have you ever swallowed a bug while riding?
08-12-09, 06:34 AM
#26
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Some have suggested I should have opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue with the dragonfly sitting on it as I approached the camera crew!!
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08-12-09, 06:35 AM
#27
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On the back side of a crit course going full tilt on the bell lap. Something big, junebug maybe, slammed straight into the back of my throat. That takes it out of you. Makes the gnats, skeeters, and flies feel like tasty little treats.
08-12-09, 07:07 AM
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Yep, sure have. I've also been ambushed by a pair of armadillos who ran out in front of me from some brush next to the side of the road. I also had a possum run along next to me in the other lane for a good 50 feet. Luckily neither armadillo or possum managed to jump in mouth.
08-12-09, 07:14 AM
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About a week ago I couldn't find my sunglasses so I just left without them. A bug flew right into my eye, and I had to pull over for about 5 minutes to flush him out of there.
08-12-09, 07:42 AM
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08-12-09, 07:49 AM
#33
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08-12-09, 09:25 AM
#34
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All right ... that's it ... I've got to tell my story!!
My "worst" experience with an insect occurred during a race in 1999.
The route descended into a ravine, climbed out of the ravine, turned left ... and then the cyclists pulled a U-turn and descended back into the ravine, climbed out of the ravine, pulled a U-turn ... etc. etc. for several loops.
I descended into the ravine and when I was climbing out, I noticed that there was a camera crew set up near the top of the hill filming the Cat 2 cyclists who were now about to descend the hill. I was laughing because they were all zipping up and trying to look all cool.
I got to the top of the hill, turned left, rode along a ways, then pulled the U-turn and started back toward the ravine.
All of a sudden a MASSIVE dragonfly flew into my mouth!!!!
I could feel it buzzing its wings, and I desperately tried to spit or gag it out .... but it was lodged in there!!
Just then I noticed that I was getting closer and closer to the camera crew. I didn't want the image of me gagging and spitting a dragonfly out of my mouth to be captured, but I didn't know what to do ... this thing would not back out of my mouth!
As I passed the camera crew, I closed my mouth and cycled by looking as calm, cool, and collected as a person can look with a massive dragonfly buzzing in her mouth.
As soon as I was by the camera, I reached into my mouth, and dragged this thing out ........ and then went through almost convulsive shudders at the thought of what had just happened!!
I DNF'd that race.
I also have this fear of dragonflies.
I've also been hit in the head by several birds, a bat or two, and one of those very large june beetles (the ones that are about 4" long). I've had a bee go down my jersey. And I've been pursued by a swarm of horseflies. And that doesn't include the bazillion insects I've had fly into my helmet, eyes, nose, and mouth.
My "worst" experience with an insect occurred during a race in 1999.
The route descended into a ravine, climbed out of the ravine, turned left ... and then the cyclists pulled a U-turn and descended back into the ravine, climbed out of the ravine, pulled a U-turn ... etc. etc. for several loops.
I descended into the ravine and when I was climbing out, I noticed that there was a camera crew set up near the top of the hill filming the Cat 2 cyclists who were now about to descend the hill. I was laughing because they were all zipping up and trying to look all cool.
I got to the top of the hill, turned left, rode along a ways, then pulled the U-turn and started back toward the ravine.
All of a sudden a MASSIVE dragonfly flew into my mouth!!!!
I could feel it buzzing its wings, and I desperately tried to spit or gag it out .... but it was lodged in there!!
Just then I noticed that I was getting closer and closer to the camera crew. I didn't want the image of me gagging and spitting a dragonfly out of my mouth to be captured, but I didn't know what to do ... this thing would not back out of my mouth!
As I passed the camera crew, I closed my mouth and cycled by looking as calm, cool, and collected as a person can look with a massive dragonfly buzzing in her mouth.
As soon as I was by the camera, I reached into my mouth, and dragged this thing out ........ and then went through almost convulsive shudders at the thought of what had just happened!!
I DNF'd that race.
I also have this fear of dragonflies.
I've also been hit in the head by several birds, a bat or two, and one of those very large june beetles (the ones that are about 4" long). I've had a bee go down my jersey. And I've been pursued by a swarm of horseflies. And that doesn't include the bazillion insects I've had fly into my helmet, eyes, nose, and mouth.
