Letters from the bike trail

[owlice]

Dear Parent,

I think it's great that you are teaching your small child to ride a bike! But please put a helmet on the kid, if for no other reason than the law here requires you do so. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Helmet Head

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Dear Trail Ninja,

Bet you saw me coming, with my two headlights, three SpokeLits, high-vis vest, and purple EL wire!

I didn't see you, though, until my headlights caught you, you all in black with nary a reflective thing on, and no lights. You know, some people heading toward you don't use lights, either.

Just sayin'....

Sincerely,
Visible

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Dear Bike Shorts,

Ow! Why'd you pinch me there?! (Or really, anywhere?!) Cut it out!

Sincerely,
Shopping for Butt'r

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Dear Little Hoppy Frog,

I wish I'd seen you sitting there in the middle of the trail a little sooner. I hope I missed you. If so, yay! (If not, never mind... :-( )

Best,
Owl

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Dear TEamsters,

I'll bet you have letters from the bike trail, whether dirt, MUT, or road, composed in your head, too. I hope you will share some of them.

Sincerely,
Owlice

[Owlie]

Dear whoever dropped something glass on the trail--
I really hope it was an accident and not an attempt to annoy as many cyclists as you can. I did run over a piece. Luckily, it was flat so no tires were harmed.
No love,
Would-be flat fixer

Dear nice person--
Thank you, whoever you are, for sweeping the glass to the side of the trail.
--appreciative cyclist

Dear chipmunks--
What is wrong with all of you? Why do you all decide to run across the trail in front of me?
--The human on the funny wheeled thing who really doesn't want to hit you

Dear certain Super-fast People
You know, you're supposed to SAY SOMETHING when passing so that I know you're there. In case you haven't noticed, the northbound lane of the trail is somewhat narrower, and has plenty of rather tall and spiny plants growing very close to the edge. I'd prefer that you a) don't force me into those plants, and b) keep an eye on the trail so that you don't force people into those plants when you want to pass them.
--Slowpoke

[Tri Girl]

Dear stealthy skunk,
Although I realize this is a MUT, if you wish to cross at a non-designated crosswalk, please make your intentions known in advance. I would have been happy to stop and let you go by. Your stealthy appearance from behind the bush caught me by surprise. I'm sorry about you getting tangled up in my spokes, and I'm sure you're sorry you sprayed me and my bike.
And, BTW, what were you doing out in the middle of the morning anyway?
Sincerely,
Stinky rider



Dear wind,
When you are blowing one direction, please continue to blow in that direction for the entire length of my ride so I know what to expect from you. When you change directions and fight me both ways, I wind up being a little less fond of you.
Sincerely,
tired and exhausted

[Roadtrip]

Dear Legs, I've missed two rides in a row, just shut up already.

Thanks,
Me.

[TrekTheKaty]

Dear walkers on the MUT,
I really try to leave you lots of room, but you are talking on the phone/talking to each other/listening to an ipod

AND

either walking three wide or trailing a dog on a 10 ft leash. Work with me here.

I didn't sneak up on you. "on your left. On Your Left. ON YOUR LEFT."

Sincerely,
The cyclist upside-down in the ditch


Dear squirrel,
On your left. On your right. on your left. Ok, you pick!

[smittykitty]

Dear pair of slightly chubby guys that I passed on a slight incline: Thanks, I don't think I've ever passed a man before. It did my ego wonders. Hope it didn't hurt yours too bad. Hope you don't realize you have just been passed by a total wimp!

To the incredible lady at the the drive-in restuarant along the path that asked me if I (like herself) would be riding in next weeks STP. Thanks for thinking I looked like a real bike rider. Also, you were very inspiring. Maybe, just maybe, I would consider riding with 10,000 real bike riders from Seattle to P.town one year. Maybe next year!

[zoom-zoom]

Dear walkers on the MUT,
I really try to leave you lots of room, but you are talking on the phone/talking to each other/listening to an ipod

AND

either walking three wide or trailing a dog on a 10 ft leash. Work with me here.

I didn't sneak up on you. "on your left. On Your Left. ON YOUR LEFT."

Sincerely,
The cyclist upside-down in the ditch

Oh, this one has happened to me SO many times. And I am not quiet. I didn't do well in theatre or cheerleading because of a small voice, quite the opposite. If a person can't hear me it's because they weren't listening...at all.

[feral1]

Dear car "drivers",
Please don't lay on your horn when you are right behind me it kinda scares the $h!% out of me A little beep will suffice if you really feel it's necessary......

Thank you,need new shorts biker (LOL)

[owlice]

Dear Fellow Biker,

Thanks for nodding back!

(So few do...)

Sincerely,
Friendly

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Dear Parents of Three,

You totally rock! The family that cycles together goes places together! I enjoyed seeing you and your brood riding along so happily, all in helmets, learning trail etiquette from parents who practice it.

Happy trails,
Owl

[hebe]

Dear weather, scheduling the one dry day on the only day of the week when I really don't have any time to ride is not good enough. My poor neglected bikes.

[TrekTheKaty]

Dear bike shop dude,
Why is it so hard to buy a bike? No, I'm not here to buy a fitness bike. I know what I want: upgrade my road bike to carbon frame, switch to compact double, shimano ultegra (or SRAM equivalent) and relaxed geometry.

I did a ton a research on the forums . I shopped the websites. Every manufacturer uses different "frame sizes." Apparently, WSD is a marketing term. Then, you rented me a bike you can't order. "Come back in September. Maybe you'd like this one we have on the floor--one size too big, hideous blue and shimano 105."

I ride as far as you do on the weekends, just not as fast. I have my credit card in my hand. And I don't want pink! (sorry westtexas)

Sincerely,
Frustrated and driving to your competitor



Dear fellow (male) rider on expensive bike,
Thanks for chatting with me at the stop today. I'm not a young woman anymore and never was fast. I appreciate your attention, since my husband on the high-end Look custom bike usually gets all the attention.

Sincerely,
Pedaling a little faster

[TrekTheKaty]

Dear Mother Nature,
I got up at 6:30 am on my day off to beat the heat and the humidity is already 83%! Forget that those us without "allergies" have been sneezing. I can handle the heat, if you must. I have my camelbak full of ice, sunblock, kleenex and will take it easy on the pace. I won't curse the headwind going both ways, but it's STIFLING out here

Sincerely,
Puddle on the side of the road

[Becky]

Dear wasp who stung me on a high-speed descent: I hate you.

Dear self: You rock for not dumping the bike during the wasp incident.

[goldfinch]

Dear cat along the trail, you really did not need to kill that squirrel. I doubt you are going to eat it. But it is your nature to hunt so I accept that. But why the torture? The silent scream of the squirrel has been with me for a week.

Dear recumbent bike riders, thank you for letting me quiz you ad infinitum about your rides. I want one too! And thanks for admiring my Safe Zone helmet mirror, even though it makes me look like one of the collective Borg.

[pll]

Dear teenager in the bike lane,

Please do not stop suddenly and then move your bike across blocking the entire bike lane. Cars back... Oh, no... What are you doing? What!? You have ear buds and can't hear a thing?

Sincerely,

One of the two cyclists who nearly crashed