While attending U.R.I in the Fall of 1974,I would stay at my girlfriends mother's house on weekends because I only had a five day mealbook plan. It was Sunday evening about 10:00pm when I decided to head back to school on my ten speed bike. Very dark in the area because it being mostly wooded, country like setting but yet city. I was going down her street and noticed my front center pull brake needed to be adjusted. I stopped under a street light at the end of her street which is an intersection to adjust the brake. Directly in front of me was a small field that sloped down and away from me,pitch black background, tall grass and a few bushes being light by the street light. Typical New England, Oak, Maple and, Pine trees. As I was fixing my brake I began hearing very loud foot steps of a biped, comig from the field on the slope side,more like a crushing thud. I could hear the actual compression being placed, like someone dropping a heavy metal ball/rock on the ground.I looked up to see if I could see anything and just said to myself "its nothing", and went back to fixing my brake. I noticed it was getting closer and felt very apprehensive, the sound was coming in my direction. All of sudden this dog starts barking like crazy, I can hear the chain snap as it either tries to attack or getaway from something. I said to myself "its time to go!", as I started I turned left to head north, into a few pedals. From out of the darkness steps into the street light this white looking gorilla. The legs present themselves then the body as it comes to rest on its knuckles. Twenty maybe twenty five feet away, directly across the street from me perhads six feet tall maybe 400 pounds or more. Massive arms that went straight down on its knuckles, knees slight bent.The head is higher in the back connected to the neck all-in-one mass. The face dark, deep strong but primate.The eyes are close together and set deep in the face. The nose and mouth are human like, it's nose is wide, around the mouth black hair that went down on each side.It looks up with its head and chest see me, eyeball to eyeball as I look back trying to see if this thing is real. Humanlike in appearance, the face is not like a primate but has a distinct animal presence (the eye are close together). I was never so scared in my life and knew had I stayed I don't think I would of survived the attack.The way it was positioned gave it an explosive start as it decides to chase me down the street. My heart was pounding out of my chest, my eyes had tears in them and with all my might I pedaled as it ran on two legs, then down on its knuckles then back up again. Perhaps for ten yards, I remember how its long hair on its arms moved with each reach,I thank god I was in first gear. A good five second chase and it was all over.It had stopped in the middle of the street just swaying back and forth, turned and just cleared this rock wall all in one motion from a grass sidewalk. At the top of hill I began riding in circles, I didn't know what to do, I could not comprehend the situation I was in. I knew one thing I was not riding back. I cut through her grandmother's yards and made it back to her house. Not trying to look crazy or anything they ask me what's wrong ? I told them what happened and agreed that it was best to go back in the morning.