Trail Courtesy

[Dbeverly4@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/29/00 4:12:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
bkeeffe@nativeson.com writes:

<< A couple of weeks ago the road from Lopez Lake to Pozo was full of traffic.
 Everyone who passed was courteous except for this one motorcycle guy.  He
 passed us 3 times, each time putting on his show of brainless motorcycle
 strength.  I felt the true meaning of road rage this day and am still fuming
 about it. >>

Hey!  I love that ride.  I especially like stopping at the Pozo Saloon mid 
way :)  I don't really have any good suggestions on how to deal with ill 
mannered motorcyclists; I did run into one today with excellent manners.  
Actually, a mountain biker and a motor cyclist.  I was trotting up Refugio 
Road (Santa Ynez mountains) and the mountain biker was coming down.  Harca 
and I were both in the zone and not really all there any more.  We met the 
biker on  a curve (luckily we had the inside).  The biker looked as startled 
as I was and both he and Harca performed evasive manuvers.  We missed each 
other by a whisker.  Harca was still in the zone and was going to keep 
trotting on.  I pulled over and asked the guy if he was ok.  He apologized 
profusely and asked ME if I was ok.  We were both at fault (if there really 
was a fault here).  It would have been a nasty wreck.  About an hour later a 
dirt bike came whizzing up behind us at a creek crossing -- the minute he saw 
us he killed his engine and walked the bike up to us.  What a guy!  I was so 
appreciative that I think the guy must have thought I was a bit of a nut.  I 
was babbling on about how wonderful it was to meet people who were 
considerate and polite, blah, blah blah.  :))  I think he was happy to just 
start his engine and get the heck away from the wacko horse woman.  Wish I 
had an answer on how to TEACH people to be courteous -- I just know that its 
important to THANK the ones who are.  Happy trails.

Sylvia & Harca