|   Ever been stalked by bugs? | crash test dummy
Oct 18, 2003 5:22 PM | | Rode the 30 mile soul ride course this morning. Had extra company for two miles on a climb in the form of wasps or yellow jackets. Not sure if it was my ripe smell or my yellow frame that attraced them but they dogged me for two miles until the climb was over and I was able to ditch them. Good motivation for climbing faster I guess....that or bringing a can of raid next weekend. |
| No but I've been draughted by deerflies. | Mike T.
Oct 18, 2003 6:26 PM | | A few years ago my son and I were riding at Hilton Falls, Ontario down a wide fast dirt road. It was a hot day and there were many flies of all types out that day.
As we zinged down that road, which I knew soon would narrow down to slow singletrack, I noticed a whole swarm of deerflies in the slipstream behing his bum. They were draughting him at 16mph just like a peloton of trained bike racers. There had to be twenty of them.
I says "Hey Darren you've got a swarm of deerflies in your slipstream!". He looked over and said "Errr, and you too!".
We were in trouble. Those suckers can really bite - and through lycra too. They take a piece right out of your hide. Coming up soon was singletrack, single digit speeds and multiple bites. We needed a plan of action.
In my everyday job I pre-plan for worst-case scenarios. I'd done my homework for this day too. In my back pocket, ready for the time I got the inevitable flat tire, was a film canister full of anti bug cream.
I laid out the plan. "Ok Dee, when we slow down and I give you the word, bail off the bike, remove helmet, glasses and gloves, I'll flip ya the cream and you take a blob and throw me the cansister."
"Ten-four!" Darren says.
The plan works like clockwork - off the bike, off with the gear and on with the stuff before the *&^% deerflies had realized what had happened. He and I stood there all smug-like with a swarm of deerflies around us at arm's length.
I guess it pays to have more than two brain cells and a set of opposable thumbs.
But that was years ago. Last week I was chugging up a hill alone at about 5mph. One of those barstads nailed me right on the arse. Ouch. |
| me too | NateHawk
Oct 18, 2003 9:02 PM | | except I had only one drafting me. I heard it back there as I was on a downhill, and I knew I was in for it at the bottom, because there was a hike-a-bike section ahead. I yelled ahead at my buddy, so he was ready when I had to dismount. He was ready with his glove and when the little bastid landed on my shoulder, it got what was coming to it. |
| You'd have to climb at over 15 mph... | Stine
Oct 19, 2003 2:51 AM | | according to this info...
"Bees are not fast fliers; while their wings beat over 11,000 cycles per minute, their flight speed averages only 15 miles per hour. In comparison, a true fly in the genus Forcipomyia beats its wings over 62,000 cycles per minute. The Australian dragonfly Austrophlebia costalis has been clocked flying at a speed of 36 mph."
I've been "escorted" by Dragonflies a number of times. That's pretty cool.
The insects that really BUG me are the giant spiders that weave their massive webs across the trails. YUK |
| Skeeters...........and snakes oh my! | bikerchic
Oct 19, 2003 8:45 AM | | .......gawd I hate those skeeters! You know the pesky one that gets under your sunglasses, can't stop to get it out or even slow down the rest of the swarm will getcha......so I ended up going around with a swollen eye from the nasty bite. Damn skeeters!
On yesterdays ride in a parkway I saw out of the corner of my eye a snake, I first heard it slithering (it heard me coming) then I saw it, it was this big *holding hands up*(............................................................................................................................................................................................)I need longer arms! |
| Anyone else being overwhelmed by asian beatles? | berrywise
Oct 19, 2003 10:44 AM | | They look like a lady bug but are more orange in color. These things have taken over one of my favorite trails look out areas. You stop for a breather and these little buggers bite the crap out of you. They are everywhere!
bw (not down with asian beatles) |
| Anyone else being overwhelmed by asian beatles? | Sweet Corn
Oct 19, 2003 5:40 PM | | Yes, the beatles are terrible around here on some trails. They were really bad today. I think I had 25-30 on me by the time I left the parking lot. Luckily none in the house. |
| Maybe dem's circle flies... | Michael Dart
Oct 19, 2003 3:31 PM | | A farmer got pulled over by a state trooper for speeding, and the trooper started to lecture the farmer about his speed, and in general began to throw his weight around to try to make the farmer uncomfortable.
Finally, the trooper got around to writing out the ticket, and as he was doing that he kept swatting at some flies that were buzzing around his head. The farmer said, "Having some problems with circle flies there, are ya?" The trooper stopped writing the ticket and said, "Well yeah, if that's what they are called -- I never heard of circle flies."
So the farmer says, "Well, circle flies are common on farms. See, they're called circle flies because they're almost always found circling around the back end of a horse."
The trooper says, "Oh," and goes back to writing the ticket. Then after a minute he stops and says, "Hey...wait a minute, are you trying to call me a horse's rear end?" The farmer says, "Oh no, officer. I have too much respect for law enforcement to even think about calling you such a name."
The trooper says, "Well, that's a good thing," and goes back to writing the ticket. After a long pause, the farmer says, "Hard to fool them flies though." |
| re: Ever been stalked by bugs? | JDZ
Oct 19, 2003 3:31 PM | | You probably got too close to their nest. I have been chased by yellow jackets a couple of times but I was on foot. If you piss them off enough (disturb their nest), they will not leave you alone until you kill them. |
| re: Ever been stalked by bugs? | sstaurus
Oct 19, 2003 6:44 PM | | The worst is the spider webs! I hate getting a giant web spread across my face, happens way too often! And its worse when the spider is on it too, crawling on you and... ARGH |
| Done learned a yokel | crash test dummy
Oct 19, 2003 7:59 PM | | riding thru spider webs? sheet - guess it could have been worse. I'd rather have the wing and sting. doubt the nest bit but I think we were in prime feeding habitat. And doing that climb at 15mph..guess I better reconsider getting a road bike....that or lay off the scotch. |
| |
