with two cubs observed by my friends the year before. She's probably teaching all of her new cubs what to hunt.


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## jmoryl

NJcycler: If Ghost Lake is the little lake about a mile south of Rt. 80, then yes: I saw the bear sitting on a boulder about a 1/2 mile south of there. 

Zac: Wouldn't want to squish a skunk. Had an interesting run-in with a couple skunks last year. Riding fast down a hill (Vliettown Rd. in Somerset Co. for the NJ riders) an oncoming car is trying to warn me of something as I round a curve. A bit further on are two skunks fighting in the middle of the road. I respectfully wait a good distance back; finally one runs off vanquished into the grass while the other takes his sweet time walking along the road down the hill. After what seems like an eternity, the victor saunters off down a side road and I can finally pass. 

Deer are all over the place here and are quite bold, but the wild turkeys seem even more unpredictable.


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## zac

jmoryl said:


> ...
> 
> Zac: Wouldn't want to squish a skunk. Had an interesting run-in with a couple skunks last year. Riding fast down a hill (Vliettown Rd. in Somerset Co. for the NJ riders) an oncoming car is trying to warn me of something as I round a curve. A bit further on are two skunks fighting in the middle of the road. I respectfully wait a good distance back; finally one runs off vanquished into the grass while the other takes his sweet time walking along the road down the hill. ...


I didn't either. I was actually done my ride and was just doing a short cool down loop on a dirt road past our beach house. I was just creeping along probably walking speed, when Pepé sauntered out of the woods a couple feet in front of me. I zigged right, as he was headed toward the center of the road from right to left. I quickly thought better of that, as that would have placed me down wind, so to speak. Well, at the same instant, Pepé decided to change direction too and did an about-face and headed back toward the woods on the right side of the road. I thought we were going to be good, even though I was now going to be downwind again, but I figured he was headed toward the woods and would leave me alone. So I got up off my saddle and decided to just sprint past in case he decided I was a threat. I figured that since we were so close he would only get the bottom of my wheels and maybe feet. Well he chose that time to freeze up and went right under my front wheel. Man those critters are all fur. I didn't even feel a bump. 

Mind you, this all occurred within the space of about 10-15 feet and only a second or two.

My kids wanted to place a sticker of a skunk on my front fork...but as I said, this kinda bummed me out.

zac


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## easyridernyc

not riding, bear, no. deer once, running in a secluded valley next to a river. kinda scary he looked like a really good athlete, came out of nowhere, before i knew it we were like ten yards apart. no harm no foul kept movin

racoons are pretty routine in central park, they have that im ok you're ok thing going, no worries. although last fall one was rabid, he looked kinda scary. i think the rangers got him out of there pretty quick. oh yeah i saw a coyote in central a couple months back....strolling right across the intersection like he f*ckin OWNED it, it was bizarre. best of all though, there is a massive hawk or falcon, i dont know which, but he has what looks like a six foot wing span, really impressive. swoops down pretty close, checks you out, usually as you're going UP the hill, oddly enoug. then cruises above you and down, sizes you up (as a dinner possibility maybe, i dont know), then glides on by. havent seen him in several months...


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## Nielly

Passed a fox this evening in Jockey Hollow that was bringing home dinner (a nice juicy chipmunk).


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## BarkingDog

regularly see deer here in town (rumson) and middletown on morning rides. Occasional turtle charging across the road too


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## NJcycler

I saw 2 bears today on my ride. This is the northern part of the county off RT 284 near Unionville NY. They were crossing back and forth several times on Old rt 284. The side of that road had grass 4 to 5' high and they would stand on there hind legs so they could see over the grass. pretty cool. that is 5 bears i've seen cycling in under a month.


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## tednugent

there are bears in the neighborhood where I live in Vernon, however, never seen one riding around Vernon, Hamburg, Sussex, Wantage, Lafayette......


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## Terex

Had a great ride on 5/29 in the Delaware Water Gap area. Saw a bear on Birch Ridge Rd., just off of Millbrook, NE of Blairstown. He was on the road, saw us coming, and ran off into the woods.

There is a wonderful road through Stokes State Forest climbing up to Sunrise Mtn. About 5 mi. easy climb up, and 5 down, all on paved, one way road in the forest. Only saw about 4 cars. Spectacular view on top of Sunrise Mtn. I highly recommend.


