Until this year I had not seen a deer strike, except that one that jumped over my car and grazed the left front corner of my 1987 Maxima in 1996 when we were returning from an office Christmas party about 9:30 pm. That I barely saw it was so dark and the deer that did it did not respect the law at all. It was a hit and run all the way. But seriously, last month when I saw the demo rider in front of me get tangled with a full grown deer running full speed directly across the road about a quarter past noon it was surprising to see a deer that time of day. Today about 11 am just east of Asheboro, NC a medium size deer (either full grown doe or adolescent buck, I could not tell) tried to run across four lanes of SR 49 traffic. A black BMW in the right lane knocked him down and sent him skittering across the left lane about 30 yards in front of me. The deer twisted and turned as it slid trying to get on his feet and just as he slowed enough to do that he entered the fast lane of the other side of the road. A minivan was trying to slow quickly, but still knocked the deer hard in the head. I do not know if the deer was unconscious or dead, but it did not move as I drove by. Seeing that really set my heart racing and sadness overcame me. What do we have to do to prevent deer from highway carnage?

The rest of my 426 ride to Suffolk, VA was quite pleasant, a good first day on my way to this year's T Rally. Following are some pictures of the day.

Near Yadkin River.
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Yadkin River
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SR 49 through the North Carolina Piedmont
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Haw River
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Sullfolk Railroad Station
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View from the Super8 parkikng lot in Suffolk, VA
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Another view from the Super8 parking lot
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Riverside park in Suffolk
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On the water in Suffolk
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The Hilton Garden in on the Nansemond River in Historic Suffolk, VA
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Edited 1 time by Fredrider Jul 19 09 6:34 PM.