This has got to be some sort of record!

On Oct 27, 8:37*pm, Stephen Harding wrote:
Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 26, 2:08 pm, Stephen Harding wrote:

Bill Baka wrote:

Do cows count?

During a tour across Montana and North Dakota, I was astonished
at how often cows would follow the fenceline along the road
keeping pace with you.

Sometimes, they would come over from really quite far out in
the pastures, to get closer, trotting, views of the strange
person and vehicle going by them.

Not just individual cows either. *Sometimes a fairly long line
of them trotting along the fence keeping up with you, stopped
only by the intersection with another fence.

Never thought of cows as being so curious about what goes by but
MT/ND pastures must be more boring than elsewhere.

My theory is that there's not a lot to see in North Dakota, even if
you're just a cow.

On that same tour, we found ourselves riding a _really_ deserted
gravel road - the most isolated place I've ever been in my life. *We
were perhaps an hour behind another couple of cyclists we'd met
earlier.

Was this ND?

Yes, pretty close to the Canadian border.

I liked the state over-all, but it really was boring as far as
scenery went. *

My wife loved the scenery! I found it to be pretty bleak.

Great people though.

Very nice people! One gentleman heard us trying to phone ahead about
motel rooms (since tornadoes were forecast, we didn't want to camp),
and said "Oh, they'll have rooms available. If they don't, just call
me" and gave us his card.

Well, they didn't have rooms, so he led us to his families home and
set us up for the night - after we spent time playing tunes with his
kids, who were (amazingly) into the same odd music I love. I was able
to help his son set up his first fiddle, and give him some beginner
lessons. And BTW, the storms that night would have had us airborne in
our tents.

I believe the state has reinstituted a state "Homestead Act"
where you can get free land if you work it/improve it for so
many years. *The state is losing people rather badly.

I went through one area that was building after building abandoned.
A whole (small) town just empty and decaying away in the wind.

Took one of my favorite pictures the

* * http:dandenong.cs.umass.edu/bike/nd_oldhouse.jpg

I found the corrected link in your next post. And funny thing, I've
got a couple pictures that look very much like that!

- Frank Krygowski

On 27 Oct, 01:38, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Oct 26, 2:08*pm, Stephen Harding wrote:



Bill Baka wrote:
Do cows count?

During a tour across Montana and North Dakota, I was astonished
at how often cows would follow the fenceline along the road
keeping pace with you.

Sometimes, they would come over from really quite far out in
the pastures, to get closer, trotting, views of the strange
person and vehicle going by them.

Not just individual cows either. *Sometimes a fairly long line
of them trotting along the fence keeping up with you, stopped
only by the intersection with another fence.

Never thought of cows as being so curious about what goes by but
MT/ND pastures must be more boring than elsewhere.

My theory is that there's not a lot to see in North Dakota, even if
you're just a cow.

On that same tour, we found ourselves riding a _really_ deserted
gravel road - the most isolated place I've ever been in my life. *We
were perhaps an hour behind another couple of cyclists we'd met
earlier.

As we rode north, we were met by a woman in a pickup truck heading
south. *She waved us down and made a strange request: *Could we please
hide behind the big hay rolls while her husband herded some cows down
the road?

Seems that when the previous cyclists rode by, the herd of young
heifers had started running and run right through a barbed wire
fence. *They rounded them up, but needed to move them down the road
back into their own field.

The reason she asked us to hide was she figured they were just afraid
of bicycles. *But now I wonder if they were just running along for the
fun of it.

Ah, touring. *No end to the interesting stuff you encounter!

- Frank Krygowski

The herdsman fears that any disturbance will affect the milk quality.
This could mean his milk is rejected which means he's worked for
nothing. It's a risk he'd rather not take. Dont upset the herdsman
or mysterious punctures you may encounter at the least.

On 27 Oct, 23:19, (It's Chris) wrote:
Date: Mon, Oct 26, 2009, 2:03pm From:
(Stephen*Harding)



Not chased per se, but had a fox run
along side me (about 15-20 feet off the
side of the road) for a good 300 yards or
so.

Very strange. I saw him, he saw me,
both going the same direction along a
local side road out near a horse farm.
Expected him to bolt but he stayed ri
ht in step, loping along.

Thought at first he might be rabid, but
seems we were just heading the same
direction and he was fairly tolerant of
people.

SMH

That IS unusual; foxes are particularly skittish, especially around
humans. I've rarely seen them (only twice in the nine years I've lived
here), an I live and ride in the country.


It's true that they do prefer the cover of nightfall, but I have also
had a fox run by me on the verge of the road (40 feet from me and the
road edge) at the edge of a wood. In a moment he could have
disappeared into the woods. I dont think he was actually folowing me,
just pure coincidence and nothing else. He turned to follow the the
woodland edge and disappeared into long grass.

Date: Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 9:18pm (EDT-1)
From: (Patrick*Lamb)

We rode out of Cave in Rock, IL last
summer, and were escorted by a beagle pup for three miles. We'd get
out of
sight, then turn and start uphill, and Pup
Dog caught up with us. Finally hit a long,
steep downhill, and lost him for good.

