Article

2005-08-30 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Ostriches ~~Why Do They Hate Us?~~ They Hate Us Cause We Found Out They're Tasty

An ostrich has boldly gone where no ostrich has ever gone before. The six-foot-tall bird, who apparently didn't feel like hiding its head in the sand, escaped from the back of a cargo van on the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday, stopping evening commute traffic in both directions and sending dozens of tourists racing for their cameras.

The ostrich, a female, got loose around 4:45 p.m. from the rear of the northbound van, which was heading for a Healdsburg vegetable farm, California Highway Patrol sergeant Wayne Ziese said. A sudden acceleration of the van caused the bird to smash through the rear window and land on the bridge pavement, just north of the toll plaza. "It should never have happened,'' said the driver of the van, Ronald Love. "The ostrich's butt broke the window. You never would think an ostrich could fit through a little window, but she did.''

Clever, clever ostrich.

Love, the owner of Love Farms, had bought the ostrich for $300 a few hours earlier in Watsonville and was taking it to its new home. Love said he had rescued the ostrich from a date with the butcher and was planning to use the bird to produce ostrich eggs, and this is how the bird showed its gratitude. The usual gaggle of afternoon bridge tourists began passionately snapping photographs.

Bridge police officers, Highway Patrol officers and a bridge tow truck driver helped Love corral the ostrich inside a garage used by bridge tow trucks. The ostrich round-up took about 10 minutes. "It was quite an adventure," Love said. "Strange things always seem to happen with ostriches. I guess this proves it.'' Ziese said the bird suffered "minor road rash" but was otherwise not injured. Love was not cited. "We've never had an ostrich on the bridge before,'' Ziese said. "This is a first.''

"Ostriches are usually very gentle,'' said Love. "An ostrich is easier to keep than a goldfish. Unless it's been too long in the back of a van, I guess.''

Posted by BigEd 2005-08-30 10:40|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Ostriches are usually very gentle,'' said Love. "An ostrich is easier to keep than a goldfish

I see many surprises in Mr. Loves near future.

Posted by Shipman 2005-08-30 13:39|| 2005-08-30 13:39|| Front Page Top

#2 Amen Ship. Wish I could be there with a camera when he learns differently.

And, since when are goldfish "easy to keep" ? They go belly up at the drop of a hat.

Posted by Carl in N.H.">Carl in N.H. 2005-08-30 17:42|| 2005-08-30 17:42|| Front Page Top

#3 I tried ostrich once, but didn't like it because it is so rich it tasted to me like liver. (buffalo is MUCH better...)

I made a balsamic blueberry sauce for it, and although I did not like the ostrich, the same sauce tasted great on buffalo and venison also.

Posted by Carl in N.H.">Carl in N.H. 2005-08-30 17:49|| 2005-08-30 17:49|| Front Page Top

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