Yesterday, I went for another mountain bike ride up my favourite climb. Holy Cow. Literally. The cows up there are strange ... 'fraidy cows actually. As soon as they see me, they start stampeding in panic away from me. Not all of them, but most of them. You can see the panic spread from one to another as they run. And can those suckers ever run!! Have you ever seen how fast a cow can move? You'd be quite surprised!
I've ran and biked by plenty of cows in my time, and I've never experienced the sheer terror of The Cows of Frank. The first time it happened, I thought it was an anomaly. Two black cows (a Momma and a kiddie) took a glance over their shoulders and started running. They quickly picked up the pace and kept glancing over at me. Then -- all hell broke loose! The two cows made a dash for the bush -- but had to get through a barbed wire fence first. One cow made it, the other cow got stuck. My God, that cow was flailing around in that fence like I was the Grim Reaper himself. Finally, the cow broke free and I heard a loud PING! A big metal hook that secured the fence to a post popped up through the air as I watched it fly in front of me and land over to my right.
OK -- So I learned that the cows up there were especially afraid. In the past couple of weeks, I've tried all manner of ways to calm them down. I start talking to them in a calm and assertive voice. I slow right down and talk calmly at them. For the most part, I think they are starting to get used to me. But I still run into the odd 'fraidy cow that takes ones look at me and bolts. And these suckers don't bolt in a logical way. I've had a couple of close calls when a cow decided to run right into my path instead of away from me...Geesh! What are the mountain biking skills necessary for this situation, Susi?? LOL!!!!!!
Can you imagine getting blindsided by a frigging cow?
Hahahahahahahaha!
7 comments:
And I was just about to send you an e mail to see how the first day's training went,checked your blog and there it was! I was thinking of you as I was in the pool this morning - can't wait to see you swimming next time - after that Ironman performance and now Sarah's training schedules - you'll be a-rockin' and a-rollin'!
It puts 'mad cow' into a whole new perspective.
Happy first day back!
looks like we are going to have to work on your hopping skills...so you can just hop right over those fraidy cows!! don't worry, we'll start slow - just hop over a chalk line on the road...then a bottle, then a tricycle...then the car...you know. is all good.
happy training you mad mad woman!
oh, and an assertive voice isn't calming, haha. you will have to take me to the cows when i visit.
lol...you kill me....scardy cows..... I could send my herder dog up there for you?
Sounds familiar the way a couple will start running in panic then soon all of them are running. I wonder if they stop later and some smart cow poses the question, "Ok, who started that this time, and was there actually a need to go all "mad cow" or are we all just running for nothing"
Sweet! I can't wait to read all about your workouts. You are going to be such a rockstar by the time this is over. I won't even recognize you!
As for the cows, maybe your scaring them with your crazy mountain biking outfit. Seriously sometime I look in the mirror with the helmet, the gloves the lycra and scare myself!
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