Irulan,

As usual I am amazed and humbled by your wisdom.

This: [/B][/QUOTE]
"you will not give me ANY tips on this ride unless I ask for them". "you will wait at all junctions" "I don't have to ride anything I don't feel comfortable riding and you are not going to comment on it" etc.
belongs on the General board and on your Mountain-biking Tips page as well. It might do the most good, though, if it were to be published in Bicycling, Mountain Bike and Men's Health instead!

Also, perhaps too deep for this board (?) but thanks for posting:

Originally posted by Irulan

Sure, there are "ugly" people everywhere... zooming around in fancy cars, disregard for the community as it exists now, building big ugly fences and
monster homes, and always in a hurry, unable to leave their big city ways
behind, and unwilling to intergrate into the community as it exists.

Us and Them is a tricky place to be; you may have to move someday
and be on the other side.
I, too, am a native-Californian who left. When asked "Why did you LEAVE (San Diego)?" My snarky response is "To get away from all of the 'Californians' ".

I had a MIL who once apologized for ALL of the rude New Jersey-ites ...and she is still one of the sweetest, most polite, civilized people I know...and a native of her state!

My point? There are also GOOD people everywhere. Embrace the good apples and spit the bad ones out!

I know this was not the point of this thread. It just touched a nerve.

I'm also Native American and my anima is the lizard. Lizard is conservative (not politcally...but with resources) and agile. Lizards ADAPT to their surroundings. My life-goal, as a lizard, is to adapt and to integrate, wherever life leads me. I try not to be tied down to old ways of thinking. Revel in and enjoy new people, places, and experiences.

Oh and ride. Lots.