over Lake Baldwin, Orlando, FL

Scooting home last week, I was behind a SUV with a doggy hanging its head out the window.

All I could think was “please don’t let me get hit in the face with dog slobber.”

At the final turn on my route to work a few minutes ago, the SUV in front of me was stopped. The man got out of the vehicle and investigated a turtle in the road. I am always pleased to see compassionate people helping turtles cross the road. This snapping turtle was big, probably a foot and a half long, maybe longer (I’m a bad estimator).

Well, the turtle was not happy at all about being helped. The guy tried to pick the turtle up by grabbing both sides of the shell (between front and back legs). The turtle promptly turned to bite, and was dropped. Later, rinse, repeat. At one point, the turtle peed all over the guy’s hands. Heh. After that, the guy starting kicking the turtle.

By this time, I was stopped, had pulled into a parking space right there (lawyer’s office), and had dismounted my scooter. “Oh, please don’t kick him. I’ll help you.”

“I’m just trying to get him into the grass without losing a finger.”

Snappers can take your fingers off when they’re that big. No, really.

Anyway, he kicked the turtle over into the grass, on his back. The turtle righted himself and posed for a picture, while hissing at me:

his tail is almost as long as my hand, palm to tip of fingers

He’ll be dead by now. He was trying to cross a four lane road that I am afraid to cross, else I’d carry him across the road. (They say you should always move the turtle the direction he was heading or they’ll just try again after you have moved them to safety.) I hope his encounter with the man in the SUV encouraged him to turn around and go back to the lake rather than try to cross the road.

taken at the red light at Princeton & Mills. I believe that is Lake Rowena, but I could be mistaken.

Last night, we went for a ride around Lake Conway. We rode into various neighborhoods just to check out the view and the houses.

This is the view of Lake Conway from one of the private boat ramps we found.

And this is looking back at our scooters from the water’s edge.

Curious signage.

SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK!
NO SWIMMING!

Rich people can’t make up their minds!

It was a great ride. We were out at least an hour, and probably an hour and a half. It was chilly as a cold front moved through yesterday afternoon, bringing much rain that prevented a ride earlier in the day.

That same cold front kept us from riding to work today.

We rode home past Lake Underhill last night.

It’s not the best picture, but I can only take pictures while stopped. It’s hard not to enjoy riding a scooter when you pass lakes like this all the time.

Anyway, you have to enjoy not being on the 408 highway that goes over this lake (visible in the background).