zenride
10-13-2004, 11:36 PM
I wanted to share a couple of recent adventures.
Garden of the Gods trails ~
If you are local, you know that only the trails on the east side of the park are sanctioned for bicycles. I live on the south edge of the park.
Over the summer I did some early morning rides on the paved road and then the east side trails. The park has a relatively small area of bike-legal trails, so I would commonly ride the wider maintaned dirt path to access some singletrack on the north-east edge of the park. I would generally come across one or two pedestrians on this short trek to the single track. One day a lady scolded me for riding the trail. Hm. ok.
One day a couple of weeks ago, I was finishing a ride on the bike sanctioned east side of the park. I needed to get home quick so I jumped on a hiker/horse trail on the south side of the park. I made a wrong turn, got of the bike, and was walking back, when a jogger came up on me. I said hello and moved to the side. He stopped and got in my face. Scolded me for being on the trail with my bike (which I was walking at the moment) and demanded that I "take responsibility for my actions!" Things got pretty heated, so I told him that I have encountered pedestrians, hikers, motorcycles, and other bicycles, and never was anyone confrontational. I finally just told him that I was leaving because I didn't want to have a confrontation with him. As I turned and walked away, he called me an "arrogant asshole!" His words. I am old enough that these words don't spark my temper, which is what he was trying to do, I think.
Then I had to turn back around, and pedal back on the trail, and ran into him again. I came up from behind (on the bike now) and I said "Hello...bicycle" and rode very slow so that he could hear me and turn to see me. He stopped and blocked my path!! I thought "oh crap, this is it" and was expecting something physical. He did move out of the way as I approached very slowly on the bike. He was very emotional and upset. I just said "Good Morning" as he said some more unpleasant things.
The park is not really a good place to ride a mountain bike, as much of the single track has railroad-tie steps and 24 inch gulleys caused by horses. The bike sanctioned trails on the east side are of much better quality (no horses!) On rare occasion I ride an illegal trail in the park, which indeed gives a bad name to bicyclists. But darnit, I have run those trails for 15 years, and sometimes I might steal a short ride on one of those trails. Damn pedestrian trail Nazis! oh, sorry.
Captain Jacks / Frosty's Park / Buckhorn Trail
I ride Captain Jack's quite a bit in the summer. Locals will know that this is a popular and busy trail in the summer. Motorcycles go up, bicycles come down (after riding Gold Camp road up). I have encountered poodle-walking setpugenarians, bird-watchers, trail bikes (motorcycles 4 stroke and 2 stroke), and of course many bicycles. I have never been surprised by a motorcycle, but this past August I was hustling down the scree singletrack, came around a corner and met a KTM 450. I was very surprised that I didnt hear him. We both hit the brakes, but I slid as I was going downhill in the gravel. I laid down the mountain bike and bailed off to the uphill side (way steep drop off on the downhill side!). My front wheel ended up *between* his front and rear wheel, directly under his transmission. It was that close. We did not collide, and he didn't run over my bike. I just sort of slid under his. He was cool, asked me if I was o.k. I was cool, and said "Yea!" with a stupid grin on my face. Result of adrenaline and surprise, and the fact that I was having a fantastic time on that single track. That was a pretty close call, but I would like to emphasize that Captain Jack's is a multi-use trail, and those are the risks you take. If everyone uses the trails with safety and courtesy in mind, then most meetings between users can be safe and friendly.
I have never had a problem with a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or equestrian on a trail. My only problems have been with hikers and joggers. I have observed hikers in the Frosty's park area sabotage motorcycle/bike trails by placing logs and thick branches across the trail in the grassy fields where riders pick up speed. Those trails were built by motorcyclists, and have been used in that manner for 30 years. I would say that cyclists have been using them for 15 years or so. It is unreasonable for hikers to act like they own a singletrack trail. We must be courteous to all users.
:)
Garden of the Gods trails ~
If you are local, you know that only the trails on the east side of the park are sanctioned for bicycles. I live on the south edge of the park.
Over the summer I did some early morning rides on the paved road and then the east side trails. The park has a relatively small area of bike-legal trails, so I would commonly ride the wider maintaned dirt path to access some singletrack on the north-east edge of the park. I would generally come across one or two pedestrians on this short trek to the single track. One day a lady scolded me for riding the trail. Hm. ok.
One day a couple of weeks ago, I was finishing a ride on the bike sanctioned east side of the park. I needed to get home quick so I jumped on a hiker/horse trail on the south side of the park. I made a wrong turn, got of the bike, and was walking back, when a jogger came up on me. I said hello and moved to the side. He stopped and got in my face. Scolded me for being on the trail with my bike (which I was walking at the moment) and demanded that I "take responsibility for my actions!" Things got pretty heated, so I told him that I have encountered pedestrians, hikers, motorcycles, and other bicycles, and never was anyone confrontational. I finally just told him that I was leaving because I didn't want to have a confrontation with him. As I turned and walked away, he called me an "arrogant asshole!" His words. I am old enough that these words don't spark my temper, which is what he was trying to do, I think.
Then I had to turn back around, and pedal back on the trail, and ran into him again. I came up from behind (on the bike now) and I said "Hello...bicycle" and rode very slow so that he could hear me and turn to see me. He stopped and blocked my path!! I thought "oh crap, this is it" and was expecting something physical. He did move out of the way as I approached very slowly on the bike. He was very emotional and upset. I just said "Good Morning" as he said some more unpleasant things.
The park is not really a good place to ride a mountain bike, as much of the single track has railroad-tie steps and 24 inch gulleys caused by horses. The bike sanctioned trails on the east side are of much better quality (no horses!) On rare occasion I ride an illegal trail in the park, which indeed gives a bad name to bicyclists. But darnit, I have run those trails for 15 years, and sometimes I might steal a short ride on one of those trails. Damn pedestrian trail Nazis! oh, sorry.
Captain Jacks / Frosty's Park / Buckhorn Trail
I ride Captain Jack's quite a bit in the summer. Locals will know that this is a popular and busy trail in the summer. Motorcycles go up, bicycles come down (after riding Gold Camp road up). I have encountered poodle-walking setpugenarians, bird-watchers, trail bikes (motorcycles 4 stroke and 2 stroke), and of course many bicycles. I have never been surprised by a motorcycle, but this past August I was hustling down the scree singletrack, came around a corner and met a KTM 450. I was very surprised that I didnt hear him. We both hit the brakes, but I slid as I was going downhill in the gravel. I laid down the mountain bike and bailed off to the uphill side (way steep drop off on the downhill side!). My front wheel ended up *between* his front and rear wheel, directly under his transmission. It was that close. We did not collide, and he didn't run over my bike. I just sort of slid under his. He was cool, asked me if I was o.k. I was cool, and said "Yea!" with a stupid grin on my face. Result of adrenaline and surprise, and the fact that I was having a fantastic time on that single track. That was a pretty close call, but I would like to emphasize that Captain Jack's is a multi-use trail, and those are the risks you take. If everyone uses the trails with safety and courtesy in mind, then most meetings between users can be safe and friendly.
I have never had a problem with a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or equestrian on a trail. My only problems have been with hikers and joggers. I have observed hikers in the Frosty's park area sabotage motorcycle/bike trails by placing logs and thick branches across the trail in the grassy fields where riders pick up speed. Those trails were built by motorcyclists, and have been used in that manner for 30 years. I would say that cyclists have been using them for 15 years or so. It is unreasonable for hikers to act like they own a singletrack trail. We must be courteous to all users.
:)