Sometimes it's the small victories...

[Louis]

The entrance to my subdivision is a tough little hill where you have no choice to but endure in your lowest gear and hope you don't fall over due to the slow speed. There is no way to do it fast, no way to sprint. The last month and a half have been particularly annoying because of a squadron of hummingbird-sized horse flies that lives in the area. (OK, maybe they're not quite that big or that numerous but they are big, and they do annoy the heck out of me as I slog up the hill.) Two of the houses at the bottom of the hill actually have horses, so I assume that the flies hang around down there, but when they see me come along they figure "Ah, fresh meat, and he doesn't have a tail to protect himself."

Most of the time I don't really see them, but can hear them buzzing around, trying to decide what part of me looks most tender. It's very easy for them to keep pace at 4-5 mph. Today I was about halfway up the hill when I happened to look up from the spot of asphalt 12" ahead of my front tire. There was one of the buggers hovering six inches in front of my helmet, pacing me. I slapped at him with my right hand and hit him flush, and even had the satisfaction of hearing a second thwack when he hit the pavement. I'm one of the biggest animal lovers around, I take spiders outside, stop to move turtles off the road, etc, but I draw the line at blood-sucking critters.

The rest of the hill seemed easier knowing that I had that one tiny victory...

Louis

[rustychisel]

the rest of the squadron is holding a tactics meeting... you know it. ;)

[Ray]

I grew up in Arizona and my friends and I used to go down to Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) Mexico a LOT to party and hang out in the late-70s and early '80s. I used to particularly like those trips because the local flies, I swear, were about three steps slower than American flies, which made them about one step slower than me. I don't know if they got into the tequila or what, but I sure as hell didn't get any quicker when I was down there so it musta been the flies. I used to be able to pick them off out of mid-air or off of the surface of the bar with great consistency and gusto. This was a highlight of my young life.

I feel your pain. I feel your triumph!

edit: lest anyone think I'm being racist, nationalistic, xenophobic, or anything else bad here, I really think it was a local phenomenon. I've traveled to various parts of Mexico and have the greatest respect for the insect population of that great nation. It was only in Rocky Point that they seemed to slow down considerably. Something perhaps in the air or water?

-Ray

[Viper]

Louis, I can relate. I try to outrun the horse flies during the six mile TT along the beach at sunset. For me it's always horse fly Darth Vader, horse fly shark, a horse fly Cylon or a horse fly Terminator on my tail.* :) I enjoyed your story over some am coffee, good stuff. Bottom line, did you switch to Campy or was it your knees feeling better? I wonder if flies are more a attracted to a Shimano rear hub noise?

* = I am learning to spin, though. ^

^ = But the new Star Wars movie comes out August 15th and YOU KNOW this impacts my pace on the bike.*

* = For Loius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPI48Ti548c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Wyj5IJZMA

RIP Roy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdxXJui9mrg

[fiamme red]

I wonder if flies are more a attracted to a Shimano rear hub noise?In my experience, Shimano freehubs are almost silent compared to Campagnolo.

[Climb01742]

as a kid, i once went fishing on a lake in canada. there were, i believe, 3 of us in a small boat with an even smaller outboard. a swarm of horse flies descended on us. we were sitting ducks. one of the most miserable 15 minutes or so of my life as our put-put motor moved us toward shore at a fraction of the speed a fly can fly. once we got within swimming distance of shore, we all just dove in and held our breath underwater for as long as we could. horsefly bites hurt.

[Viper]

In my experience, Shimano freehubs are almost silent compared to Campagnolo.

Silent to human ears. Any data on horse flies? :D

[Samster]

The entrance to my subdivision is a tough little hill...
understatement. i think the average grade is like... 19%(?) topping out at 21% or 22%. and it's not that short, either. and it comprises not one, but two lumps. if you can feel separately (and have the presence of mind to distinguish) the pain of the horsefly's bite, you're doing alright.