Texas Canine Ambush   
 Ride Stats
Distance: 77.22 miles Altitude Gain: 2,635 ft Avg Speed: 15.18 mph
Route: Riverby-Direct Avg Grade: 0 % Max Grade: 0 %
Max HR: 0 bpm Avg HR: 0 bpm Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club
Weather Conditions: Overcast 75 F Light NW wind
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 Dognation Alley
Really nice day today for riding as even though there wasn't much sun the winds have dampened and riding is much more pleasant. Headed to the west and did a long loop that would give me a tailwind at the end if the wind did pick up during the day. Had the usual numerous encounters with dogs on this route and ended up doing six or eight quality dog sprints. Had one really large dog that looked like a mix of a great dane and a boxer that I could not get by. He was content to just lope alongside me and wasn't aggressive at all. He ran with me for a half mile before he saw another dog in a yard that he thought was much more interesting than me and we parted ways. Roads were pretty torn up and had a good four mile section of dirt as the pavement had been removed and the surface was being graded prior to repavement. Northern section of the course runs parallel to the Red River that separates OK from TX. Didn't ever see the river though as there are lots of trees and brush in the valley. Had to make the decision to go through Dognation Alley or take the express route back to town. Legs were a little tired at the fifty mile mark and wasn't sure how I would make out sprinting in the dog intensive zone. Decision was made for me as a dog started a pursuit as I was coasting along and I took a hard right turn into the alley just as he caught me. He overran the turn and gave up as I pedaled away. I think he won that sprint as he had me easy and I had to shake him rather than outrun him. Rest of the sprints went well as I was now primed and had a good tailwind and easily won the next three or four. Almost crashed in one encounter though as I got pinched in a two dog ambush. While one dog pursued me from behind and to the left another dog came at me from the front and to the right. The young pit bull in the front timed it wrong and ended up directly in front of me and must have realized I was much bigger then he thought and traveling much faster and he was going to get hit. He closed his eyes and hunched down which saved us both as since he froze I was able to swerve around him. After I passed him I saw that he had gotten up and was running back to his yard with his tail between his legs. Sprints were much better now than in the spring as was able to jump quickly into the high twenties and hold it. Ended up unbitten and enjoyed today's adventure.

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Lifetime: 104,688 mi
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Member since: Dec 2009
Home: Montour Falls, NY 
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