08-12-09, 09:28 AM
#35
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Definitely, I swallow little bugs all the time thanks to my gaping fish-out-of-water mouth when I ride. But a couple weeks ago I apparently 'caught' a moth-type thing that stuck to the back of my throat like WHAT. It wasn't easy to swallow because its wings or whatever were plastered to the back of my throat, so I pulled over and pretty much coughed and coughed until I almost yaked (you're welcome for the visual), tears running down my face and everything. My bf freaked out and thought I was having an asthma attack, but nope! Just eating bugs again 
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08-12-09, 09:39 AM
#36
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I have swallowed bugs several times. Once it was something really big and heavy. It hit the roof of my mouth and started to sting. I was convinced it was a wasp or something poisonous or something, but after I calmed down I decided it was just irritation at being hit so hard by something so large and rough.
Now I try to ride with my lips and teeth mostly closed - still plenty of opening for full breathing, but hopefully enough of a "fence" to screen out bugs.
Judy Blume wrote a series of children's books about a boy named Fudge (SuperFudge, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, etc.) In it there's an unofficial club you join when you swallow a fly on your bicycle. It's the ISAF club (I Swallowed A Fly). I read the series to my kids when they were young. During their childhoods they both joined the club. (I had been in for years.)
Now I try to ride with my lips and teeth mostly closed - still plenty of opening for full breathing, but hopefully enough of a "fence" to screen out bugs.
Judy Blume wrote a series of children's books about a boy named Fudge (SuperFudge, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, etc.) In it there's an unofficial club you join when you swallow a fly on your bicycle. It's the ISAF club (I Swallowed A Fly). I read the series to my kids when they were young. During their childhoods they both joined the club. (I had been in for years.)
08-12-09, 09:54 AM
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It is evidence of a lack of core strength.
08-12-09, 10:52 AM
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The only non-vegan part of my diet! 
This weekend I managed to get a big bug flying underneath my sunglasses...that led to a bit of a panic moment.
This weekend I managed to get a big bug flying underneath my sunglasses...that led to a bit of a panic moment.
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08-12-09, 11:06 AM
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I had a bee fly right into the lens of my glasses a while back - it left a big yellow pollen spot and some viscera. I don't even want to think about what it would've done to my eye.
08-12-09, 11:11 AM
#43
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So, a few weeks ago I'm riding on a popular MUP next to a creek. Quiet evening, few riders out and I'm riding pretty fast (for me). I suck in a pretty big bug, and turn my head and spit it out. Well, in trying to get it out of my mouth as fast as possible, I spit to my left and didn't look before I did it, only to see a fast rider in team kit just starting to pass me off my back wheel as the spit and bug leaves my mouth (only person who passed me all ride). I never heard him coming up on me, and I said "Oh man, sorry, bug" when he passed. He says nothing, but looks back over his shoulder just as he finishes his pass and spits right at me. Missed fortunately, but I probably deserved it.
08-12-09, 03:36 PM
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Wow. Now I have to tell my dragonfly story.
A few weeks ago I was riding with my buddies early one morning. I was putting my water bottle back and for some reason felt it wasn't secure. I look down at it for a second, look up, and right in front of me is a huge dragon fly. I opened my mouth out of surprise and down it went! All the way, straight down my throat. I described as feeling like a swallowed a poodle.
That brought an immediate and totally involuntary gag reflex (projectile vomitting!). I barely managed to stop without crashing and it took several minutes of dry heaves to get it under control The dragonfly did not survive the trauma. My buddies almost soiled themselves laughing. I tell you my stomach muscles hurt for a week!
A few weeks ago I was riding with my buddies early one morning. I was putting my water bottle back and for some reason felt it wasn't secure. I look down at it for a second, look up, and right in front of me is a huge dragon fly. I opened my mouth out of surprise and down it went! All the way, straight down my throat. I described as feeling like a swallowed a poodle.
That brought an immediate and totally involuntary gag reflex (projectile vomitting!). I barely managed to stop without crashing and it took several minutes of dry heaves to get it under control The dragonfly did not survive the trauma. My buddies almost soiled themselves laughing. I tell you my stomach muscles hurt for a week!
08-12-09, 04:31 PM
#47
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i wonder why i seem to attract bugs more than most people. if i stand right next to others, mosquitos and flies and wasps all come for me.
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