This is a bad dog. I was on a bike trip near Athens and crawled up the hill to visit the "best cave in the balkans" at Σπηλια Κουτουκι Spilia Koutouki - Koutouki Cave - Cave Koutouki A cool and dreamy place cut deep into the limestone rocks with impressive features and formations. After the sub-terrainaian break I headed down the near by track for some down hill mountain bike fun. As I approached the junction above I was set on by two dogs who, snarling and barking went for me big time. "Stavros Cujo", above got his teeth on my shorts and ripped them, just grazing my leg, while his mate went for my feet. Luckily the shorts I had on where baggy and not the usual cycling lycra and I was moving at speed outpacing them after a scary 30 meters. Stopping to take the photos and wash the graze, I went on somewhat shaken.
Now I like dogs including Rotties and Dobes but I have never been so shaken up as having these two try and get my ass. Later research revealed that according to PubMed "During the decades 1961-1970, 1971-1980 [Rabies in Greece] cases were reduced to 3009 and 242, respectively, while no more cases in man occurred since 1970. Vaccination campaigns of dogs, besides the low prevalence of rabies among wild animals, resulted in its eradication from the country."
Now that was a bit of a relief.
Gannett
