#1
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As the weather turns nice, clouds of midges and gnats are starting to
form. Larger and less clean biological specimens are also air-borne and thickening. Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I swallowed a large bluebottle (ah, that savour of rotting melon lingering at the back of my throat for the rest of the week ...), and being conscious that on a cycle, one sooner or later ends up opening one's mouth to breathe, I want to ask you people if there are any standard solutions. It occurs to me that I have never seen a cyclist wearing a veil. Why not? EFR Ile de France (mais non M'dame, ce n'est pas un signe ostenatoire d'appartenance réligieuse ...) |
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#2
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On Tue, 18 May 2004 13:19:06 +0200, Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I swallowed a large bluebottle The solution is given in an old cycling song. And its very environmentally friendly. There was a Frenchwoman who rode a bike, I don't know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she'll die. There was a Frenchwoman who swallowed a spider, That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don't know why she swallowed the fly, Perhaps she'll die. |
#3
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On Tue, 18 May 2004 13:19:06 +0200, Elisa Francesca Roselli
wrote: As the weather turns nice, clouds of midges and gnats are starting to form. Larger and less clean biological specimens are also air-borne and thickening. Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I swallowed a large bluebottle (ah, that savour of rotting melon lingering at the back of my throat for the rest of the week ...), and being conscious that on a cycle, one sooner or later ends up opening one's mouth to breathe, I want to ask you people if there are any standard solutions. It occurs to me that I have never seen a cyclist wearing a veil. Why not? Funny you should mention that. If you recall, I posted a few weeks ago about availability of some kind of mosquito net I could wear as an anti-bug-inhaling measure. Well I made a mask myself using nylon netting. It is simply a 6x9" rectangle of the nylon netting in front, with a thicker piece of netting tied to each end that loops around the neck much as a simple surgeon's mask. When I get to bug territory, I pull the mask up from around my neck and cover the mouth. There is negligible if any air resistance so breathing is not inhibited. As I make my daily good mornings, trail walkers have been known to say "Who was that Masked Man?" ;-p -B Hi-ho! |
#4
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#5
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On Tue, 18 May 2004 08:00:41 -0400, David Kerber
wrote: Make a virtue out of necessity, and be glad of the extra protein? Although this is the standard funny line, if you've ever inhaled a bug and spent the next 10 minutes hacking and coughing and turning colors you know this is a serious issue among those that cycle near our insect friends. Plus, think of the reincarnated Buddists you're possibly saving. ;-p -B |
#6
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Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I swallowed a large bluebottle (ah, that savour of rotting melon lingering at the back of my throat for the rest of the week ...), and being conscious that on a cycle, one sooner or later ends up opening one's mouth to breathe, I want to ask you people if there are any standard solutions. Keep a couple of sachets of HP sauce in your pocket. |
#7
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#8
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On Tue, 18 May 2004 08:25:55 -0400, David Kerber
wrote: In article , says... On Tue, 18 May 2004 08:00:41 -0400, David Kerber wrote: Make a virtue out of necessity, and be glad of the extra protein? Although this is the standard funny line, if you've ever inhaled a bug and spent the next 10 minutes hacking and coughing and turning colors you know this is a serious issue among those that cycle near our insect friends. I know. I've been lucky, and never ingested anything larger than a gnat or very small fly. If you're quick to spit, you can often get them out anyway. The problem is after you've choked on a couple it causes you to alter the way you breathe, in my experience. As I noted to Elisa it's pretty easy to make a net or gauze mask that you can pull up. If you use neutral colored piece of nylon netting, such as a stocking it's hardly noticeable to anyone else. -B |
#9
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Bugs
Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I
swallowed a large bluebottle The solution is given in an old cycling song. And its very environmentally friendly. There was a Frenchwoman who rode a bike, I don't know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she'll die. There was a Frenchwoman who swallowed a spider, That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don't know why she swallowed the fly, Perhaps she'll die. NOOO! Don't do that! In the full version she ends up swallowing a bird, cat, dog and after some more ends up with a cow which kills her. If you are going to try this at least wear a cycle helmet. Yours, Mark. |
#10
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As the weather turns nice, clouds of midges and gnats are starting to
form. Larger and less clean biological specimens are also air-borne and thickening. Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I swallowed a large bluebottle (ah, that savour of rotting melon lingering at the back of my throat for the rest of the week ...), and being conscious that on a cycle, one sooner or later ends up opening one's mouth to breathe, I want to ask you people if there are any standard solutions. Well insect encounters on a bike. I recall doing a ride with a couple of friends. It was fully loaded touring in Michigan. The pesky deer flies would come out of the woods after us and you could watch them fly after your buddies. It was hilarious seeing them go for all they were worth a few feet behind the other person's head. We varied our speeds and discovered their max was about 12 mph. On another ride, a friend of mine and I were riding in Michigan and it was a Sunday morning. There was some mist and light rain early on. From time to time, we would go through a cloud of gnats. Gnats like hanging out near tall objects like mailboxes ("tall" is relative). Anyrate, we got pretty hungry after awhile but we kept going and going and there was nothing open. Finally we came on a small diner that had trucks parked in front of it and even a few Semis. So we stopped there. The place was pretty well packed but we got a spot at the counter. The truckers saw the gnats plastered on our still wet faces and they really got a laugh out of that one! I now live in central Florida. I rode around Lake Monroe Sunday. On the way back there was a slight downhill with a tail wind and for some reason you can really go on the section of road with those conditions. I was cruising at 25 mph. I had to keep my mouth closed though because the love bugs were out in force and they were bouncing off of me like hail. Love bugs probably haven't been anywhere bad but I wouldn't want one down the wind pipe. Love bugs really are not "bugs" at all (bugs are hemiptera). Love bugs are actually a kind of fly that got imported from Argentina and now seems to reside here in FL with the sole purpose of getting splattered on people's cars. I also get stung about once or twice per year. I think the stings are from wasps and probably Polistes but I am not sure because usually by the time I feel the sting, the insect is long gone. |
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