The last few mornings on the trail I have been riding I have had to deal with some really nasty gnat clouds that last for more than a mile. I really don't care too much for bugs and being pelted and covered in gnats gives me a really bad case of the hebejeebees! I put my head down and just glance up once and a while trying to keep them out of my mouth and nose, but a few always manage to get in both places. Being humid my arms get covered in them and they stick there, really nasty stuff. I am hoping they are gone this morning but I probably won't be that lucky lol.

along an open water source? underneath a canopy of trees? out in the open with no discernible
reason? if i encounter them in mass, it's usually in a shaded area or along a lake/river.

and i'll take a gnat cloud over a bee/stinging insect swarm/cloud any day. have ridden through two of those, luckily without incident.

First world problem for sure.

Your post reminded me my commutes have been pretty gnat-free this year. There have been other years where I have been your shoes (in your saddle?) I hate getting to work and finding gnats trapped on my arms and legs.

Even so...I'd still rather bike than drive to work!

The trail runs along a creek on top of the levy. There were a few this morning but nothing like the mass mile long clouds of the last couple of mornings. It is nice today so I delayed my ride for about 90 mins, I think that helped too.

I hit those dam gnat clouds regularily on my rides in the city, hate those things.

Early and later in the season, when I risk running into low light conditions that I can't keep on my sunglasses, I bring a pair of clear glasses for exactly this reason.

I wear a buff around my neck so I can pull it up when I run into a cloud of flying bugs. I don't want to swallow or inhale them, and the face cover reduces the annoyance, a little.

Yeah, I hate that. Get them a lot when riding along rivers.

On my road ride yesterday I just managed to close my mouth in time to not inhale a dragonfly. It bruised both my lips. (I suspect it didn't fair so well.)

Ben

On the weekend Cycle Oregon a few years ago, we returned mid-afternoon past farm fields. Thousands of bees were returning to their hives loaded with cargo, flying up the road at low altitude and doing their bst to miss the hundreds of riders. The bees put on a good show. Very few hits and I heard of no stings (but there were a few panic'd riders). For me, it was fascinating, I'd do it again in a flash. (And I'd love a slo-mo of the dragonfly of my last post. I've never seen the full colors of a dragonfly in bright sunlight that close!)

Ben

Just don't smile when riding though them or you'll have to scrape bugs off your teeth.

I get some serious gnat clouds.

This is what you swallow:

I haven't tried it, but this product looks interesting.

fify

So does lycra...

Not on me, and maybe not on her.

Dude, did you have to??

I ride through gnat clouds with my mouth open nom nom nom. Good source of protein during a ride.

It's especially fun on humid evening rides. After I get nice and sweaty, the gnats die and stick all over my arms and neck. Sure beats the mayflies, though!

My entire region is pretty much nothing but rivers.

gnat clouds boo!!!

we get them here in the evening, but only in certain areas (wooded with shade, no houses) I like the buff idea from an earlier poster

Fortunately, I have only encountered brief encounters with gnat clouds next to creeks. I keep my mouth closed and am thankful that I require prescription lenses. People have offered lots of good solutions. If I had to endure gnat clouds for longer periods of time, I would consider a buff or some other solution that did not require me to carry a lot of extra clothing while riding.

About 30 seconds in:

Early on went through an unseen cloud of gnats & had to pull over to work them out of my eyes. Good thing I wasn't on a fast downhill. Never ridden without glasses since. I won't get on a bike without glasses. Usually sunglasses but I even have clear glasses for non-sun days.