As a user of multi-use trails, I am particularly sensitive of being a good steward of the trail and making sure that I stop and chat with any users that I encounter when on the bike, or snowshoe,or hike, or snowboard, etc..... It just makes a ton of sense for many many reasons. At the most basic level there is the civic responsibility as a human being to be cordial to other people. As a trail user we all need to get along. This is usually a non-issue in places like Montana where there is tons and tons of land and you usually don't have user conflict (unless of course you live in the republic of Bozeman).
Every once in a while you run into people who are very opinionated about trail use regarding specific user groups. Most of the time if people are that myopic, you can generally agree to disagree and go on your merry way. Every once in a while you come across a user who becomes belligerent and insists on trying to pick a fight. Sunday was such a day. I took el gordita out to Thompson Park and rode the usual trails. On the way back I ran into a cross country skier who turned out to be a real jerk.
He was unhappy that I was out on the trails and went so far as to say 'people like you are what is wrong with society'. I found this a curious statement and a rather HUGE assumption as he knew not thing uno about me. Apparently he did not learn to share as a child and subsequently continues to live in the fantasy world that serves only his needs.
The irony is that I was the one who laid down the original tracks over the past 2 months on those trails - including a lot of work snowshoeing and riding to keep those trails maintained. I had also just finished sawing a big tree 15 minutes prior that had fallen and clearing it off the trail. The topper though was that this jackass was not even local! He was uber opinionated and his feeble attempts at trying to belittle me went right back into his bubble-land when faced with my logical retorts.
The irony of all ironies though had to be when I got back to the car and realized that Mr Opinion was driving a truck, had parked it in the middle of the parking lot (so as to make parking for anyone else difficult) and had 2 bumper stickers that read 'coexist' & 'at least we are winning the war on the environment'. Apparently 'coexist' really only applies to himself and his trail use.
At the end of the day if you want to have a 'specific' experience with a 'specific' user group, then go to the areas that are designated as such.... learn to share while on multi-use trails or stay off the trails...especially if you are not local and have not put ANY work into maintaining said trails..
Every once in a while you run into people who are very opinionated about trail use regarding specific user groups. Most of the time if people are that myopic, you can generally agree to disagree and go on your merry way. Every once in a while you come across a user who becomes belligerent and insists on trying to pick a fight. Sunday was such a day. I took el gordita out to Thompson Park and rode the usual trails. On the way back I ran into a cross country skier who turned out to be a real jerk.
He was unhappy that I was out on the trails and went so far as to say 'people like you are what is wrong with society'. I found this a curious statement and a rather HUGE assumption as he knew not thing uno about me. Apparently he did not learn to share as a child and subsequently continues to live in the fantasy world that serves only his needs.
The irony is that I was the one who laid down the original tracks over the past 2 months on those trails - including a lot of work snowshoeing and riding to keep those trails maintained. I had also just finished sawing a big tree 15 minutes prior that had fallen and clearing it off the trail. The topper though was that this jackass was not even local! He was uber opinionated and his feeble attempts at trying to belittle me went right back into his bubble-land when faced with my logical retorts.
The irony of all ironies though had to be when I got back to the car and realized that Mr Opinion was driving a truck, had parked it in the middle of the parking lot (so as to make parking for anyone else difficult) and had 2 bumper stickers that read 'coexist' & 'at least we are winning the war on the environment'. Apparently 'coexist' really only applies to himself and his trail use.
At the end of the day if you want to have a 'specific' experience with a 'specific' user group, then go to the areas that are designated as such.... learn to share while on multi-use trails or stay off the trails...especially if you are not local and have not put ANY work into maintaining said trails..
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