July riding

[Helene2013]

I would freak out too I think seeing bears or anything that can "attack" me. I've had enough of 2 dogs chasing us for 8km.... never pedaled that fast in my fast for the 1st half of it since I did not know if they were dangerous or not. Happened they were friendly and sooooo happy to get a good run. Me? NOT...it was my 2nd road bike ever and I had no control on anything. Lucky I did not fall, kill myself or heart attack with such high cardio then. haha

You'll have to go by car...and get us pictures of that scenery KHG. You truly rock on a bike to get all this done..in the morning on top of this. yikes.

[khg]

Whether rightly or not, I'm more freaked out by dogs than bears. Dogs are people-oriented, like to chase things, can be territorial, etc. Off the bike, I've had some bad run-ins with them (luckily nothing on the bike yet). Whereas the bears, since I was a little ways away, didn't care about me at all--I don't even know that they bothered to look at me. There were more interesting things going on for them, like yummy plant bits to nibble... Still, I was sure glad that I had noticed the mom coming out of the trees soon enough to stop when/where I did...

It has been a chunk of challenging stuff on my bike for me. It's been fun, and I'm also hoping I will get some strength and stamina gains out of pushing myself like this. But I know that strength gains come from the body's rebuilding during rest, so I'm typing this while lying on the couch--and no big rides for a few days!

Crankin, 15 miles at 5AM counts as tough in my book! I think if you told me that I had to do that tomorrow, I'd just curl up in the fetal position and cry

[rebeccaC]

Bear cubs are cute but a protective mother isn't something i want to deal with. If I rode in areas where bears are I would be carrying this

I do carry regular pepper gel in my handlebar bag mainly because i ride alone a lot on low traveled mountain roads and some of the more iffy areas of L.A.....thankfully i haven't ever needed to use it.

[steppink]

I carry pepper spray in my pocket also, for that " just in case dog or even worse the just in case person ", as I also ride alone, though it wouldn't help much against a bear

[Crankin]

I have only had one dog run in, on my street.

[kernowcyclist]

Seeing dogs off-leash by the roadside makes me very vigilant. I was knocked off my bike by one years ago on my way to work, on what was usually a busy road but luckily was clear at the time. The owner just casually strolled past as I untangled my legs and heaved the bike off , and called 'Allright?' then carried on. She seemed supremely unconcerned. I carried on to work, fuming, where I was overtaken by the shakes and my worried workmates plied me with sweet tea. No damage, just a bruise or two. I didn't see the woman or the dog on that route again though.

[marni]

Todays ride was a relaxed out and back on the shadiest route we could find. Fast enough to keep a steady cadence of 79 and slow enough to talk about things so a good combination of effort and therapy. Started and finished early enough that the heat wasn't too brutal. 26 miles in 1;45 for an average of 14.0. Thanks to riding buddy Mx for doing the ride with me.