Watch out for cows

[jobob]

This was taken on Saturday, on the road out to the Pt Reyes lighthouse control of the SF Randonneurs 200K brevet:



There are several working dairy ranches along that road.


(this is a different location than that in the SF Gate story)

[Aggie_Ama]

Do you get an allowance on time for being held up by cows?

[jobob]

Hee hee, good question!

I was actually working the control at the lighthouse and no-one asked for a time credit so I suppose they weren't held up for too long.

[fatbottomedgurl]

We have cows where I mountain bike. I almost crashed once when one jumped through the bushes in front of me. I thought kamikaze squirrels were bad.

As far as it being "rare"- I dunno, we all know to be very careful up there. Last year a guy got chased down the trail by one of the bulls and was tapped from behind. And the mama cows are the worst!

I remember reading once where a group of racers all came down with e-coli from riding over patties and getting it splattered on their water bottles. Ugh.

[PamNY]

I remember reading once where a group of racers all came down with e-coli from riding over patties and getting it splattered on their water bottles. Ugh.

Oh, gag. I never even thought of that. My bike path goes right by the police stables, and further north there's goose poop everywhere. I'm off to research water bottles. Thanks for the tip.

Pam

[mtbdarby]

I remember reading once where a group of racers all came down with e-coli from riding over patties and getting it splattered on their water bottles. Ugh.

That happens here! And is why I don't use a water bottle on the mtb (hydration pack only) and when you do tours here they are recommended as well. And NEVER take any food at a SAG stop when they hand food items out without using gloves, or allow riders to reach into a bowl and take cut food items (bananas would be ok or anything wrapped). E coli is nasty and can spread quickly among a group.

[maillotpois]

This was taken on Saturday, on the road out to the Pt Reyes lighthouse control of the SF Randonneurs 200K brevet:



There are several working dairy ranches along that road.


(this is a different location than that in the SF Gate story)

I encountered that line of cows in the same location during a 300k from Healdsburg 2 years ago. (Jo we'll be riding this road for Death Ride training as well, so you'll have another chance to make friends with the cows.)

Don't mention cows to Veronica. We encountered a scary free range bull on Coleman Valley Rd., and she already has a cow phobia. Bovophobia?

[Tuckervill]

A giant pig ran across the road in front of me when I was doing some downhill mountain biking in Jamaica! It was squealing the whole way! It was hilarious!

Karen

[malkin]

I've seen cattle on roads a couple times. Once they were driven by a guy on a horse who whistled directions to them, and we could see them slow down and speed up in response to his whistles. That was amazing and cool.

Another time a sizable herd was driven by some yahoo cowboys in a pickup truck. The cattle were moving erratically and the knuckleheads were driving all over the road, I guess in an attempt to control the animals, but everything seemed out of control. We pulled as far off the road as we could get and held very still. Pretty scary.

[jobob]

I encountered that line of cows in the same location during a 300k from Healdsburg 2 years ago. (Jo we'll be riding this road for Death Ride training as well, so you'll have another chance to make friends with the cows.)

Oooh can't wait!

(Note to self: take the bike with the fenders)

[maillotpois]

Yeah - and don't get Mike started on the nasty infection he got from Chileno Valley Rd. poo....

[DrBadger]

This was taken on Saturday, on the road out to the Pt Reyes lighthouse control of the SF Randonneurs 200K brevet:



There are several working dairy ranches along that road.


(this is a different location than that in the SF Gate story)

nice photo Jo! i love everyone just waiting around. Remember the cows all over Coleman Valley Rd on the Holstein 100... granted, I should have expected it given the name of the ride... but I was not stopping at that point!

[jobob]

Remember the cows all over Coleman Valley Rd on the Holstein 100... granted, I should have expected it given the name of the ride... but I was not stopping at that point!

OMG do I ever, that was so funny! (and a leetle scary - those cows were BIG )

Oh, by the way - I didn't take that photo. It was taken by someone on the ride.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimg/se...7612936714987/

[smurfalicious]

Yeah, I had someone at work try to tell me cows just move. Uh, hun, I've physically pushed them with my 1400lb hulk of a horse. They don't always move, and they aren't entirely predictable. During calving season I've had calves run under my horse! Working cattle on a big boy ain't always easy, but boy can he hold um for you on a rope.

Grey Butte near my old house still has grazing permits. They liked to congregate at the bottom of a big, fast, gravelly hill. That made life interesting. I almost gave several knobby tired enemas to cows who changed direction and got in front of me. Good times, good times.