Coming Down Is The Hardest Thing

Yesterday was the first official UpState SORBA ride. I say this only because this was the first time we scheduled a ride only. The other rides were always following a meeting. Therefore as the official ride director I wanted to make sure I was there even though I would not be riding.

I got to the front parking lot around 4:45 and I laced up my running shoes, grabbed a bottle of water and took off toward the top of the park by foot. I had never hiked all they way up Sulphur Springs to Firetower before and man that stuff is steep. There was no way I could keep up a jogging/running pace up that stuff. It does make quick work of getting to the top of the mountain though and for the most part, I kept a brisk pace. Once I made it to Firetower it was all gravy coming down. I think Tom Petty has it wrong.

I was interested to see if I could keep a fast clip going coming down the techy section and I was doing nice when I looked up to see a biker pushing up that section. The only reason I know to push up that section is because you don’t know any better and he was looking a little defeated so I said “Get on your bike and ride that %$&*.” Of course it is virtually impossible to ride up but what do I know, I am just a silly trail runner.

The rest of the way down Mountain Creek was awesome, I felt good and I was actually running through the woods instead of just trying to make it look like my feet were moving faster than a walk.

Then I came to the little section after the new Turtle trail and I look up to see two bikers in cotton T’s and tennis shoes coming at me. They were making the turn and I saw “the fear” in the second guy’s eyes. You know “the fear” it is that look of “oh shit now not only do I have to turn the bike, but I have to turn it, avoid this guy, that tree and oh craaaaaap.” He grabbed a handful of back brake and almost tail whipped me when his tire decided it didn’t want to hold on the loose dirt and gravel. I shouted “Be careful!” as I could hear him laughing and telling his friend his epic story as they pedaled away.

You see this is what pushes my buttons. These types of people are just uneducated on what to do on their bikes. They don’t understand trail etiquette and that they might be creating a bad name for bikers. The worst part about it is that they probably won’t ever have enough dedication to the sport to even understand what SORBA is more or less come to a meeting. I don’t want to be a trail nazi but I also don’t want to lose the privileges that Ty worked so hard to create for us. When I got to the parking lot by the new visitors center there was a 10’ long screech mark in the newly lain mulch from a tire. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I will find a way to educate these people.

When I got back to the lot, we had four people go out for a ride. I was excited to see some people riding under the SORBA name. I can’t wait until we can get some propagandous (I am above Webster) shirts, jerseys, socks, banners or whatever because we need to get the word out.


Respect the trail.