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## hontors

Had an encounter with a deer this a.m. I was traveling on a back country road, a large field to my right. I looked over and locked eyes with him. I don't know what it was, perhaps my hi-res yellow jersey, but he decided to start chasing me. I started sprinting and after a few seconds he stopped. Scared the heck out of me. Are deer attracted to yellow?


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## NJcycler

hontors said:


> Had an encounter with a deer this a.m. I was traveling on a back country road, a large field to my right. I looked over and locked eyes with him. I don't know what it was, perhaps my hi-res yellow jersey, but he decided to start chasing me. I started sprinting and after a few seconds he stopped. Scared the heck out of me. Are deer attracted to yellow?


i hate deer. They are like big rats. Scavengers. They are so skittish and scared of people that just doesn't seem normal. Maybe rabies infected or something.


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## jsedlak

I hate squirrels and chipmunks. Those things are so indecisive and sometimes look like they are committing suicide.


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## AlanE

Saw a small bear (maybe 150 lbs) today around noon on Vernoy Road about a mile north of Califon. It jumped out onto the road about 100 feet ahead of us, ran down the road for a bit while we tried to catch up to it, and then darted into the woods.

Only my third bear sighting in about 25 years of riding in NW-NJ, the others being in Bethlehem Twsp and in Port Murray.


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## NJcycler

up to my 6th bear this season in less then 6 weeks of riding. turning north on rt 519 in Johnsonburg past the cemetary. my side of the road a big black bear helping himself to the garbage waiting for pickup at a house on the side of the road. barely noticed him as I passed and the old double take look I was like oh Sh*t!
scared him off as I passed.


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## NJcycler

*7th*

Was in a bear drought the last few weeks but yesterday I saw one in a corn field eating off Old Mine RD. He walked around a while and grabbed something else to eat and layed down to have lunch. maybe 250lbs. about 150 yards away from the road.
the loop I did is a great loop for bears. 
I parked at Stokes and climbed over Sunrise Mountain to Decker Turnpike. That Over to Rt 206 near the Milford Bridge. Old Mine RD to Walpack Center. Stubble RD over the Mountain and Tillman Ravine back to Stokes. It is only 31 miles but the GPS said over 2800' of climbing on that short distance. For Jersey, you are in some remote area's in the woods. I had long sections of that ride, I never saw a car or person.
The Walpack Valley is gorgeous.


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## Terex

That is a beautiful area to ride.


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## NJcycler

Less then 10' today from a 500+ LB Bear!!!!

happened today on Rt 519 outside johnsonburg. I was riding in a deep tree canopy area where with my dark sunglasses, I would not pick him up from far away. I was listening to my ipod pumping away and daydreaming when I looked up to my right and this HUGE Bear is staring at me as I pass by him. If he reached out his paw and I reached out my arm we could of touched. His head followed me as I passed him. He was just so laid back and mellow.
The initial surprise absolutely scared the crap out of me. My heart stopped, hair stood up on my body. a few moments of terror like when you get surprised in a horror movie by something you didn't expect.
It was a MAJOR RUSH. 
So after I passed him I stopped to check him out. He walked on to the road and took his time crossing. He went over to a telephone pole and stood on his hind 2 legs and scratched his back against it. I am guessing 6' to 6 1/2' tall on his hind legs. I never have seen one in person stand on his hind legs and see how tall they actually are. Impressive!!!!
I'll remember this one to the day I die. So, so cool!


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## Nielly

That's cool. No bear sightings yet this year but last Sunday afternoon riding through Norwood. Up the road a bit a pretty big coyote ran across the road. They're usually fairly small but this one was as tall as maybe a young deer. The woman jogging towards me seemed pretty "excited" about seeing it as she was a lot closer to it when it appeared.


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## NJcycler

I think I would be more worried about a coyote then a bear.


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## burk

No bears, but lots of other critters to keep it interesting while biking here in Oro Valley.

Several weeks ago I ran up on a pack of javelina that were crossing the road. I was able to stop about 50 ft before reaching them. They faced me and held their ground spread out across the road for a couple minutes then moved on just as I started to give in and turn around.

