Watch out Thumper....

This past week I was off again on a work trip. I had only been home a few days from training and Sunday night I had to leave again. I had to be in Tonopah first thing Monday. I had taken this drive to Tonoaph several times. I knew that the roads were long stretches of nothing, no cell service and random cows hanging out in the roads. I had gotten use to the cows. Even though I hate that they hang out on the highway begging to get hit. I learned how to spot them from far off and relaxed a little knowing they don't spook. I have even had to come to a complete stop before because cows filled both lanes of the highway. Honking my horn and slapping their butts didn't even get a bigger response then a sideways glance.

However this trip it was wild kingdom on the highway. I saw little field mice running across the highway, rabbits every 5 feet, birds, foxes, then suddenly saw a bunch of deer on the side of the road. I didn't even see them til I passed them. Their color blends too well with the desert landscape. I was suddenly freaked out. I had finally felt relaxed with open range cows sharing the highway. But now there were deer too. I kept at the speed limit (which is amazing for me) and only took out a field mouse on my way to Tonopah. Well, so I thought.

The next morning as I got into the car I noticed some feathers sticking out around the hood. I was confused and got out to see what it was. There was a bird, a little baby bird stuck to my grill. It was the saddest thing. It's little wings were spread out, its head turned to the side. It never knew what hit 'em. So I drove to the Tonopah office and as their maintenance man de-birded my car I got razzed about the little animal lives I had claimed.

I wish my story ended there. Tuesday evening I was done with my work in Tonopah and decided to head home that evening instead of staying another night. I wanted to get home to my babies. So I headed out. I was on the road about an hour or so when a fox darted out. He was there and gone before I even had time to react. I think the car only nicked him. I felt him hit, but caught sight of him in the mirror running off. He was so beautiful, I hate to think he was number three on my list. I was really feeling guilty at this point. I took a little break and pulled off in Rachel, NV for a pit stop. Rachel, if you have never heard of it, is a crazy little town. It is the town nearest to Area 51. There are some colorful locals that are fun to talk to.

I wasn't back on the road too long when I caught a movement off to the left. If you have never seen a lot of nothing before it might seem weird to hear that. But there is so much nothing out on these back roads (although the guy I talked to in Rachel said 'they' were everywhere even though you can't see them) that any movement catches your eye. So many times I would see movement far off only to find out it was a rabbit scampering along the side of the highway. This time however, it was quite different. It wasn't an alien, or even a government spy hiding aliens. It was a large buck. Right when I realized what it was he jumped on to the highway. Then he stood. He was in the opposite lane from me. Just standing there. I knew it wasn't going to be like my cow friends. If it were a cow I could slow down and slap him on the rump as I passed with no worries. But a deer? They spook. I knew when I got near, he would jump...and he was facing the direction of my lane. With all that nothing, the speed limit was 70 miles an hour. Believe it or not, I was actually not speeding for once! I had a few furry lives on my conscience. Even seeing the buck 50 yards or so away- I knew I wouldn't stop in time. Not even close.

I glanced to the right to see what my options were if I was going to attempt to be stupid and swerve. That is when I noticed the buck wasn't alone. There stood a doe and a little baby deer. If I tried to miss the buck I would take out Bambi and his mom. Sure enough as I got closer the buck took off. The seconds took hours and I realized I was going to hit him head on. I scooted as far over in my lane as I could without endangering Bambi, but it wasn't enough. I saw what was happening but there was nothing I could do. As the moment of truth came I was staring at the buck and yelling, NO, NO, NO!!!!

He apparently didn't speak English. He hit the car. His head smashed on the hood and his antlers pierced the windshield before the impact was so hard that it through the car off the road and I fish-tailed to a stop in the dirt and sagebrush. As soon as the car stopped I checked my side mirror curious to find out how the deer fared. I quickly realized that I no longer had a side mirror. Other then a cracked windshield and loss of a mirror I had no idea what the condition of the car was. I tested it and it was still running. With a few unnerving scarping sounds I got it back on the road. I debated turning around to check on the deer. I debated getting out and checking on the car. Something urged me just to drive. So did just that.

I was miles and miles away from cell service or much of anything human. Every movement had me on edge. I yelled at more then one rabbit to watch it. Not even Thumper would be safe from my death cruiser. I white knuckled my way along for an hour or so before I felt safe enough to check out the car. As soon as I tried the door I realized I wasn't going to be able to check much out because my door was damaged too much to open. Still with no cell service I decided I would drive the car til it didn't drive any more. Two hours after the accident I finally came upon cell service. By that time I was an hour away from home and decided to tough it out. Well, not so tough- I kept driving but wanted a voice with me. So I called my brother.

We reminisced about the time I was driving him to a friends house and my hood flew up and wrapped around my windshield. We were on a busy freeway at the time. I looked at him confused and said, "I can't see" to which he calmly answered, "your hood just flew up". It was a hilariously calming memory. If I got through that, I could handle the trek home with a bucked up car.

Aside from the embarrassment of having to call my work to tell them what I did to the company car and having possibly four animals lives on my conscience, I am ok. It could have been worse.