General Cycling Discussion - Two scariest cycling situations on the same day

It was Saturday morning. First of all in the Black Duck Creek Valley (about 40km south of Gatton if anybody cares) I discovered that not all of Queensland is stinking hot all of the time. Of course I wasn't wearing enough layers to cover for this and actually started to get the first signs of what I thought was hypothermia.

Needless to say I've never been down that road before and I was absolutely scared s**tless! About the only thing I had the strength to do was pedal in a ridiculously low gear (trying to keep moving) and wait for the sun to warm me up. Even then I almost collapsed on one occasion. I think it might have been because I didn't keep my extremities (hands, feet etc) warm enough.

It might also be because I didn't pay enough attention to the build up of ice on my tent that morning and sleep in for another hour or so.

Later the same day I was set upon by about 7 or 8 wild horses (somewhere near Clifton I think). I've dealt with dogs before, but how does one deal with wild horses? Ultimately something scared them off (I tend to make sudden moves when I'm panicked), but that was scary.

So why was I smiling at the end of the day?

Originally posted by Chris L

So why was I smiling at the end of the day?

Because you made it back in one piece and have a good story to tell...:beer:

I thought all of Queensland was north of the tropics. What are you up in the mountains? My fear would be charged by wild elephants in that part of the world? Or something as big as elephants. That cold -guess the crocks are docile.

Chris

Sounds like you had a good day. The good thing about getting scarred is it reminds you that you really are alive. -:)

Joe

Wild horses are very dangerous.

In fact tame horses are very dangerous.

No, wait, all horses are dangerous :)

Originally posted by chewa
Wild horses are very dangerous.

In fact tame horses are very dangerous.

No, wait, all horses are dangerous :)

Our local path goes through easements in pastures where there are horses. Two years ago, a "tame horse" came up, knocked her over, and proceeded to walk right over her. He missed her mostly, but we did end up in the emergency room for some bruises, etc.

Come to find out, some idiot people have been feeding the horses as they walk on the trail, and the horses now expect the food, and nudge others with their nose looking for food, which is what knocked her over.

We no longer go on that particualr trail.

Yes, all horses can be dangerous.

I'm glad you are okay Chris, but where were you to be getting an ice build-up, I though Australia was sunny and hot 365 days a year.

I never saw anything like ice in Brisbane (except in a glass.)

:eek:

Horses.

Man, I've got to get out of the city more.

RichC

Chris- you still have the invite to come on down to Chicago, where you can work on your ice-riding skills to your heart's content.... that way, you won't be looking like a hamster in a cage peddling like a madman trying to warm up.

Hee hee, shouldn't this be in the winter riding section? ;)

P.S. One good spray of Halt! on those wild horses ought to tame them down! ;)

Originally posted by cyclezealot
I thought all of Queensland was north of the tropics. What are you up in the mountains?

Yep. Headed off to the mountains for a couple of nights. The thing was, it was always going to be a good 10-15 degrees C cooler than the coast, then we got a south-westerly change that came in and cooled it down even further. :eek:

Put it this way, I'm back in short sleeves on the coast - I was wearing three layers that morning and still felt the cold.


Originally posted by Spire
I'm glad you are okay Chris, but where were you to be getting an ice build-up, I though Australia was sunny and hot 365 days a year.

It doesn't apply to all of Australia. I'm going on a tour in Tasmania at the end of the year - parts of which are known for summer snow. That's right, summer snow!


Originally posted by Koffee Brown

Chris- you still have the invite to come on down to Chicago, where you can work on your ice-riding skills to your heart's content.... that way, you won't be looking like a hamster in a cage peddling like a madman trying to warm up.

Careful, I might just take you up on that. :eek:

So maybe the Aussie's can go up to the mountains and get a comprehension of what it is like to bike in Chicago in January?

Wow, Chris, some adventure! :)

Sounds like the time I was coming down a descent in the La Sal mountains in Utah and I got in amongst some cattle that were trotting down the road (I think they were being moved from the high pastures about that time). But all I did was talk to them and they gave me room.

Having grown up around horses and cattle, they really do not terrify me.

I don't know about wild horses, but if you showed one of our horses a bridle, they were sure to put as much distance between you and them as they possibly could. Horses don't like working much making them similar to people.

More seriously, horses will usually run if you throw something at them or even yell loudly.