This week I ran into a swarm of honey bees. I was traveling about 15mph at the time and didn't see them at all until we collided. It only lasted for a second or two and I didn't get stung but I was really bombarded. 

Last year I had a coyote keep pace with me trotting along on the other side of the rode for quite a distance. 

My best recent encounter though was last spring when I came across a bobcat with three kittens. It was early morning and they were alongside the road in the front yard of a house. I stopped and using my cell phone took at least twenty photos. as the kittens played together, then interacted with their mother and eventually crossed the street. For some reason even the mother was not concerned with my presence. Unfortunately, I had not previously used my phone to take photos and didn't know that you needed to manually save each photo. As a result I only ended up with two rather unimpressive shots.


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## NJcycler

i have never seen a bobcat. i know we have them but in all my years in NW NJ, not one. that is pretty cool to see them. i see bald eagles kayaking on the upper delaware and mongaup river often. saw a bald eagle this past sunday.
how aggressive are javelina? like a wild boar?


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## burk

NJcycler said:


> i have never seen a bobcat. i know we have them but in all my years in NW NJ, not one. that is pretty cool to see them. i see bald eagles kayaking on the upper delaware and mongaup river often. saw a bald eagle this past sunday.
> how aggressive are javelina? like a wild boar?


I live in a residential area that's on the fringe of a large desert area. We have so many bobcats about that we see one or more almost every week. But it's still a thrill to see them. The majority have no fear of humans and will try to ignore you if they can. There is a cycling advantage to having a lot of bobcats (and coyotes) around; no stray dogs or cats to contend with.  

A few months ago my wife took a video of a couple of bobcats passing by our back yard and I've taken some fairly good photos of them from my back yard as well. The video and a couple of bobcat photos are on my Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/edburkholder/

I've always wanted to, but have never seen a bald eagle. 

I don't know how the javelina compares to a wild boar. The javelina here only get to be about 50 to 60 pounds but they have sharp two inch canines and when in a group (which they normally are) they tend not to back down.


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## AlanE

Sighting today on Fairview Road, south of Frenchtown


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## NJcycler

*black bear #12 this season*

this morning I was riding Lewisburg RD in Lafayette around a curve to the straightway heading towards Lake Windsor. Was moving pretty fast around the corner and in the middle of the road on the straightaway was a BIG balack bear walking the center of the road towards me. I stopped and he stopped. looked at each other a minute and then the bear decided to continue towards me. I yelled at him very loud and startled him where he ran a few feet back. he looked at me like what the hell. I yelled again and he turned and slowly walked in to the brush. I then cycled slowly by the spot not knowing how deep in the brush he was. he was big in size but not as heavy as some of the other bears i have seen this season. they are so cool to watch.


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## NJcycler

Here I thought a 10' encounter is a once in a lifetime event. For me it happened again today. So twice in about a month.
I had an encounter yesterday also but today was the close one. Riding up a hill on Sussex Mills RD in my town of Sparta. 2.2 miles from my house. I am pumping up the hill and look to my right and again in the grass on the edge of the road was a Bear.
This one was young and maybe 250lbs. I was like Oh Crap! He was very, interested in me and followed my movement with his head. It was such a rush I hooted a loud "wooohooo"
Not a good idea close to a bear. I startled him and he was threatened by it and stood up at me on his hind legs. Made me burst out another "wooohooo" from the rush I received.
Kept peddling and he finally dropped down on all 4 legs and went back in the woods.


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## AlanE

*Bear Hunt Is On !!!*

NJCycler et. al.

Given your propensity for riding in bear country, you might want to find somewhere else to ride during the week of December 6 - 11

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/war...sf/2010/07/new_jersey_black_bear_hunt_on.html


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## NJcycler

AlanE said:


> NJCycler et. al.
> 
> Given your propensity for riding in bear country, you might want to find somewhere else to ride during the week of December 6 - 11
> 
> http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/war...sf/2010/07/new_jersey_black_bear_hunt_on.html


i live in bear country. 
not an issue in december. I snowboard come november and the bike goes away. cycling is just something to do to kill time until the ski resorts open and i get to do what i really love the most.


