Scary night ride

[LimeBurn]

As soon as I get spooked I can feel my tempo slowly rising and before I know it I'm at full tilt.

Oh good, glad it's not just me then. I was a little apprehensive posting that as I thought people might think I'm really paranoid or something! Without a doubt, it's much more comfortable when you are riding with at least one other person (not least from a safety point of view). The funny thing is I'm not a person who believes in ghosts or supernatural stuff, or thinks mass murderers lurk in the underbrush -but no matter what I try to tell myself and even when I attempt to think logically, I still get spooked now and again! For me at least, it shows how when it's just you alone in the dark, your mind really can play tricks on you.

 

[Inthecup]

3 of us thinking about doing our first night ride on a local trail in the hills. I've got lights but just basic ones. Would these and a headlamp suffice for off-road night riding?

 

[Nigeyy]

It depends what you mean by "basic ones" and "headlamp" and how bright they are. And everyone has their own style of riding (i.e. fast, slow) and threshold of how much light they need. You might just want to try to see if they work for you. Be prepared to give up on it though if you haven't enough light to cycle safely for you.

3 of us thinking about doing our first night ride on a local trail in the hills. I've got lights but just basic ones. Would these and a headlamp suffice for off-road night riding?

 

[Soup890]

I've just come back from an mtb night ride. Normally I enjoy them, but tonight;

My brand new cree XML t6 died terminally after about 5 minutes. Boo.
I carried on with backup lights, and about 20 minutes later, came up behind a land rover being driven along the trail with its lights off. There was a powerful red spotlight on the roof sweeping around. I didn't know what it was. Then they scared the bejesus out of me by firing a couple of rifle shots, not in my direction. I realised they were lamping, but I didn't feel safe trying to get by them, so turned around and went back the way I'd come. I was paranoid they were coming after me

Looooool I laughed to myself like a mad man you have made my day thank you

 

[jinkler]

I've also heard crashing sounds at night -probably deer -though with all the sounds seemingly magnified I wouldn't surprize me if it was a squirrel either......

Funnily enough I was out cycling last night with a mate. Bombing down this track, in the rain, two bloody deers ran out in front of me. Now that made me jump, and swear profusely as I slammed the brakes on!

 

[Soup890]

Funnily enough I was out cycling last night with a mate. Bombing down this track, in the rain, two bloody deers ran out in front of me. Now that made me jump, and swear profusely as I slammed the brakes on!

No eye Deer

 

[Trull]

I kept myself fed for 9months by lamping, but at the less glam end of the scale - just me, an old halogen lamp on a converted builder's helmet frame, an old BSA Mercury fitted with a better spring and a silencer. With the full permission of the landowners, I'd go and bag a few bunnies every couple of nights for the pot. By walking on a windy evening or early morning I'd usually get within 15 to 20m of them before taking the shot and collecting the meat, I preferred to gut on the hill and only take the clean flesh back. Then it was on with the big pot of Rabbit Rogan Josh! Noms.

 

[compo]

I had a lurcher who loved to hunt and kept us supplied with rabbit. We didn't need a lamp either.