Eye protection

I’m glad I wore eye protection this morning. I was Just Riding Along when I hit a flying bird full in the face! I wasn’t even going that fast. I had a camera, but I didn’t think of taking photos as I choked on a mouthful of feathers. *Ptui!*

Bugs, dirt, rocks, and now a little songbird has joined the squirrel anti-bike rebellion.

What unusual things have hit you in the face while cycling?

14 Comments

  1. On Sunday it was a particularly buggy day. Something big (a bee I think) flew into my mouth, but I caught it between my lips. As I turned to spit it out, I felt a pinching sensation. I think it bit me, but luckily it didn't swell.

  2. I once inhaled a bee that stung the back of my throat. Hurt horribly for about 8 hours. What didn't occur to me at the time is that it could have been seriously dangerous if there had been enough swelling to block off my airway.

    So back to the bird–how did it make out? Did it fly away?

  3. Well, let's see…I caught a bee inside my helmet once. It's entirely possible to remove a helmet without slowing down at all. I caught another one inside my jersey. And then there was the wasp that wedged between the helmet and my ear, stinging me several times.

    But I'm a little curious about the bird, Fritz. Did you know they carry a variety of poultry lice, microbes and viruses, as well as beetle larvae? Yum!

  4. I didn't see the little birdy flopping around anywhere, so I assume he's okay!

    I'm pretty sure the bird is a “he” — I was just cycling along minding my own business when I see a little songbird zip right in front of me, and then the next thing I know *kapoof!* another bird smacks the front of my face. I think the little boy bird was chasing the little girl bird, for fun, y'know.

  5. I inhaled some kind of insect as I went past the cow pasture on the way home one afternoon. My stomach became increasingly queasy as I continued, and my the time I reached home, well, lunch made a second appearance.

    Keep your mouth shut when passing the cows, 'cause you KNOW where those bugs have been!

  6. Well, Fritz, most people survive these encounters, but Dr. Crankset reminded me of one especially gruesome, lingering death where body parts were falling off and….well…never mind. I hope you're feeling OK.

  7. I somehow flipped up a small pebble one time and it hit me right on one of my front teeth. It hurt a little but no damage. No idea how I managed it.

  8. Awesome! Great to know I'm not the only one. Last year was rough one for me. Collided with a pheasant on a mountain bike ride – it hit my chest, then face and flew off in confusion. love birds, but this one smelled awful. About a month later I was second in a short pace line on a road ride, I had my water bottle in my hand when I heard the leader yell and then looked down to see his bike go over a ground hog, I followed and then brushed the back wheel and crashed. Poor me, poor groundhog.

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