Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Cougar Attack

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Cougar Attack

Old 05-20-18, 09:30 AM
  #1  
northbend 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
northbend's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Bend, Washington State
Posts: 2,938

Bikes: 1937 Hobbs; 1977 Bruce Gordon; 1987 Bill Holland; 1988 Schwinn Paramount (Fixed gear); 1999 Fat City Yo Eddy (MTB); 2018 Woodrup (Touring) 2016 Ritchey breakaway

Mentioned: 291 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 551 Post(s)
Liked 3,772 Times in 664 Posts
Cougar Attack

Perhaps many of you know there was a cougar attack on Saturday just north of my town of North Bend. One bike rider was killed another injured.
Seattle Times Article
I was out riding when it happened and it wasn't me obviously. There's been a roll call by our local bike club but so far, no one I know was involved.
northbend is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 10:15 AM
  #2  
repechage
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,323
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3449 Post(s)
Liked 2,800 Times in 1,974 Posts
Scary.
repechage is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 10:17 AM
  #3  
Cyclist0108
Occam's Rotor
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times in 1,164 Posts
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...s-another.html
Cyclist0108 is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 10:51 AM
  #4  
ryansu
Senior Member
 
ryansu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870

Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage

Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times in 367 Posts
very Scary, I just have to worry about oblivious drivers in Seattle.
ryansu is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 11:16 AM
  #5  
gomango
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: STP
Posts: 15,223
Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 821 Post(s)
Liked 253 Times in 141 Posts
Scary.

We have a cougar that has been sighted within a half mile of the family cabin near the BWCA. I do worry when the younger visitors are out playing in the woods. It’s impossible to keep them inside and watch them, when they should be out enjoying themselves.

In addition, I mtb through this area constantly, often alone. My wife worries when I do this.
gomango is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 11:47 AM
  #6  
Wildwood 
Veteran, Pacifist
 
Wildwood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,305

Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?

Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3876 Post(s)
Liked 4,782 Times in 2,206 Posts
Ignore my PM.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Wildwood is online now  
Old 05-20-18, 12:37 PM
  #7  
Deal4Fuji
minimalist cyclist
 
Deal4Fuji's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,747

Bikes: yes please

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 1,626 Times in 935 Posts
This was on the side of one of our club ride roads this week. most likely hit by a car

Deal4Fuji is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 01:06 PM
  #8  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
Scary stuff, for sure. I saw a young adult cougar in Oregon, a few years ago now. They say if you see a cougar in the wild, chances are, you won't live to tell about it. I was lucky, I guess. 🤔
I'm pretty sure it comes down to what they said in that article, young adults finding their limits & territory.
stardognine is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 01:47 PM
  #9  
dedhed
SE Wis
 
dedhed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,516

Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2731 Post(s)
Liked 3,361 Times in 2,034 Posts
We've had one sighted most of the winter locally.
https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news...t-porch-window
dedhed is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 01:53 PM
  #10  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
I saw a cougar once with 3 cubs. I was heading up some switchbacks in Big Bend National Park when I saw it coming down the path with a cub. My heart rate went up and it wasn't due to all the climbing I had been doing! I went down to the V in the switchback and got on top of a boulder. I know you are supposed to make yourself look as large as possible. I sure as heck did not want to go down the switchback and put her higher than me. I heard all this rustling and then around 15 minutes later she comes padding down the path and not 1 but 3 cubs get behind her and head down the path. She put her body between her cubs and me. Once they were safely gone, I headed up and finished the hike. What the heck that could have been bad.
bikemig is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 02:11 PM
  #11  
gregf83 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9,201
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1186 Post(s)
Liked 289 Times in 177 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
Scary stuff, for sure. I saw a young adult cougar in Oregon, a few years ago now. They say if you see a cougar in the wild, chances are, you won't live to tell about it. I was lucky, I guess. 🤔
I'm pretty sure it comes down to what they said in that article, young adults finding their limits & territory.
They also said that was the 2nd death in 94 years due to a cougar in Washington State so a pretty rare event.
gregf83 is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 03:40 PM
  #12  
DiabloScott
It's MY mountain
 
DiabloScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Mt.Diablo
Posts: 9,991

Bikes: Klein, Merckx, Trek

Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4311 Post(s)
Liked 2,954 Times in 1,601 Posts
The standard advice to not run may not actually be the best advice.


https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...mountain-lion/

Richard Coss, a psychology professor and expert on the evolution of predator–prey relationships at the University of California, Davis, studied the behavior of 185 people who were attacked by mountain lions (aka pumas or cougars) between 1890 and 2000 in the U.S. and Canada. His findings, reported in Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People & Animals: half of the 18 people who ran when they were attacked escaped injury. The study also found, however, that those who ran had a slightly higher chance of being killed in an attack—28 percent (five) of those who fled died as a result of injuries, compared with 23 percent (eight) of those who remained motionless during big cat attacks. About 39 percent, or 28 people, who moved away slowly when approached by a mountain lion escaped without injury.
DiabloScott is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 03:43 PM
  #13  
dweenk
Senior Member
 
dweenk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,980

Bikes: Lots of English 3-speeds, a couple of old road bikes, 3 mountain bikes, 1 hybrid, and a couple of mash-ups

Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 887 Post(s)
Liked 335 Times in 225 Posts
There are predators out there where we like to ride - cougars, bears, and wolves. A surprised moose can attack you as well. I worry more about humans, they are very unpredictable.
dweenk is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 04:27 PM
  #14  
Kactus
Senior Member
 
Kactus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,828

Bikes: 1962 Schwinn Paramount P12, 1971 Schwinn Paramount P13-9

Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 344 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times in 20 Posts
It sounds like it may be a good idea to carry bear spray if you ride around there.
Kactus is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 05:08 PM
  #15  
Drillium Dude 
Banned.
 
