You can't ride faster than a Couger, but you can win in the end.

[J.R.]

Amazing story about friends and surviving.

03/18/2024

 

[BlackHand]

The details in this interview with the local NPR station are chilling. They fought for 15 minutes to get the cougar to let go of the woman's face.

A cougar attacked them. They fought back for 45 harrowing minutes

It was a beautiful Pacific Northwest day. Sunny, puffy clouds on the horizon.

www.kuow.org

 

[DaveMatthews]

Un
Freakin'
Real...

 

[JGcycle]

Now, that's one tough--and courageous--group of ladies.

 

[indianajo]

I have throught a full face helmet might help considerably fending off a cougar. Certainly since the lady near Seattle was bit on the jaw, it might have helped there. My Fox Rampage helmet goes low enough, it might help discourage bites from the rear to the neck. No cougars here yet, but there are dogs that big and some are vicious. A bear was seen in the next county. I do not ride in a peloton as this lady was fortunate to be with. I do carry pepper spray wired to the handlebar. If not taken down with the first bite the 8 lb 6' sling and lock in the pannier makes a formidable club. I have not hit a dog with it yet, but I have swung it at two over 60 lb that would not back off. Many dogs think they own the road, especially near their owner's garbage cans.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

I ride with a large knife and bear spray.

 

[6zfshdb]

I ride with a large knife and bear spray.

I used to carry a pistol, but it was for protection against other humans, not animals.

Now, I just ride in safer locations.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

After seeing that, I think I would want a howitzer attached where the Burley trailer usually is. A couple of summers ago while out in the PNW we encountered a “mountain lion activity” warning sign near Mt Hood, and it was a quick walk back to the car at that point. I’ll play with the black bears around here anytime, not so much these fellas.

Those were some astonishingly brave women, truly outstanding. Hero stuff.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

The problem with mountain lions is you won’t even know they are there until it’s too late. I‘m from the east coast but now live in Utah and this is one concern I have now. Back east I never had to worry about anything like this.

 

[BlackHand]

The problem with mountain lions is you won’t even know they are there until it’s too late. I‘m from the east coast but now live in Utah and this is one concern I have now. Back east I never had to worry about anything like this.

Agreed, but the odds of getting hit by a car, attacked by another human, or struck by lightning are all astronomically higher than a cougar attack.

Human-cat interactions are definitely increasing though as both populations have grown here in WA in the last couple decades. A cyclist was killed and another injured in 2018 maybe 3-4 miles from where this incident took place.

 

[Nvreloader]

BH
Do they legally hunt cougars in Washington?

 

[BlackHand]

BH
Do they legally hunt cougars in Washington?

Yes, they are not listed as endangered and are classified as big game.

 

[indianajo]

Here is a report of cougar attack on two hikers in California. https://lite.cnn.com/2024/03/23/us/...-and-another-injured-in-california/index.html

 

[BlackHand]

A followup article on how the women have been dealing with the after-affects of their experience

5 WA cyclists survived a cougar attack, but life has been challenging since

Keri Bergere suffered serious injuries from a February cougar attack. Her teammates saved her life. Now they're all navigating the road to recovery differently.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Elyot919]

Glad to hear you're enjoying your Lectric XP 3, Gene! What kind of mods are you thinking of doing to it? And wow, that cougar attack story is intense. Hope the women are recovering well.

 

[kevinmccune]

The problem with mountain lions is you won’t even know they are there until it’s too late. I‘m from the east coast but now live in Utah and this is one concern I have now. Back east I never had to worry about anything like this.

they are here in va too. the thing is it usually takes a weak sick animal to attack a human being if that hat been a healthy male cougar we probably would have been readin an obituary,i read an excellant book on man eaters by a professional big game hunter he had to go in and kill man eating big cats, tigers ,leopards,etc. in every case the animals were sick or injured and couldnt hunt normal prey.
a full grown healthy cougar can leap 35' flatfooted actually pickup and carry 300# surely a force to be reckoned with, if the cat had been healthy it never would have attacked that person,kudos to her friends for staving off the attack,beware of large carnivores,wolves,bears cougars even the small sick ones can mess you up( think raccoons,bobcats,dogs,i was trying to wrestle a locust pole from a german shepard one day its strength was amazing always be cautious in the wild we do share this planet,final thought was the cougar rabid?( pluck will only carry you so far,never press your luck,lesson here-travel in groups) hope she didnt have to undergo rabies treatments and her face will continue healing,good luck lady.