Sunday, August 26 Rides

[cosc]

Today I rode 40 miles of this season's chip and seal. My 21+mph headwind turned to east for the leg to home. Temps were in the low 90's so I used my camelback. My biggest thrill besides riding, was resting under 1 of 2 shade trees along this route.

[michelem]

Hey Sara,

I share your frustration with the trail. Here is a link to the rules of the trail: http://www.sacparks.net/our-parks/am...diah-Smith.pdf

Note, it says, "Those on foot should stay on the left 'soft' shoulder." In fact, every so often, you'll see printed on the asphalt, "Joggers and Walkers Use Left Shoulder." I try to stay away from the trail during heavy traffic times of day - as you found out today, it gets scary out there! I do have to say that since beginning cycling, I have become a much more conscientious jogger.

[tjf9]

I took my new bike out for a couple of spins. First to the store with DH and kids to get milk. Second just a fun ride for half an hour around town. I love my new bike!!!

[sundial]

We rode in the wind tunnel (15-20 mph winds) for about 20 miles--BOTH ways. Can't figure out how we didn't get a tailwind.

Today was the perfect day to ride, but alas, I had chores to do. I'm hoping tomorrow will be just as nice so I can take advantage of the weather.

[jobob]

Uh oh, I think maybe I should've clarified...the joggers & pedestrians who were not moving over were oncoming towards us...we were not coming up behind them. They were facing us. So they were in the lane I need to be riding in, walking towards me, looking right at me. If I come up behind someone, I definitely call out that I'm passing, hang back, thank them when/if they do move over, etc. But when there are 4 people walking abreast on the path coming towards me, they can clearly see me, they are taking up the entire lane, and I literally have no place to go because there is oncoming bike traffic, then I think they should move over. I thought that was how the who-yeilds-to-who thing worked. But if I'm off base here, then I definitely should just stay on the roads! It was just a very frustrating ride. And I'm sure the joggers were very frustrated as well. I am perfectly happy to share the trail with pedestrians, joggers, dogs, rollerbladers, etc. And I do dumb and oblivious things all the time. But I just wish people would pay a little more attention. It's a bummer because I know everyone out there was trying to enjoy a really nice day.

Hey sara - I misunderstood what you were saying, I'm sorry I was lecturing you like that.

I ride on a paved multi-use trail near me (the Alameda Creek Trail) and sometimes I see very impatient, impolite cyclists. They're the ones I should be lecturing!

Sometimes I'll see an older person walking along the trail, holding a walking stick or a length of PVC pipe, carrying it horizontally. I cringe when I see that because I figure that person must have been buzzed too close by a cyclist in the past. I give that person (and everyone else) a wide berth and give him a cheery hello as I pass (after I've also called out well in advance if I'm approaching from behind).

I figure I need to do my best to give cyclists who use the trail some postive PR to counteract the occasional doofus.

Anyhow, I was dumping my frustration on you and that was really unfair of me. Sorry!

Oh, but don't get me wrong, I get really annoyed as well at the people who walk four-abreast across the path heading towards me and not one of them can be bothered to step aside just a leetle bit to let me get by. My smile gets REALLY LARGE as I slooowly approach them. gah.

[mimitabby]

not my stepfather. After his first incident with a bike, he just quit walking.

And the cyclist said "on your right" but stepfather misheard (he's 80!)
and got run down instead. no serious wounds, but he doesn't walk on that trail anymore....

[jobob]

Oh geeze, that's a shame, mimi.

[RolliePollie]

Hey sara - I misunderstood what you were saying, I'm sorry I was lecturing you like that.

No problem!!!!