"Protection" on rides...what do you take with you?

With rattlesnakes, bobcats and mountain lions out and about, do any of you regularly take any type of protection with you on your rides? I usually just take my Leatherman but I know that can't do much. It at least has a blade and has many purposes...

What do you take with you on longer rides?

 

plenty of food and liquids to protect myself from dehydration and cramping.

 

Only my cell phone. Most i've heard, a snake bite kit is really ineffective. Coyotes and bobcats seem to simply run away. Mountain lion and bears rarely attack. Consider how many ppl enjoy the outdoors and now count the animal attacks that have occured. Very small #. Might even be more lightly to worry about lightening. 99.998% of the time you ride, the biggest danger is yourself. Ride safely and you should make it home. If not, refer to the cell phone. And hope you have coverage.

 

On longer rides or solo rides, I carry a hunting knife and a FULLY charged cell phone. *Remember, your bike can be used as protection/sheild from predators.*

 

Every "incident" I've had on a ride causes me to reassess what I bring; usually adding more. In addition to a basic first-aid kit I have a sling, trauma dressings, tape, mini IV kit, chem ice pack, solar blanket, tape, Fox 40 whistle, compass, knife, multi-tool, full size 5mm and 6mm allens, patches, tube, levers, pump, tire booting, chain links, misc bolts, zip-ties, mirror, flint, food, and Leatherman. All of which is stuffed in a Camelback Mule. I can McGuyver the hell out of a ride.

 

Just my prison shank ....j/k. I don't really bring any kinda weapon. Just the normal mtb stuff. The only thing I've been attacked by is gang bangers on the san Gabriel river trail and all 3 of them lost that fight. I usually just keep my eyes open for snakes and bad people mainly when I'm with the family.

 

Situational awareness is often the best tool.

 

Yeah, I think the bear will run from you. I know I would if I was a bear.

 

My cell phone doesn't have any precipitation either...

...most of the time it gets pretty good reception though...

 

I want to ride with Albacore.

 

plus some~!

 

I carry pepper spray on more remote trips, a small pocket size mace. Have had some very scary bear encounters and they will attack you (or threaten you) if you're in the way of food or cubs. Rare, but it happens (though probably not in OC).

You can't really "fight off" rattlesnakes, just have to watch out for them. Bobcats are typically the size of a big house cat and are not a threat at all. A mountain lion attack is probably not something I'm likely to survive anyway. I almost always carry a knife, but more for utility purposes than self defense.

 

i like to bring Mako My day,, hes so scared of the world he kills anything that moves

 

after reading the posts i'm bringing fatguy1, albacore, and wally's brother in law.

i typically ride with basic bike gear and a pocket knife. i also tend to ride with a small group of str riders.

 

I like to pack as light as possible so I carry a MAC 10. Nah, just kidding. I used to put a lot of weight in carrying a cel phone, it's fine for inner city trails like Fully, but totally useless up in Idyllwild. My battery was whooped in a few hours cause the thing committed suicide searching for a signal that wasn't there......................... I carry tools, tubes, patches and a spare tire and that's about it. If I get attacked by anything, I'm toast.

 

"Protection"? Really?

<sigh>

Look, by the time you realize what's happening and get your Beretta/bear spray/machete out and ready to go...you'll already be dead. Or at least well on your way there. Quite simply, if a mountain lion or a bear wants you, you're not going to have a whole hell of a lot of say in the matter. Anything smaller than that, and they should be running from you, not toward you.

If you cannot figure out how to make an animal smaller than you run away from you, maybe you should be lower than them on the food chain.

 

My USP 45 has 10 in the clip +1 chambered and sitting at the house. I don't take any "protection" with me untill I complete my anger management classes. There are too many stoopid PEOPLE out there that the world wouldn't miss.

As far as protection from animals, I'm in their hood and ride with due respect for all of them. I don't even run over those "stink" bugs on the trail.

 

A Gerber knife on the pack strap and a hammerless 5 shot titanium 357 magnum in the pack(for questionable areas) and a small ham radio
that works where cell phones do not. I ride alone 90% of the time .

 

I bring my brain and common sense. Well, sometimes.

 

I ride at sunset: water, whistle, alcohol wipes, gauze w/ tape, pen, tiny pen light, business cards, tiny tool kit, a cell phone (always on loudest ring). I have been stalked by three mtn lions. They are easy to identify, they do not use trails when stalking you, they crash through the high chaparral, it is loud (and a bit unnerving when up on a lonely summit in the dark by yourself). You can tell a big cat area by the scat. Big cat scat contains sharp shiny metal objects and smells like pepper.
Happy trails

Business cards: I give out with the pen light when I find castaways out in da big hills after dark, that way I get my light back.