Interesting thing (1): three coyotes saw
him, and turned around and went back
into the woods, and he went up to a
couple of penned or chained dogs and
quieted them as we passed.

Interesting thing (2): a rider a day or so
behind us caught up with us and told us
he, too, had the dog follow him for about
the same distance.

As Frank says, you see some interesting
stuff on tour!

Pat

Hey! I gotta get me a dog like that, it would sure beat having to swing
a frame pump! LOL

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

Simon Lewis wrote:
Bill Baka writes:
I hope you took the dog back home. I had 2 who used to chase me until I
stopped and confronted them. Slowly but surely they came within petting
range, still halfway barking, but as soon as I started petting one, the
other one shut up and came to me. Now when I ride that way they *expect*
to be petted and run out to meet me. It dents my speed, but beats the
heck out of having them chase me every time.
I now have about 3 petting stops in one ten mile stretch of road.
Bill Baka

Crikey. You're a dog whisperer as well as your other legendary
talents.....

Sure you do Bill. Sure you do.

Duh,
Einstein,
It's easier to pet a few friends than have to be on high alert all the time.
Bill Baka

Simon Lewis wrote:
Cows are not as dumb as people think and they know the farmer. And the
farmer is rarely on a bike for this.

Cycling through Cows can be very, very dangerous as I discovered this
year.


Cows????
Try Buffalo.
They look innocent but are worse than bulls if they decide to have a bad
day.
How does one cycle 'through' a cow?

Bill Baka

Bill Baka writes:

Simon Lewis wrote:
Cows are not as dumb as people think and they know the farmer. And the
farmer is rarely on a bike for this.

Cycling through Cows can be very, very dangerous as I discovered this
year.


Cows????
Try Buffalo.

I might have known "Crazy Bill Baka" would improve on this. Even though
I wasn't offering my experience as that of a seasoned survival expert
and dog whisperer like you Bill

One might EXPECT hassle with Buffalo .. but many dont with normally
docile Cows.

They look innocent but are worse than bulls if they decide to have a bad
day.

They look innocent? Right ....

How does one cycle 'through' a cow?

I guess the same way a Bull ****s using you.


Bill Baka

thirty-six wrote:
On 26 Oct, 18:40, Dan C wrote:
Bill, where are the pics you promised to post? How about you post some
pics of these high-speed cows and other farm animals that you play with.
Can you do that, Bill, or is all of this just more fantasy and
fabrication?


Dunno about high speed, but they can certainly do a decent trot,
probably more typically about 8mph, use the stile, dont try to use a
gate , they'll push through and you'll get the blame.

First, they didn't pace me for a full mile.
Second, 12 MPH is kind of a light trot for a cow.
Third, BFD.

I do ride through farm areas and never do know exactly what to expect.
Note: I have no clue how fast a cow *can* run if motivated.
There is no Kentucky Derby for cows.
Might be funny to have one????

Bill Baka

Dan C seems to be bored today, anyone else want him?

Simon Lewis wrote:
Bill Baka writes:

Simon Lewis wrote:
Cows are not as dumb as people think and they know the farmer. And the
farmer is rarely on a bike for this.

Cycling through Cows can be very, very dangerous as I discovered this
year.


Cows????
Try Buffalo.

I might have known "Crazy Bill Baka" would improve on this. Even though
I wasn't offering my experience as that of a seasoned survival expert
and dog whisperer like you Bill

Well, dip ****, I tried sneaking past a few on foot many years ago, and
the males don't want any one or anything on their turf. Experienced at
running from a *huge* male buffalo.

One might EXPECT hassle with Buffalo .. but many dont with normally
docile Cows.

I don't think the cows would chase you but if there was a bull in the
mix you would certainly have an interesting ride *through* cows, your words.

They look innocent but are worse than bulls if they decide to have a bad
day.

They look innocent? Right ....

How does one cycle 'through' a cow?

Your words, fool.

I guess the same way a Bull ****s using you.

Am I squeezing your head?

Bill Baka

In article ,
Bill Baka writes:

Note: I have no clue how fast a cow *can* run if motivated.

You can't outrun or outride a cattle stampede.

There is no Kentucky Derby for cows.
Might be funny to have one????

Ernest Hemingway liked to do something similar,
but he was a drunken idiot and quite possibly
the Archetypical "Jackass."

Cattle stampedes are not unknown even in
mild-mannered rural England. Kine realise
they're delicious, so they have an innate
flight response to any perceived threats.

Music with a lot of high notes seems to
soothe them, but I'd avoid playing certain
Led Zeppelin or Florika Sava tunes at them.
They're particularly partial to yodeling;
perhaps Jobst uses this technique when riding
past an herd that has strayed onto the road
via a neglegently open gate.

I hear hippopotami can move pretty fast too.
I dunno if yodeling soothes them.

Just goes to show: just 'cuz a critter is
big & bulky, doesn't mean they're an awkward,
clumsy slowpoke. Unless they frequent Arbie's.
That is, to eat -- not to be eaten.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca