Re: RC: MALIBU RIDE AND TRAIL INCIDENT

["beth glover" <bgloverhrsewmn@hotmail.com>]

Hi Debbie; I'm sorry to hear that this happened. This ride is in my neck of the woods, and it is always scary to have problems in the Southern California area, it means another riding area can be lost!  Already at Chino Hills State Park, they will not allow an endurance ride (we are told by the rangers).  They have a fear of exactly the incident that you mentioned, and they have a large and active bicyclist population.  They will allow a NATRC ride to happen because they know it is a timed ride, and they watch us like hawks.  So far so good. It's really a shame though, Chino hills is a great place to get some miles.   I hope the sponsor of the junior will read these posts, but I'll bet you even if they did, they wouldn't realize it was themselves. Some people are real slow to catch on, or never do.     Yours, Beth

>From: guest@endurance.net

>To:

>Subject: RC: MALIBU RIDE AND TRAIL INCIDENT

>Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 23:38:05 -0700

>

>Debbie Ekhaml dekarab@home.com

>Hi Everybody, Well summer is here in So. Ca and the

>Malibu Ride was warm! This was a very tough ride and

>those that completed should be proud. Thanks to Karen

>Zontelli for putting on the ride. Nice prizes and the food

>was devoured.

> A couple of unfortunate things happened that I want to

>mention because it reflects directly on us as riders and our

>sport.

> One of those things was ribbons being moved by parties unknown. Most

>likely not riders and Karen did her best to

>check the trail just ahead of the ride, but these things happen.

>Most everyone mentioned it, but it seemed most took it in stride

>which was great.

> The other occurred on the LD ride. My first observation was

>an individual who took off at a dead gallop as soon as the controlled

>start was over. I know some horses have to go (I have one myself)but this

>was ridiculous. This person continued this for 3-4 miles, then waited on

>the side of the trail for

>his/her friends which were also slow galloping. This group was lead by a

>"sponser" being paid to get juniors through the ride.

>The problem I had with this was the complete lack of trail etiquette

>displayed by the sponser. She actually kicked at my friends horse to move

>it over as she went barreling past with her 3 juniors in tow. She went on

>to run a lady mountain biker

>(about 50 years of age) off a section of singletrack causing the biker to

>fall when her horse bumped the bike as the lady was trying to get off the

>trail. The rider was too impatient to wait. I observed this as I was in

>line right behind this group.

> I asked the woman if she was ok (she was holding her arm) and she

>assurred me she was. Later, this group took a wrong turn

> and did a short extra loop. As I was riding toward the photographer,

>they came up behind me and I heard the sponser say

>"oh great, now we're in last place. I yelled over my shoulder that they

>were not and I would let them by ASAP. We were on a downhill, rocky

>singletrack, and when I was able to let them by, they again GALLOPED past.

>I informed the last junior that this was NOT a race and it fell on deaf

>ears. They were obviously determined on making up time. At VC 1, one of

>the juniors was pulled for lameness. The rest went on to finish (I will

>not say where as it was LD and doesn't matter). At the pre-ride meeting,

>Karen SPECIFICALLY asked everyone to respect the other trail users as we

>were in a state park and could lose the ride if people complained. I

>don't want to start a debate on LD, but I have a real problem with a

>"Sponser" teaching our next generation of riders that this sort of

>behavior is acceptable.

>I was totally disgusted with the treatment of thier mounts by

>riding this way. This was a tough, technical trail. It was

>bad enough how their fellow riders were treated, but what about the public

>who was exposed to their bad behavior and now may

>well have a negative feeling about our sport? I hope these

>individuals involved take a long hard look at their behavior

>and CHANGE IT IMMEDIATELY. I go to rides to have fun, however

>I am a competitive rider. One can be competitive without being

>inconsiderate. Thanks Karen again for having the ride so I

>could have a getaway weekend! Debbie and Razal

>

>

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