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Message started by DaveC on 10/28/7 at 22:33:59

Title: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by DaveC on 10/28/7 at 22:33:59

Coles notes - lost a saw, hit a deer carcass on the way home. Busted up my car, but could have been worse.

The easy one first:

I managed to lose a saw that belongs to Ross. The saw is a red swede saw that is about 3ft. long. If anybody picked it up or found it in their vehicle let me or Ross know. Thanks.

Number 2 was an adventure. :'( I was heading home and was about an hour from North Bay. Novar for those that know where it is (just north of Huntsville). I was overtaking a car on the divided highway on a slight right turn, just before an off-ramp. At the last second, I saw something right in the middle of the road. I didn't have time to do anything. It was a dead deer carcass and a good sized one at that! It must have been recently struck. I hit it HARD. The rear end of my Passat went in the air, as I went over it. I managed to keep control of the car and pulled over. There were 2 vehicles stopped about 200m north of me, so I figure one of them probably hit it, but they drove off before I could find out for sure. I couldn't see a thing in the dark, so I drove the car a couple of miles north to a rest stop. What a mess! I picked out a bunch of deer flesh and looked over the car. It seemed mostly okay. I decided that I better go back and make sure that what I hit was a deer. I drove back and turned around. The car was starting to act real funny. I pulled up at the location where I hit it and I was able to confirm it was a deer. I also realized that I had a flat tire and a big chunk of plastic loose under the car. As I am changing the tire, the OPP drive up. They were great. They stayed with me as I changed the tire and packed my stuff back into the car. Once the tire was changed and I pulled the plastic out from under the car, I headed out. The car seemed to drive fine. Made it home with about an hour delay.

This afternoon, I was able to get under the car and start looking. Here is the tab so far:

- Flat Tire - 2 chunks of deer antler right through the tread. Fixed for free by Canadian Tire.
- Torn CV Boot. I figure the antlers probably got this too.
- Front and Rear Undertrays - all the plastic under the car is destroyed.
- Body Brace - there is a brace across the tunnel about mid cabin. The mount was completely torn from the body on one side.
Grille - part of the lower grille popped out. I was able to repair this tonight. Just had to pop it back in.
Rear Beam Axle - lower part of the axle (looks like a c channel - open end down) is bent. However I don't think it bent the axle itself.

Other than that, I have not found any other damage. I think I have been really lucky. I will be taking the car into our local VW dealer Monday morning to have it checked out. I doubt that there is enough damage to bother with a claim, so I am probably out of pocket the damage.

It was really tough conditions, rain mixed with snow - reducing the range of the headlights, the lights of the off ramp created a really dark spot right where the carcass was, the car I was overtaking blocked my view slightly. I think that if I had slammed on the brakes, the damage might have been worse. The front of the seemed to have went up and over with minimal damage. I guess the learning here is that there are tons of deer out there right now. Be careful - we saw a bunch around Bancroft.

The work day was a good day. Roads look to be in good shape and I will see you folks in 4 weeks!

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by jgardhouse on 10/28/7 at 23:17:41

Dave,

Now you see why I'm nervous about rallycrossing the B5.5 Passat :)

Evolution import makes some great skidplate stuff, in aluminum, for the same price as the plastic OEM stuff. Canadian company too.

Glad to hear you and the car are [mostly] okay.

JG

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by nhibbert on 10/29/7 at 08:13:11

I saw seven deer in total (four separate encounters) over the weekend, including two in the middle of Highway 28 not for from Peterborough. Seems to be an awful lot of then around this year.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by brynepp on 10/29/7 at 08:19:50

Glad to here your ok and "so is" the car. As for sightings this weekend
4 deer
5 turkeys
1 pheasant
1 large "cat"...oh....wait...The MNR says they don't exist in Ontario. I wish I had my camera out but oh well. maybe we'll see it again at the Rec center.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by jgardhouse on 10/29/7 at 09:58:22

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGSA1S_h7Ws

Just for good measure ....

