I was out and got caught in the thunderstorms Sunday afternoon but was nearly home when the downpour had diminished to a grey drizzle. On NH 202 just north of Peterborough I noticed a car in the oncoming lane seemed to be going much too slowly, but didn't think much of it because many people drive oddly in the rain. It was hard to see because of all the rain and mist, but he seemed to be flashing his headlights at me. As I started slowing down I realized he was somehow flashing his lights individually instead of in unison with each other. I still couldn't really see much cause for concern but slowed as quickly as I could without getting rear-ended or skidding.
The "headlight flashing" was the legs of the mother moose as it ambled in front of the car. I never did see that one (even when it crossed right in front of me) until it was disappearing into the woods. The one I nearly hit was the juvenile following it. Still huge compared to me.
Learning points include that moose are invisible in the rain. I'm also glad that I paid attention to what initially seemed like odd but harmless behavior on the part of the cager. Finally, the moose were jaywalking! The "Moose Crossing" sign was a least a quarter-mile away.
Quote from: mstevens on July 27, 2008, 09:56:02 PM
Finally, the moose were jaywalking! The "Moose Crossing" sign was a least a quarter-mile away.
[laugh]
that guy in the car may have saved your life...
.... and the moose's.
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 28, 2008, 03:55:59 AM
[laugh]
that guy in the car may have saved your life...
.... and the moose's.
I'm convinced of that.
Damn.
That could have been bad.
Where in Maine?
No, in New Hampshire.. the moose in Maine don't jaywalk they stick to the moose crossings ;D
we had a moose sighting in my town in NW CT a couple weeks ago [thumbsup]
This was in Cow Hamshire.
I suspect it must have been Maine moose that slipped over the border, since local mooses would have been more law-abiding
A border jumping moose?
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Quote from: GotDuc on July 30, 2008, 08:22:21 PM
A border jumping moose?
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Moose really hate paying taxes on all the ferns and bracken they eat (if you think the Maine F&B tax is bad, you should see what the poor blighters have to pay in Vermont).
Therefore, they're constantly slipping across the borders under cover of night or, as noted above, under cover of rain, which renders them invisible. Naturally, these are the less-law-abiding moose who flout the Real-Antler-ID act. Some of them even wear false antlers to hide their identities. That accounts for their disregard for the Moose Crossing signs and the resulting jaywalking.
I'm afraid to say that some New Hampshire moose have been caught sneaking into Canada in order to obtain moose Viagra on the cheap. If you've seen a cow moose, you'll understand perfectly. They grab their illicit phar-moose-euticals, nosh on some duckweed with gravy and cheese curds ("moutine") then sneak back home. You can always tell a returning moose from an invading Canuckian moose because the former is complaining about the lousy exchange rate while the latter is complaining aboot how much worse the coffee is than at Tim Horton's and the general lack of Timbits. That, and the plaid wool hat perched between the Canadian moose's antlers.
Man, I should keep up with this board better [laugh]
good one there!