Chris,
You were smiling Because you looked at death square in the eye and had the fortitude to keep riding on.
You probably said to yourself I can do this I just have to keep riding, I love being free and riding to much to quit now and tell your story here on BF.:)

Horses are large animals, even if they don't mean to they can be dangerous!

As for the cold, I keep forgetting it's nearly winter in the southern hemisphere!

Originally posted by Chris L
It was Saturday morning. First of all in the Black Duck Creek Valley (about 40km south of Gatton if anybody cares) I discovered that not all of Queensland is stinking hot all of the time. Of course I wasn't wearing enough layers to cover for this and actually started to get the first signs of what I thought was hypothermia.

Needless to say I've never been down that road before and I was absolutely scared s**tless! About the only thing I had the strength to do was pedal in a ridiculously low gear (trying to keep moving) and wait for the sun to warm me up. Even then I almost collapsed on one occasion. I think it might have been because I didn't keep my extremities (hands, feet etc) warm enough.

It might also be because I didn't pay enough attention to the build up of ice on my tent that morning and sleep in for another hour or so.

Later the same day I was set upon by about 7 or 8 wild horses (somewhere near Clifton I think). I've dealt with dogs before, but how does one deal with wild horses? Ultimately something scared them off (I tend to make sudden moves when I'm panicked), but that was scary.

So why was I smiling at the end of the day?

When the going gets tough,the tough gets going. :D

Originally posted by wabbit
As for the cold, I keep forgetting it's nearly winter in the southern hemisphere!

In most of Queensland, that doesn't normally matter! :eek:

Wild horses are very dangerous.

In fact tame horses are very dangerous.

No, wait, all horses are dangerous :)

Nah, most horses are less dangerous than the idiots that ride them. Last year I was riding on a "multi-use" trail when I met two horse riders. When I first spotted them they were riding single file. As they drew closer and I pulled off to the right as far as possible (it's an old railroad route and no way am I going to dismount and carry my bike down the embankment!) I could see the one in back urging her horse out to my side of the trail and abreast of the other rider. The stupid broad on the horse's back kept kicking him and tugging the reigns trying to get him to ride me down. I stood my ground and at the last moment the horse balked and almost threw her - the horse had more sense then she did. Either that or the horse had better eyesight - maybe he spotted the bear-strength pepper spray I was holding in my right hand, out of site behind my leg but ready if needed :)

Then this stupid broad had the nerve to tell me that I was supposed to yield to horses! I guess in her mind "yield" means get off the bike, carry it down the embankment into the mud, and maybe bow and grovel a little as she rides by. I just told her that the trail rules required that parties meeting do so in single file and that the rules specifically require that horsemen must be capable of controlling their mounts. Then I rode on.

Sound pretty exciting to me! Seriously, horses are more scared of you then then you are of them. I once had a coyote cross the road early one morning about 40 ft ahead of me.. looked right in my eyes and he didn't give me the time of day...and they're scavengers! I thought it was kind of cool..never saw one up close like that.

Then this stupid broad had the nerve to tell me that I was supposed to yield to horses! I guess in her mind "yield" means get off the bike, carry it down the embankment into the mud, and maybe bow and grovel a little as she rides by. I just told her that the trail rules required that parties meeting do so in single file and that the rules specifically require that horsemen must be capable of controlling their mounts. Then I rode on.

Horses spook easily, and on multi-use trails, the owner has a responsiblity to make sure that they are socialized to bicycles. At the same time, we also have a responsibility to yield to them on the trails. The horses generally shy less if the bike is being held by someone who is standing.

In the case of multi-use trails, we all need to get along. That means that the rider needed to remain single-file with her friend, and that riders should stop, and normally dismount, around equestrians.

Wow, that's gotta be a record. One year (almost to the day) between posts.

Wow, that's gotta be a record. One year (almost to the day) between posts.
:)

For some reason Chris referenced this thread in a new one, I followed the link, and the rest, as they say, is history...

Wow, that's gotta be a record. One year (almost to the day) between posts.

I've seen threads older than that revived.

As was said above, I started a new thread over in touring because I repeated the trip last weekend (with one or two alterations). I referenced it to this one.

J'aime ta phrase francaise. C'st vrai je pense, aussi. Et je suis eccosais, de Glasgow.