Bike + Views - Confrontation = Living

Found my camera! I think I've lost that thing 10 times now. Strangely enough, it always turns up where I've already looked before. Anyways, photos have been uploaded to Picasa for your viewing pleasure.

See photos HERE.

Marshall Mesa and the Community Ditch biking/hiking trails are located just south of Boulder. An easy ride with some good up and down. Nothing too technical, so it was nice to just ride after having been off the saddle for a while. Great views of the Flatirons!

Took my helmet cam out for the first time on my bike. Got some cool footage, but it's not ready to publish yet. We'll see what type of editing I can do to it first. Check back for some possible video in the next few days.

We had quite an interesting encounter with an elderly couple who did not seem to understand the rules of the trail and were very stubborn in their ways. They felt that every biker should stop and get off their bike, as well as walk off the trail to get around them while they were walking. Obviously some bikers who don't follow the rules had made them upset over they years. Yes, there are rules on the trails, but they did not fully understand them and were pushing the yield rule a bit too far.

We first came upon them at a switchback near the top of the trail. A seemingly nice lady in her 70's and a quiet man that must have been near 90. I was surprised to see them walking along on a trail such as this, and this high up on it. I hope to be in good enough shape to do the same at that age. However I think I'll be a bit nicer than they ended up being.

I was stopped at the switchback waiting for Melissa, and they asked if I was headed down. I said, "Not yet, but we will be soon." The lady gruffly responded with, "You'd better stop before you get to us!" I replied that I would give them plenty of notice before passing them, as I always do for anyone else on the trail. They continued down towards Melissa who was negotiating one of the steeper sections prior to the switchback. When they got to her, the old man stood in the middle of the trail and would not move. Melissa had to dismount and go off the trail to get around him. At the time we just shrugged it off as a senile old man who was probably going blind. Little did we know that we would encounter them again.

On our way back down, we came around a corner and saw the elderly couple in a heated discussion with a man who was stopped on the side of the trail on his bike. As I got closer, I could tell they were arguing about who had the right of way and how it should have been handled. I decided to pass through slowly and carry on, not wanting to get involved in a discussion that would never end in agreement. As I passed, the old man walked in front of me and put his arm across my chest to stop my forward movement. I was barely creeping along, so I stopped and asked him not to touch me. Lucky for him I am a kind and non-confrontational person. Someone else may not have been so nice and he could have found himself wrapped up in a lawsuit over assault. They continued to argue with me and the other biker over the rules that they did not understand. I wish I had kept my helmet cam running to catch the events! Eventually we went on our way, shaking our heads about how misunderstanding the older couple was. Guess you can't always teach old dogs new tricks!

If you are ever out on the trails, follow the rules. If someone does not understand them, try to give them some friendly advice, but also understand that not everyone is open to knowing the truth. So at that time move on, enjoy the ride, take in the views and live life!