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## masterofnone

I watch a lot of wildlife shows and they say a full grown bear can run up to 35mph in long sprints, or pretty damn fast for extended runs. Unless you're facing downhill or you're a semi pro or pro, if he decides your lunch you're done for. Your best bet is be calm and non threatening, no hasty movements. I ran into a mother bear and two cubs riding trails in the poconos a few years back. I stopped, stood still, and they turned and ran the other direction. A pretty neat encounter when I look back upon it.


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## AlanE

You don't have to out-run the bear. You only have to out-run the other people with you.


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## NJcycler

over the last several years I have had probably as many as 50 encounters. Not once has any of the bears been aggressive towards me but they are not intimidated by people either. if they chased people like dogs do, I would of been history a long time ago. when I mountain bike that is when I am most worried. single track in NJ is very thick foliage just off the trail. a bear could be a couple feet away and you would never know it. my friend just posted video on facebook he took of 2 bears fighting outside his window. pretty cool video.


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## NJcycler

today I had my 15 bear encounter for the season cycling. This was over on Houses Corner in Sparta just before the RT 15 intersection. Small 150 lb bear ran across the road 100 yards ahead. I got to the spot and road to the side of the road to look over the embankment to see if I could see him. He was sitting in the high grass behind the guard rail looking right at me a few feet away. Pretty funny.


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## NJcycler

Bear # 16 today on Hedden RD in Greendell. He was under some trees sitting over a bag of garbage from the house. he looked like he finished his meal and was relaxing and thinking what to do next. they are such cool looking animals. I never get tired of seeing them and watching.


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## jmoryl

NJCycler: I realize you live in the area, but you sure do see a lot of bears. I do a ride up your way maybe once every three weeks, and have only seen two over several years. Is there any particular time that is best for seeing bears? I enjoy seeing them too, and keep my eyes open in the more wooded areas


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## NJcycler

jmoryl said:


> NJCycler: I realize you live in the area, but you sure do see a lot of bears. I do a ride up your way maybe once every three weeks, and have only seen two over several years. Is there any particular time that is best for seeing bears? I enjoy seeing them too, and keep my eyes open in the more wooded areas


not really. when it comes right down to it, seeing them is all luck. i cover a lot of sussex and warren county. 4500 miles since the second week of april so you can only imagine how many hours I am riding. when you think about it, 16 sightings in 4500 miles and hours of riding isn't that many. I see one every week or two. sometimes a couple in a week, other times nothing for a few weeks.


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## AlanE

Resurrecting an old thread here - had this year's first bear sighting yesterday. Black River Rd just south of Pottersville. Medium size, maybe 150 - 200 lbs. About 50 feet from the road, just miinding his own business oblivious to all the cars that had stopped to look at him. An of course, I didn't have my camera with me.


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## NJBiker72

AlanE said:


> Resurrecting an old thread here - had this year's first bear sighting yesterday. Black River Rd just south of Pottersville. Medium size, maybe 150 - 200 lbs. About 50 feet from the road, just miinding his own business oblivious to all the cars that had stopped to look at him. An of course, I didn't have my camera with me.


I ride that way sometimes. Never seen a bear. While a cool memory, not sure I would appreciate it at the time.


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## NJcycler

I had a good size bear cross the road in front of my in Lafayette, NJ today. About 25 yards from me. He stopped looked and then went in to the woods. i continued past where he entered the woods and he was right there in the brush. Just beautiful animals. Only the 2nd one I have seen riding this season in just under 3000 miles.


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## jmoryl

I saw a bear in the Great Swamp area this spring. It was in a field next to the woods off Pleasant Plains Rd., coming off Lee's Hill Rd. This would be the part of the road that is paved before it goes over the little bridge and turns to dirt. Looks like it was munching on some of the spring vegetation at the edge of the woods, probably 200 yards away, so I'm not sure it knew I was watching.


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## jsedlak

^ We had two spottings yesterday in our group in the Morristown area. Once on Gaston, and then a member saw it (or another) later in the day.


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## AlanE

Had a second bear sighting in as many weeks. This one was on Hickory Corner Rd - Alexandria Twsp. Only a couple miles from home. Crossed the road right in front of me. I had my camera with me this time, but by the time I came to a stop and pulled it out, he was gone.


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## atrocious

Almost hit one near the intersection of Clinton Rd & Van Orden a few years ago, small size, flew across the road a few feet ahead of me on a 20mph downhill.


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