David, even though they don't have signs posted for no trespassing, your best bet is to ask permission before going onto their land. Cattle owners do not like people being around their herds, too much mischief goes on. On top of that, liability if you get hurt on their land, so a simple liability form may be prudent.
If I understand Texas law, a farmer/rancher has the right to use deadly force to protect his livestock, you don't want to be shot at :) Charles On 1/18/08, David Locklear <[email protected]> wrote: > What would you consider a reasonable bicycle ride to work? > > I have been contemplating riding my bicycle to work. > > But I am concerned about the route which is 11 miles. > > Here are the details: > > Leave home on bicycle at about 5:45 a.m. > > 1. 1st half-mile in nice subdivision with streets and sidewalks. > > After that will need bright headlamp on the morning trip. > > 2. Next 50 yards cross under easement of High Transmission > Line via a dirt bridge thru a swampy area. > ( easy, but with 2 large muddy wet puddles ) > ( will need to carry or maybe push bicycle ) > > 3. 200 yards of a narrow trail down > a abandoned logging road thru unfenced property. > ( will require a mountain-bike ) > > 4. Hop a barbed-wire fence that is poorly maintained, but used to > keep in cattle. No signs posted. Land appears to be used > only for grazing cattle, but is mostly hardwood swampy abandoned > forest. > > 5. Continue down deteriorating logging road for another 300 yards. > ( Will require good mountain-bike. ) > > 6. Cross an old bridge made of rotten railroad ties spaced about > 6 inches apart. Creek is 50 feet wide and deep and full of > gators. > and cypress stumps, and not navigable due to fallen tree branches. > ( Will require a back-up light and hiking shoes to cross in the dark > and carefully carrying the bicycle so that it doesn't fall > in the creek. ) > > 7. Logging road further deteriorates, and will require carrying bicycle > for about 300 yards, and wearing snake protection gear on feet, > and a good headlamp, as it will be very dark in the morning. > > 8. Enter cattle grazing area with 100 head of cattle. At least one bull > with big horns. Still no trespassing signs. Enter thru open > gate. > > 9. Bicycle dirt ranch road for 1/2 mile to its entrance gate which > is locked. > Watch out for the bull. Hop the low gate across cattle-guard. > > 10. Bicycle a gravel road for 100 yards passed 2 trashy looking > mobile homes that are > in a secluded area. Scariest part of journey. > > 11. Cross vacant lot and enter into a very fancy subdivision full of > millionaires. ( very easy ) > > ( Shouldn't need bright headlamp after that point ) > > 12. Bicycle thru subdivision for 2.5 miles ( easy, but no sidewalks ) > > 13. Bicycle along shoulder of a farm and market road for 1 mile. > ( Traffic going 60 mph. ) > > 14. No shoulder for next mile. Bicycle along edge of road. > ( maybe safer to walk and push bike for a mile. ) > > 15. Bicycle 4.5 miles of paved county road with almost zero traffic > to arrive at work. > > Arrive at work at 7:15 a.m., get cleaned up and be at my desk by 7:30 > refreshed and ready to work. > > Does that sound feasible? > > > On the return trip there are 2 big "NO Trespassing" signs on the route > before the trashy mobile homes. > > The other concerns is there is not a shower at work, so I will have to get > cleaned up with just a wet towel. > > Then there is the mosquitos, the frequent unexpected rain we get here, > and having to carry my office clothes in my backpack along with my > lunch. And the ranchers appear to check on the herd daily. They > might shoot me if they see me. > > As the bird flys, I am only a few miles from work. I wish I had a Jet-pack. > > The route thru the ranch and the forest can be walked in 32 minutes. I am > going to try to bicycle just that part of the route in a few days. > > My subdivision plans to build a nice road along this route in about 7 > years. However, the area isn't growing in that direction, so I am > not optimistic that it will ever help me get to work. > > David Locklear > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Give this to a friend: [email protected] > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > >
