Q2. Have you had any interesting experiences with bugs or insects while riding?

[ascentale@sfba.social]

Q2. Have you had any interesting experiences with bugs or insects while riding?

(Inspired by a discussion with @Brownian_motion and @MartyCormack many BikeNites ago)

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

[genex@sfba.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A2: aside from getting them in your mouth? Did have one catch under an eyelid for a second. Somehow I didn’t crash! #BikeNite

[lopta@mastodon.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite Was Q1 not tagged?

[genex@sfba.social]

@lopta @ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite that’s what I was wondering too

[wanderinghermit@mindly.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2) I had a bee fly in one of the vents on my helmet; it crawled around on my head for a while as I kind of freaked out, then flew away with no harm to either of us.

#Bikenite

[djuber@fosstodon.org]

@wanderinghermit @ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite oh, that definitely happened to me once or twice. It's weird how it works out in the end without any problems.

#BikeNite

[mrbirch@beige.party]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2. I was riding day 1 of the Seattle to Portland ride in ‘23 and I had a bee fly between my sunglasses and my face. It stung me in the eye brow. I still had a good 15-20 miles to go out of the 105 for that day.

Fortunately, a full service stop was coming up, that had a first aid station. They inspected it and gave me Benadryl and Advil. I was able to finish the day without any major swelling.

[isol@mastodon.au]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2: Bugs?

Well, once I was stopped by a pair of threatening characters who said they'd been listening to me talk about my "secret formula".
When I explained that it was for chain wax, one of them said I could never mention this encounter, while the other one removed the tiny electronic listening devices from my handlebars.

[climatejenny@biodiversity.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A2. The time a gnat flew into my eye and got stuck was not very interesting, but it was educational. I’ve never ridden without glasses after that.

EDIT: found the photo! The most charming experience was the time a fuzzy little SPIDER with emerald eyes decided to come for a ride on my handlebars. I tried to dissuade it, but it was determined and stuck with me for several miles. Maybe it just needed a lift? #BikeNite

[harold@mastodon.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2: Hornet stuck in my cycling glove and kept on stinging me. Had to get my wedding ring surgically removed

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite #BikeNite A2. Recently, I had a bee land in my mouth while I was riding and fortunately I spit her back out before she had any thought to sting me for eating her. I started carrying Benadryl after that (someone here on Bike Nite mentioned that was a good idea... I now agree, lol).

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

@harold @ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

[moz@fosstodon.org]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A2: mostly clouds of midges where closing orifices and slowly exhaling through my nose works less badly than the alternatives.

My favourite is when I was sitting on a wharf using a long lens to take photos of crayfish and a dragonfly flew into frame and stole focus. So I have a cool photo of a dragonfly. I was cycle touring at the time so that makes it bike-related

#BikeNite

[yantor3d@mas.to]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A2 nothing noteworthy, but now I'm remembering the bugpocalypse that was the front grill of my parents' minivan after road trips through the midwest in the early 90s and now I'm imagining how foul it would be to ride a bike through such conditions...

#bikeNite

[cainmark@mstdn.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2. Interesting was when a preying mantis stayed on my handlebar for 5 miles.

Not so interesting were the clouds of gnats near the Tennessee River. So many that even spitting them out I just resigned myself to imagining it was free protein for fuel.

#BikeNite

[cainmark@mstdn.social]

@wanderinghermit @ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite

A2b. I forgot that I have had this happen a few times. Probably intentionally. Not fun.

#BikeNite

[grammasaurus@mastodon.social]

@harold @ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite AARGH!! sounds horrible!

[lopta@mastodon.social]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A2) No. #BikeNite

[uxmark@cosocial.ca]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite Q2. No, not really. Unfortunately my “interesting” experiences are with people driving cars! (Though, really, most drivers are courteous and careful.)

#BikeNite

[geonz@mathstodon.xyz]

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @MartyCormack @bikenite A friend riding recumbent trike was simply plastered with flying ants when we rode in their swarm season. It was before cell phones & cameras, though. It was thoroughly horrific