I rode my bike to work Thursday, second time this week (and second time this year) - Tuesday was great - nice and clear but yesterday, pretty stupid of me as I really wasn't prepared for the elements. I had gotten ready believing the forecast called for clearing and moderate temps but whan I opened the door to leave - rain! I was stubborn and foolish enough to think the weather would improve as I headed west twords Bellevue. Well, it didn't. 26 miles in the rain, no fenders, booties and a marginal jacket. Arrived soaked to the skin, caked in grime. Good thing there are hot showers and a dry set of clothes for me at work. So there I am later on at my desk, got my wet clothes hung over chairs and such hoping everything will dry out in time to ride home. Eventually I gave up and arranged to have my wife come and pick me up. Didn't want to step into wet shorts and ride for an hour and a half to get home even if the sun did eventually break out.
What an adventure.
The morning rain was fine and dense at times. I was climbing a steep stretch of the Issaquah Fall City Road where there are no houses, the trees were thick on both sides and no car traffic. Pitch black and all alone, my glasses started to fog up and I had trouble making out where the edge of the road was. The white fog strip that is usually painted on the edge was covered with a winter's coating of grime and there wasn't much for a dividing line. I am riding more in the center of the road and moving my head (I have a helmet mounted light..) to the right occasionally to keep a bearing on the ditch and I see some eyes reflecting green looking back at me from the woods. The spacing between the eyes was pretty wide and I am sure it's a large animal and it unsettled me enough to pick up my pace. The faster I started to going up the hill the more afraid I got. Were you afraid of the dark when you were a kid? I was. Then on the right side I head something crashing around in the underbrush and that made me go even faster...freak out time!
I finally reached the Sammamish Plateau, steetlights and the comfort of car traffic, I was thinking maybe the time has come to buy some pepper spray for protection. Who knows what could happen if a cougar jumped on me looking for a fast meal. I'm generally secure being a pretty big guy but now I am not so sure of myself.
Feeling a bit lower on the food chain. Does anyone else carry the stuff?
Saturday, I found a small unit of Pepper Spray at GI Joes. I think it is more for my peace of mind rather than how well it will work but I've had this general uneasiness one feels when they are not on the top rung of the food chain ever since my last haircut. The barber was telling me about cougar sightings in the areas where I typically do trail runs in North Bend. Her own experience was a few months ago on the John Wayne trail and neighbor of hers cut short a hike up Rattlesnake Ridge last fall. I myself have never seen a cougar in the wild but I have spotted on 2 separate occasions in the past year, Bobcats. One of those sightings was in the same general area of I was riding the morning when I encountered the electric green eyes. If I was ever jumped by a cougar I am pretty sure it would be on me before even I knew it was there. The spray is a last resort, hopefully cats don't like spicy food.
The forecasters call for clearing this Tuesday. I look forward to the ride. This time a little better prepared.