Touring - worst fear?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
maxglide
Posts: 194
Joined: 19 May 2013, 5:35pm

Touring - worst fear?

Post by maxglide »

Eat something dodgy... Busy Town/City... Diarrhoea.
mercalia
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Location: london South

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by mercalia »

bike stolen the obvious, next money and cards, next broken wheel. The rest I think I can deal with
22camels
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Joined: 21 Sep 2013, 8:15pm

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by 22camels »

hounds.
maxglide
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Joined: 19 May 2013, 5:35pm

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by maxglide »

hounds.


I thought it was just me. Believe it or not, dogs are one of the biggest considerations, giving me qualms regarding a possible E to W trip across Turkey.
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by simonhill »

Magpies!

I was attacked numerous times each day, day after day for 2 months by magpies in Australia. They go for the head and particularly the eyes. Had blood drawn 3 times.

I hate them !!!

I used to be scared of dogs, but this has virtually been cured by the maggies.
largeallan
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Location: Isle of Arran

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by largeallan »

Cycling into 'Deliverance' country and being forced to squeal like a pig!! :shock:
22camels
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Joined: 21 Sep 2013, 8:15pm

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by 22camels »

yeah, I've been reading some blogs lately about Turkey crossings.. I find it hard to take dogs seriously in the UK and have never had a problem but two things: a) dog pack mentality is different from individual dog mentality and b) dog mentality varies depending on where you are in the world (in part because the breeds are different but also because of human cultural differences and how dogs are trained). Then again, it may be that there is something unique about people in that some very rarely elicit aggressive reactions from dogs, and others seem to attract these sorts of encounters, I don't know if there is much truth to that. Anyway I noticed that in eastern Turkey it helps to have a bit of luck on your side like having cars with helpful drivers passing by at crucial moments to help you negotiate some aggressive Anatolian packs.
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Si
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Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by Si »

Not having time to go touring.
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mjr
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Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by mjr »

Not reaching somewhere safe to sleep. I like sleep. This is why all of my bike touring so far (I think) has been day trips. First multiday tour planned for next spring. :shock:
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Richard Fairhurst
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Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

A serious mechanical in the middle of nowhere.
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geocycle
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Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 9:46am

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by geocycle »

22camels wrote:yeah, I've been reading some blogs lately about Turkey crossings.. I find it hard to take dogs seriously in the UK and have never had a problem but two things: a) dog pack mentality is different from individual dog mentality and b) dog mentality varies depending on where you are in the world (in part because the breeds are different but also because of human cultural differences and how dogs are trained). Then again, it may be that there is something unique about people in that some very rarely elicit aggressive reactions from dogs, and others seem to attract these sorts of encounters, I don't know if there is much truth to that. Anyway I noticed that in eastern Turkey it helps to have a bit of luck on your side like having cars with helpful drivers passing by at crucial moments to help you negotiate some aggressive Anatolian packs.


Sheep (and goat) dogs in Turkey are not the same as the placid border collies we have. They are Kangal's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangal_dog whose main function is to protect the flock against predators like wolves in the mountains. To add to there ferocity they have their ears and tails amputated so they cannot be caught in a fight and their collars are adorned with outward facing 6 inch nails. I was chased by these as a passenger in a landrover and we were really concerned for the tyres! Would not have fancied meeting them on a bike. This was offroad and we came near the flocks so in a sense they were just doing their job.
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TrevA
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Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by TrevA »

Getting to your pre-booked accommodation only to find you've been double booked, you are on a small island with little or no alternative accom and the last ferry has just left.

This actually happened to us on Iona this year. Booked at the YH and turn up to find a load of American students already in residence. Luckily we managed to find a double room in a catholic retreat, but the rest of our party weren't so lucky and had to camp with no cooking or washing facilities and hired tents.
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shane
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Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by shane »

Not being able to tour.....
wirral_cyclist
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Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by wirral_cyclist »

maxglide wrote:Eat something dodgy... Busy Town/City... Diarrhoea.

Better in a busy town for toilets surely? Dropping your pants in the wilds maybe easy but then you start to think - nettles, ticks, midges, bog roll...
F70100
Posts: 139
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 10:33am

Re: Touring - worst fear?

Post by F70100 »

Twisting the question slightly, I met a guy last week who had just got back from cycling to Australia. He'd researched his trip and had asked an experienced traveller what were the biggest risks. He was told that the biggest risk was that he wouldn't go!
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