Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Shore to Shore-- Trail Etiquette

At 5:24 PM -0400 8/11/02, Tom & Vicky Smith wrote:
>   My husband and I went camping to the South Branch Camp this 
> weekend with another couple. The S2S ride has just begun. We didn't 
> know which side of the state they were starting on or even the ride 
> dates. Most other casual trail riders out to enjoy some camping 
> wouldn't know either.
>   Two of the horses in our group were babies, 3 and 4 years old. So 
> when an endurance rider tears past full tilt without warning  things 
> can get pretty exciting. Several of the riders who past us hollered 
> ahead and we scooted out of the way. They trotted passed in safe and 
> polite manner.
>    One man however basically wanted to mow us down. I've ridden both 
> sides of this street now. As competitors we can't assume that the 
> general horse riding public knows about our events and the routes we 
> will use. Also they also have the right to enjoy the trails without 
> risk to life and limb.
>    Endurance riding is fun and exciting. I would have loved to have 
> been one of the competitors today. But there are way more 
> recreational trail riders than endurance or CTRs using the trail 
> system. So we can't be rude to other trail users and not expect the 
> "power that be" to hear about it. That person that gets hurt because 
> of an endurance rider's unsafe behavior might turn out to be a 
> legislator's relative.
>    Kudos and good luck to all of the good sports out there. As for 
> the others----- I hope that they get sore butts, hives and blisters.
>               Vicky Smith

No kidding, Vicky, who wants to see "speed limits" on trails like 
they have in roller skating rinks, just because of a few bad apples!

We face this every year in putting on the Norco ride in what is 
mostly public parkland and city trails.  Riders are cautioned the 
night before about the need to share the trails, and the existence of 
not one but TWO rent strings in the area that let riders go out 
unguided.

We have never had a reported incident, but it's certainly something I 
brace for.  We do put signs up to warn that the ride is taking place, 
is sanctioned by the parks dept, etc.

Today we cleared low-hanging arundo (our pesty "bamboo") from a 
couple of miles of trail in preparation for this year's ride, a 
daunting task in 100+ weather.  It was interesting to observe the 
various groups of riders as they came by--some ambling, a couple of 
rent string groups, some boogeying and a few distance riders.  It was 
a new perspective for me.

Lately when I've been riding down there, I sing out "greenie!" when I 
think my darling Q is possibly contemplating a baby move like 
smelling the butt of the middle horse in a string as we're going the 
other direction.  We haven't had any incidents, but I think that 
mentioning it helps.

Lynne
at least you made it the first year!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=