lessons learned

1. Don't follow a car too closely when descending a twisty mountain road - the oncoming cars might not see you. And the car you're following might just decide to brake really hard.

2. Don't assume that just because you watched someone walk out of a building, get into their car and start the ignition, that they paid any attention to you biking into the parking lot.


Great ride yesterday - 90 miles with about 6000 feet of climbing. The first incident happened on a screaming descent - nice road, narrow (two cars can squeeze by each other.) A car insisted on passing us near the top and we followed them down at about 40 miles an hour. About half way down we had oncoming traffic. I can't see a thing because I'm tucked down behind Thom on a tandem. The first hint I have of a problem is some LOUD braking. I sit up and see the car in front of us getting closer and closer and the guy in the next lane wandering over into ours. But our brakes worked and the other guy moved over. (Phew).

The second happened at the end of our second big climb. Iwatched the woman walk out of the ranger station as we entered the parking lot. She looked one way as she started to back up, but not the other. I yelled really loudly and she stopped and gave us the sheepish "I'm really sorry" look.

Ahh well, on the flip side there were a lot of really good drivers out there yesterday who slowed down rather than passing us on blind corners. And kids always smile and wave at you when they see the tandem. :)