Fifty Plus (50+) - The downside of warm weather riding

Ptuiey, ........BUGS! :eek:

Hi learned the hard way that the worst place to ride is on the trail by the creek at dusk. Little bugs everywhere! And riding through the clouds of them forced some up my nose and into my mouth if I had it open. Ptuiey! is right! :eek:

Yumm! Protein!

Yumm! Protein!

OK, seriously, I hate 'em too.

But what is this "warm weather" of which you speak?

Ptuiey, ........BUGS! :eek:

Wasn't a "ptuiey". I copped one of those annoying wee little black bugs right in the eye yesterday evening! Damn near rode straight through an intersection when it happened!



GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

It's to be expected and not so bad if you can spit them out. The one's that get stuck halfway down though require a quick decision to reach for the water bottle.

I inhaled the first one of the season Sunday night along the canal. Went pretty deep too. I was coughing and hacking for the next three miles.

Completely forgot about the little buggers through the winter. So I can now report that the best thing about winter riding is no bugs!

So I can now report that the best thing about winter riding is no bugs!

....and empty bike racks. :)

I ate my first one of the year last week. Luckily it went straight down and didn't put up a fuss!

Wasn't a "ptuiey". I copped one of those annoying wee little black bugs right in the eye yesterday evening! Damn near rode straight through an intersection when it happened!

GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

Hold a minute there, big fella. You're riding without eye protection? Do you want the 10 minute lecture now or later?

If I checked I'd probably find that my old Dad still has a pair of these laying about somewhere, from when he used to race Indian motorcycles back in the late 40s:

http://www.therupturedduck.com/WebPages/Fieldgear/images/F-408thumb.jpg

Last Sunday out on a ride- nice and early and the Sun had just come up. Only gone about 100yards and had some grit blow across my face- must have been a bit of a squall round the houses because that hurt. 100yards further on- no houses and exactly the same happened again. No houses- no wind . Next time it happened- I realised what it was and storm flies. Then later in the morning and found out that I was not wearing the helmet with the mesh in it. Picked up a bug that buzzed for about 5 seconds till I stopped and released it.

Sure sign that the weather is changing- hopefully for the better.

thanks for the reminder, I will be on the look out.. The times I have been riding no bug could have withstood the wind.

I gobbled a few bugs already - a harbenger of things to come. We will see swarms of the little guys on the bike path in a few weeks. In reference to another thread - what would a vegitarian do in this case - spit or swallow...

In addition to the bugs and ticks there are all those loud motorcycles out.

In addition to the bugs and ticks there are all those loud motorcycles out.
I will DEFINITELY be avoiding copping one of THOSE in the mouth. Or the eye!

A nice sized one entered the front of my helmet this morning. After 100 yards I had to pull over and remove my helmet - just go be sure - I had to be sure it was gone.

I hate it when a bee goes into my mouth and stings me.

Ptuiey, ........BUGS! :eek:

You could have the alternative of daily 25-35 mph winds. I don't think the winds are ever going to calm down.

Yeah, the river bike paths around here have a lot of them, especially in the shaded areas. I saw a cyclist with a bandana tied over his face, thought it was overkill at first...

The bugfruit crop is quite plentiful around my place as well.

Aren't bugs full of antioxidants?