I totally get the irrational thing. Me, I'm irrationally afraid of spiders. You can put a giant rhinocerous beetle or walking stick or snake on me to crawl all over me and everything is totally cool. I flip over spiders. Now, "flip" I'll put in context - I am really really uncomfortable, and scream like a little girl <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> At least insofar as big spiders up here go (fruit spiders in BC) I have my little flipout and gingerly find a way
to deal with it or avoid it. Not sure how I'd manage in the presence of tarantulas, I've so far managed to
avoid any enforced encounters with said beasties. Yes, this limits my hiking possibilities in the southwest, yes I know it's stupid. but like you said - it's irrational!