Went for a ride with 15 other Hondas on Sunday, again I was aboard the only Bird. We were cruising down the perfect Natchez Trace Parkway, a National Park road, closed to commercial traffic and protected as a pristine roadway, several hundred miles in length... no billboards, no gas stations, no neon... just green countryside!!
I was third in the group as we were doing about 70 mph... normally this group is quite well at pointing out road hazards as the leaders encounter them... but not today!! As I was fully committed to a left hand sweeping turn about three bike lengths behind the next bike I came across a large bit of debris with no time to avoid it. I felt it rattle up my front fender and deflect off the left side. Needless to say I was :pissed) since I knew it was a hard hit. At the next stop sign I asked the rider beside me if he could see any damage and he said the was a small mark on my front rim :? Ten minutes later we stopped for lunch and I had a closer look :? The small "mark" was a chip! The front fender got a few small scratches and the lower left fairing sustained four 3" deep scratches!!
What was the debris you ask? :? A fookin TURTLE!! And I have the blood and gut splatter along my left mirror, clutch cable and glove to remind me!!
The last thing that went through the turtles mind: " Damn thats a sweet bike... I fookin wish I was a rabbit!!"