JAVELINAS ATTACK!

Javelina are pig-like animals that travel in herds. As I pedaled through West Texas many of the small town general stores that I visited sold javelina merchandise such as "javelina crossing" signs, "have you kissed a javelina lately" stickers, and various garden/yard decorations shaped like a javelina. Until then, I've never heard of a pig-like animal called a javelina.

My first run in with a javelina happened in Texas between Sanderson and Marathon. It was early morning, but the sun was up and all of my lights were off. I was pedaling about 15mph when suddenly 5 or 6 javelina ran across the road in front of me. Although startled I was going fast enough to easily escape this small herd of javelinas. As I looked over my shoulder the javelinas were standing on the side of the road looking at me. I continued on my way.

A few mornings later, still in Texas, I departed Ft. Davis for Van Horn at 345am. About an hour into my ride I stopped half way up a hill to take a photo of the coming sun-rise. There was a bright orange line across the horizon but it was still dark. After snapping the photo, I stood up on my pedals to get enough momentum to start the ascent up the remainder of the hill. After only a few rotations and moving no more than 3mph I heard a loud "rushing" of brush from my right.

As I looked in that direction I saw countless animals running toward me. At this point these animals were about 10 feet away from me. Because I was going so slow and then being startled, I stopped pedaling and instinctively snapped out of my right pedal and placed that leg on the pavement. My left foot was still secure in its pedal (big mistake). All of this happened in 2-3 seconds.

As the charging animals approached the group separated with most running around my front tire and the rest running behind my back tire. At some point I realized these animals were javelinas. With my heart all ready racing I turned to my left in hopes of seeing the javelinas continue across the road into the thick brush. This didn't happen. The javelina slowed and re-grouped in the left lane of the highway.

I wanted out of this situation badly. As I pushed myself with my right foot to get enough movement to begin pedaling and re-snap into my right pedal, tragedy struck. Between the time my right foot left the ground and before I could snap it into the pedal I felt something wet and sticky above my right ankle. As I looked down I saw a big hairy javelina licking and slobbering on my lower leg.

I screamed loudly and attempted to raise my right leg at the same time kicking at the javelina. Right when I did this I knew I was in trouble. I was on an incline, going as close to zero mph as humanly possible with my left foot snapped into my pedal and my right foot kicking a javelina. I lost my balance, feel to my left, and hit the pavement hard.

Because I fell to my left and my left foot was still secure in the pedal I couldn't move. This was a problem due to the fact that it was dark and I was literally surrounded by what I estimated to be about 20-25 snorting and grunting javelinas. As I began to kick my left leg to try to get free of the pedal a few of the javelinas begin to lick my helmet. Although I couldn't feel this...I could hear it and I let out another scream.

A few seconds later I must have kicked or twisted my left foot just right as it became free from the pedal. As I pulled and dragged myself out from under BIG RED the javelinas began licking my arms and legs. I don't know what was scarier, the sound of their loud licking and slobbering or all of the snorting and grunting they were doing.

Once out from under BIG RED I placed both of my hands on the handlebars and in one motion stood up. I then began running and pushing BIG RED up the hill until I achieved enough momentum to jump on the bicycle and pedal away. As I looked over my shoulder the javelinas continued their journey across the road in the brush. The next mile I pedaled as fast as I could.

Except for a couple of scraps on my left leg I was fine. Once I reached Van Horn I recounted my ordeal with a few locals. Although all agreed that the javelinas were using me as a human salt-lick, they disagreed on the potential danger of the ordeal. One man described javelinas as docile creatures that wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone a bicyclist. However, another man described them as mean animals that when provoked are known to eat small animals and on rare occasions attack humans if threatened.

I don't know which man was correct. I do know that I was scared out of my mind and am confident that my screams were so loud and chilling that if there were other bicyclists behind me in the dark they would have turned around in terror and headed back to Ft. Davis.



I found the top 2 photos of javelinas on line. Once I saw the top photo I became more inclined to believe the second man who insinuated that javelina's can be mean creatures. The photo below is a photo of 3 javelinas that I spotted about 10 miles Southeast of Van Horn.