Drillium Dude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,394
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,823 Times in 1,709 Posts
Originally Posted by Kactus
It sounds like it may be a good idea to carry bear spray if you ride around there.
I sure wished for some - just in case, mind you - when I saw this last spring on the Iron Horse Trail:



DD
Drillium Dude is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 05:28 PM
  #16  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,101

Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2

Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4494 Post(s)
Liked 6,300 Times in 3,633 Posts
And a cannon, or .357
merziac is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 05:42 PM
  #17  
prathmann
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bay Area, Calif.
Posts: 7,239
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
Scary stuff, for sure. I saw a young adult cougar in Oregon, a few years ago now. They say if you see a cougar in the wild, chances are, you won't live to tell about it.
Seems like a gross exaggeration. Sightings in N. California aren't uncommon, but attacks are rare and far more rare are fatalities. I've only had one encounter. Was hiking with our daughter when we glanced back after a short climb. Crossing the trail we were on was an unusual looking animal and it took me a moment to realize that it was a cougar carrying a large squirrel in its mouth. It headed up toward a bush and two cubs came bounding out to practice their hunting and have some lunch. We realized that just moments before we had been directly between the mama and her cubs - I'm sure we were being watched very closely.
prathmann is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 05:48 PM
  #18  
clubman 
Phyllo-buster
 
clubman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,831

Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic

Mentioned: 133 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2287 Post(s)
Liked 2,032 Times in 1,245 Posts
Originally Posted by dweenk
There are predators out there where we like to ride - cougars, bears, and wolves. A surprised moose can attack you as well. I worry more about humans, they are very unpredictable.

Coyotes too.
clubman is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 06:04 PM
  #19  
RobbieTunes
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,297
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,407 Times in 908 Posts
I have never seen one. They exist in our western areas, I think.
Bears seem to be more common. We have bobcats here, but they are extremely shy.
Coyotes are everywhere. The night-vision video of them walking around in the Chicago 'burbs is very cool.

I must admit, after being on the road for a couple of days, the thread title had me a bit excited.

Last edited by RobbieTunes; 05-21-18 at 06:45 AM.
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 06:21 PM
  #20  
OldsCOOL
Senior Member
 
OldsCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317

Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 313 Posts
My riding partner carries a handgun when we mtb ride. We have cougars all around us. I have had wolf encounters near my yard. Oh and bears.
OldsCOOL is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 06:39 PM
  #21  
DiabloScott
It's MY mountain
 
DiabloScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Mt.Diablo
Posts: 9,991

Bikes: Klein, Merckx, Trek

Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4311 Post(s)
Liked 2,954 Times in 1,601 Posts
The man who survived said he had his entire head in the cougar's mouth, but his friend ran away and the animal chased him, officials told KOMO.
No word if a helmet was involved.

Survivor's Strava page: https://www.strava.com/athletes/203437 logged a ride on Friday, didn't upload Saturday.
DiabloScott is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 08:09 PM
  #22  
ColonelJLloyd 
Senior Member
 
ColonelJLloyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Louisville
Posts: 8,382
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 12 Times in 10 Posts
Originally Posted by northbend
Perhaps many of you know there was a cougar attack on Saturday just north of my town of North Bend. One bike rider was killed another injured.
Seattle Times Article
I was out riding when it happened and it wasn't me obviously. There's been a roll call by our local bike club but so far, no one I know was involved.
Came here to check; glad to see a post from you.

It's a harrowing story.
__________________
Bikes on Flickr
I prefer email to private messages. You can contact me at justinhughes@me.com
ColonelJLloyd is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 09:33 PM
  #23  
DIMcyclist
No longer active
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 89 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
We have urban coyotes in Portland; actually most NW wildlife makes an appearance within city limits at least once during the year.

As far as the coyotes are concerned, I bumped into one (in Irvington! no less) while walking home from a bar crawl one night a few years ago. I noticed its silhouette wasn't that of a dog, stopped to look more intently (it was across the street; for my fellow locals, this happened at about 17th & Brazee). It noticed me, took a few steps into the light and sniffed, apparently just as curious as I was, then wandered back into the shadows. About a half a block later, I met an elderly woman who'd been out on a walk, seen the coyote, and had been watching it for several minutes. She asked me if it was indeed a coyote and (having seen any number of them when I lived in Utah) confirmed that it was.

-
DIMcyclist is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 09:46 PM
  #24  
CodyP
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Wow thats pretty crazy. Here in north idaho we have our fair share of wild animals but haven't come across any attacks that I know of.
CodyP is offline  
Old 05-20-18, 10:12 PM
  #25  
Chris Chicago
Senior Member
 
Chris Chicago's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: near north side
Posts: 1,348
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 20 Posts


Bike looks c&v ish.






Last edited by Chris Chicago; 05-20-18 at 10:15 PM.
Chris Chicago is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.