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by DaveC on 10/29/7 at 11:08:19

j_gardhouse wrote on 10/28/7 at 23:17:41:

Good point on the skidplate. I will check it out.

I would never rallycross my Passat (mine is a B5), so I understand you completely. Nice cast aluminum oil pan sitting out in front of the centreline of the front axle, just waiting to get smacked and cracked.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by DaveC on 10/29/7 at 11:11:04

brynepp wrote on 10/29/7 at 08:19:50:

1 large "cat"...oh....wait...The MNR says they don't exist in Ontario. I wish I had my camera out but oh well. maybe we'll see it again at the Rec center.

We had a "cat" problem at our campus a couple of years ago. The MNR will only confirm cougar sightings if they get absolute proof (DNA check on feces and confirmed sightings - pictures). Lynx are not uncommon here but Lynx don't kill and eat deer.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by Wedge on 10/29/7 at 11:18:06

brynepp wrote on 10/29/7 at 08:19:50:

Glad to here you're ok and "so is" the car. As for sightings this weekend
4 deer
5 turkeys
1 pheasant
1 large "cat"...oh....wait...The MNR says they don't exist in Ontario. I wish I had my camera out but oh well. maybe we'll see it again at the Rec center.

I saw at least 5 deer on old hastings during the drive home.

There was a fox running around in the pit in the morning too.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by jgardhouse on 10/29/7 at 11:56:05

Dave Cotie wrote on 10/29/7 at 11:08:19:

Its not my car :) Old set of yokohama snow tires and a skidplate, and it was fine, in any case.

The one that I bought was ~$300, shipping included.

According to the folks at evolution, a proper sized chunk of ice at 60kph will crack the B5/5.5 oil pans, and I believe them.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by xrian on 11/21/7 at 12:52:54

Don't laugh but we in Niagara have been getting quite a few large cat sighting this past year. The last one was right next door and it was a confirmed Cougar.
Rhumor has it that the Ministry released it intentionally to reduce the Cyote population.
Makes you stop and go...Hmmmmmmm

Dave Cotie wrote on 10/29/7 at 11:11:04:

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by jfitz on 11/21/7 at 13:29:51

xrian wrote on 11/21/7 at 12:52:54:

Oh no....eek...it's the Fort Erie black panther. I live down here too. Did you hear of the incident with the horse recently?

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by xrian on 11/21/7 at 19:02:20

Yes I did. That was in Welland I believe.
This one was sighted 2 weeks ago about 5 miles from here.
This sighting next door was definitely a Cougar and it wasn't black. They have now hired a professional trapper to try and capture it so we'll see.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by jfitz on 11/21/7 at 20:53:13

I remember about 2-3 years ago when all this started, somebody caught a picture (very blurry). Everybody had a different opinion on what it was (Ogopogo, Cougar, Waldo etc). I picked panther and started callin it the "fort erie black panther".

We did have a near catastrophe when that bear escaped from Z00Z. Fire and Police tactical we're all over the land. I believe they even put one of our ambulances on standby. In the end the bear was found 500 yards away from the escape area.

Ian, are you just watching the rally or competing. Are you taking part in the VIP deal?

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by xrian on 11/22/7 at 09:05:19

I'm taking the Targa car up there but just for fun. I'm working the Rally again this year. Ham radio. Hopefully I can have it parked at the rally HQ mid day before I have to head down to Castledines for the remainder of the day.
Maybe next year we'll start doing some gravel rally.

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by grinthock on 11/25/7 at 21:28:01

Ouch! Sorry to hear that!

Luckily I slept 90% of the way back while Chris drove, the rumble of the big diesel......

Thumbs up to the Bancroft Dodge dealer for doing a comple rebuild on our Transfer Case in 4 hours in Friday!

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by RyanHuber on 11/25/7 at 21:36:21

Justin, make sure you guys get that video and photos posted up ;D

Title: Re: TP Work Day (mis)Adventures (warning long)
Post by grinthock on 11/25/7 at 21:40:21

You got it.. I am downloading all the photos, I have to go through them, and edit the video and post it up.