Sophia

[onekgguy]

Last Thursday I took to the gravel for a loop to the south. It was a beautiful autumn day and I had nowhere else to be. I have a few dogs along the route that love to give chase to me but I was 35 miles into my ride and none of them had made an appearance—until mile 36! That's when a lumbering Great Pyrenees spotted me from a shady spot in her front yard. This wasn't our first encounter as I'd had her chase after me a few times previously. I was smiling as I rode away, knowing I'd gotten some good video of her.

I was catching up on some Instagram uploads yesterday and thought it would be fun to include a screenshot of the Great Pyrenees at my 6:00. Julie (one of my Instagram connections) commented, "What a great picture to share with its owners". Her comment was all I needed. I uploaded the photo to Walgreens to have an 8x10 print made of it. With print in hand, I drove 15 miles south to the pup's home to deliver it. I was met as I got out of my car by Sophia (as I would come to know her), the Great Pyrenees, but she quickly retreated to her backyard and no amount of coaxing by me could convince her to allow me a closer look.

Her owner came out to greet me. I gave her the photo along with a brief explanation of why I was there. Her eyes lit up and through somewhat broken English, she explained that Sophia is a very friendly and shy dog and that the next time she chases me, I should stop and try to pet her. She tried to get her to come closer to me and allow me to pet her but the aggressive Sophia who loves to chase cyclists is actually not at all the way she appears. This is as close as I would get. I think I'll bring along a dog treat for her the next time I'm in the area, or perhaps I'll just let her chase me because she loves to do that!

Here's some video from my ride: Thursday Gravel

Kevin g


In Pursuit! by Kevin Gilmore, on Flickr


Print of Sophia by Kevin Gilmore, on Flickr

[saab2000]

It’s a great photo.

Is she an aggressive chaser or does she just like the run?

[onekgguy]

Originally Posted by saab2000

It’s a great photo.

Is she an aggressive chaser or does she just like the run?

No, nothing aggressive about her. I was just a break in her lazy afternoon routine it seemed. Of all the dogs I've had chase me since I began riding gravel roads last year, there's only been one that caused me concern— this one. It was coming up fast and gave me a run for my money. I got a vibe from it that I needed to stay out ahead of it.

Kevin g

[prototoast]

I love it.

This is me riding in the field with my Great Pyrenees, and cuddling back at the house after a (different) ride. The females tend to be the feisty ones, so I'm surprised Sophia was so timid when you went to visit her. They tend to be a bit territorial, but they're all bark and no bite.

Really wonderful dogs. Hercule (pictured) is our second, after our girl Bonnie died last year. Last year my wife and I did a century together, and the highlight of her ride was when we biked past a house with a Great Pyrenees hanging out in the yard. If we lived anywhere near there, I'm sure my wife would insist on getting a gravel bike so we could ride past Sophia every day.

[glepore]

Didn't see many of the breed in Pa., but here in Va they seem to be the obligatory farm dog. They're beautiful, but man are they vocal.

[onekgguy]

Originally Posted by prototoast

I love it.

This is me riding in the field with my Great Pyrenees, and cuddling back at the house after a (different) ride. The females tend to be the feisty ones, so I'm surprised Sophia was so timid when you went to visit her. They tend to be a bit territorial, but they're all bark and no bite.

Really wonderful dogs. Hercule (pictured) is our second, after our girl Bonnie died last year. Last year my wife and I did a century together, and the highlight of her ride was when we biked past a house with a Great Pyrenees hanging out in the yard. If we lived anywhere near there, I'm sure my wife would insist on getting a gravel bike so we could ride past Sophia every day.

Sophia is definitely a lover and not a fighter. I found it odd that she could be so fiesty toward me while I was riding by but yet so timid when I tried to approach her. They live in a relatively remote area but I'm careful not to ride past her home if there are any other vehicles in the immediate area.

Great photos of you and your pup! I love the look on his face. 🥂

Kevin g

[Frankwurst]

I give that the *** I'm trying to chill out here dog look

[mcfarton]

Nice post! Whenever I pass a dog and I am riding with a friend I say the same thing. “ I don’t have to be faster than the dog, I just have to be faster than you!”


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[Blue Jays]

Great pic! The rear wheel in the frame illustrates the "action" part. I am sure they loved the gift.

[onekgguy]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Great pic! The rear wheel in the frame illustrates the "action" part. I am sure they loved the gift.

Thank you! 🥂

Kevin g

[mulp]

Awesome, thanks for sharing

[adampaiva]

Awesome capture! Getting chased by dogs is fun and exhilarating and annoying and terrifying.

[cyan]

Thanks for bringing a smile to my face and a little warmth to my heart!

[Nomadmax]

This thread reminded me of an experience just like this.

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...ver-had-3.html

[jpw]

I got scratched on my lower leg by a biting dog on a ride last summer. I didn't stop, but I unclipped my right shoe and gave it a good kick to the head. It backed off. The owner showed zero interest. I always carry an antiseptic wipe, and this was before Covid and all of that.