|
TWW June Rant by Dawn Weathersbee Have you ever been to an amusement park? Know why riding technical terrain is better than going to an amusement park? Because the thrills are better and there are no lines. That is, unless you’re out riding with a huge group. Then there are definitely lines, and no thrills. The people who do this regularly are making it more unpleasant for others who ride. Have you ever been in a large group and passed oncoming traffic on a single track? Ever look at their faces as the fifteenth person rolls by? Most likely, they’re annoyed. I would be, too. Especially after a long day of work when a person is just out there riding to maybe blow off some steam and have some fun. Taking a large group out there is inconsiderate of other trail users. Then there’s the “less than gifted” at technical riding that invariably join the group. They stop and stare, wide eyed at the terrain, freeze, and need to be goaded to either walk it, ride it, or slide down it on their ass. Or worse, these people think they can ride what they’re not ready for because they’ve seen someone else pull it. Watching someone split open his or her head hurts. It makes people feel bad for the injured person, and somehow jinxes the ride. This slows the group down, or ends the ride. That’s not fun. Even if the majority of the group is skilled and confident, there’s still the endless waiting. And I mean, it’s endless! Standing with your bike between your legs, grasping anxiously at the bars while you have enough time to discuss in detail the plot line to War and Peace, as you wait for thirty people to clean a narrow section one at a time, just blows! It ruins the flow of the moment, especially if one of the aforementioned skilless wonders is in front of you. I hate it when a great section is spoiled for me by some clueless rookie who just can’t stay on their bike, or doesn’t know how to get out of the way when they’re over their head. Look, mountain biking is not Disneyland. The population of riders out there is not so large that we need to dominate a small section of land and reduce the freedom and pleasure of the other users. New to technical riding? Get practice with a few friends. And bring first aid. Want to get your entire 500 person cycling club together for an intimate group ride? Go to a park with lots of fire roads and ride five abreast. And carry a flag, because you’re definitely in a parade, not on a ride. The rest of us don’t need to wait in lines or watch you fly over your handlebars. That’s not why we ride. We ride to have fun, to keep going, and to get away from the craziness of the rat race. Let us do that. Dawn
 You can contact Dawn Weathersbee at dbdblondie@hotmail.com. Please, no firebombs or tee-peeing the house. Thanks!
|