Pedaling around North Idaho on two wheels can be enjoyable any time of year, but the summer months are the best for riding around here, cruising around and taking in all the scenic surrounds in comfort.

Comfort can mean different things to different riders. Some prefer large, padded gel seats and big-tired cruisers. Others, like me, aren't happy unless we're on a road bike, keeping the ol' heart rate up so I'm at least burning off all the fat I ingested at breakfast.

Ah, ingestion. The great thing about biking is, as long are you're putting in miles, the calories you're sweating off mean you can enjoy filling the tank when you get back home. But some of us might accidentally ingest a little protein on the ride, if we're not careful.

You see, the thing about North Idaho bugs is, well, they all have a little headband on that in Japanese reads "Kamikaze." It doesn't seem to matter where you ride - the heart of the city, out by the water or on the prairie - bugs will zero in on you and kick their wings into overdrive, on a collision course with that gaping hole you have open, trying to suck in some oxygen.

Why they choose to commit suicide is beyond me. Even if the collision doesn't kill them, my breath probably will.

Granted, it's not just here that the bugs are mesmerized with mouths. I've tasted bugs in probably half the states west of the Mississippi.

You try to be vigilant. You try to keep your mouth only slightly open, maybe your head tilted downward, trying to ward off the incoming insect.

I'd say they only hit their target around 30 percent of the time. The rest of the time, they either undershoot or overshoot, and depending on the angle, they'll make contact on your chin, cheek or nostril.

Sometimes you'll see (or hear) them coming, and if your reflexes are good, you can thwart their advance and make them miss. Luckily I don't get enough attacks that I consciously think about them. You just have to react when the time comes, and hopefully your mouth is open just a crack when the golden BB heads your way.

And, to be honest, it's not just your mouth. I've had things fly straight into my ear on several occasions. Sometimes they bounce off, sometimes I reach up and see what's left, and it's not a great feeling. I try to carry a paper towel with some Simple Green on it in my jersey pocket if I need a little cleanup.

Motorcyclists have the same problem. But most of them are smart enough to have a fairing (windsheld) on the front of their bikes, so the splat never hits skin. But for those Hell's Angels-types on the old-school Harley, a big bug will often make a big meal or a big wound.

Just for fun, here are some of the most common bugs that see you coming and their protein content, so you can adjust your post-ride meal accordingly:

* Bee-like Tachinid Fly, three grams

* Black saddlebag skimmer, six grams

* Black-tailed bee fly, four grams

* Bumblebee, seven grams

* Dragonfly, two grams

* Field cricket, 13 grams

* Grasshopper, 11 grams (for a big one)

* House fly, one gram

* Periodical cicada, 14 grams

* Yellow Jacket (Luckily, I've never ingested one, but if you do, five grams)

Yellow Jackets and wasps will get tangled in the hair of your arm or leg at speed, and if you're not adept at swatting them away quickly, they often panic and give you the old zinger. If you're riding hard, that venom will move quickly around the wound, and you'll have a nasty, itchy rash for a week or so. All kinds of fun, believe me.

Far more enjoyable are the bird encounters while riding. Especially in the spring, one or two "parents" will escort me away from a nest full of eggs or babies. They'll flutter just ahead, trying to lure you into thinking you could actually catch them if you tried.

I hope I've not made you gun-shy about cycling in North Idaho. Really, I only have a few bug encounters each spring/summer, and most aren't worth noting. Dodging pedestrians and cars are a much bigger concern, with bigger consequences.

Ride safely, and keep you mouth closed as much as possible!