By: Erin and Will Ellagood
ASC Roadkill Adventurers
ASC Roadkill Adventurers
We got a lot stares riding across the country – which could have had something to do with the trailer and tandem bicycle. It was a monster to maneuver on foot, but it was a breeze to ride.
Riding a tandem bike across the country documenting roadkill for Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, definitely shifted our perspective pretty quickly. We were constantly in a place of vulnerability as drivers sped past, often with no more than a foot of breathing room. This feeling was only amplified by the mournful camaraderie developed with the roadkill we encountered.
Our journey started on June 9th, 2015 in Bar Harbor Maine. Before setting out, we took a trip into Acadia National Park and enjoyed some pretty amazing views. Here we are: Confident, clean and ready for action.
We’d pull off the road and dismount to snap a photo of a carcass — one of us holding our tandem bicycle steady while the other cautiously stepped onto the asphalt. These moments were always anxious ones. All it would take is one careless person rounding the bend while staring at their cell phone, and we could end up just like these unfortunate creatures.
Don’t get us wrong—traveling the country by bicycle was an amazing adventure. We experienced the beauty of the land in such an intimate and immediate way. But with the moments of awe and romance, triumph and splendor, came equally powerful moments of struggle, frustration and fear. And that delicate balance of despair and elation will eventually pull us back to the road again.
Don’t get us wrong—traveling the country by bicycle was an amazing adventure. We experienced the beauty of the land in such an intimate and immediate way. But with the moments of awe and romance, triumph and splendor, came equally powerful moments of struggle, frustration and fear. And that delicate balance of despair and elation will eventually pull us back to the road again.
Raccoons were by far the most common roadkill we documented. These poor little critters were often in pairs, which was even more heartbreaking.
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Deer kills were actually much less frequent than expected. This is one of the least gruesome shots we took.
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A gaunt looking Will at the top of Rogers Pass in Montana – crossing the Rockies. We ended up here because the heavy wildfire activity re-routed us around Glacier National Park.
Erin relaxing after crossing over the Rocky Mountains. In the evening, we saw a variety of wildlife come to this river to take a drink or catch fish.
Last day of the trip near Tillamook, OR on September 20th, 2015. Here we are dirty, tired and a little skinnier than when we started. As soon as we finished pedaling, we felt a sense of loss—what to do now that it’s over? We’ve already started planning our next trip.