My first REALLY BAD Endo

[original_sinner]

(Rant #1) OK...It finally happened. I endo'd right over the handlebars, tucked and rolled, and still managed to dislocate my elbow. Boo hoo...Whatever...

(Rant #2) How? Was it on some really Phat downhill where I misjudged my track and stabbed my FW? Oh no...nothing that cool...it was on the greenbelt when I went to pass a group of Fat Middle-aged Yuppies (If they are any of your parents, you have my deepest sympathy). Coming off a side trail near the rock garden, I called out my usual "Biker coming thru to your left".....No physical response....just 4 huge OBSTINATE butts across the trail who refused to budge. Annoyed (read PISSED) I jumped off trail into a grassy area and hammered by them on the right. Short story version, there was a rain rut about a foot deep hidden in the grass (read rookie-level mistake). Three rolls and a few EDEMA later I was standing in front of these good folks popping my elbow back into joint "Lethal Weapon" style. (end of rant 2)

Summary: Kept my temper and gave them a short speech on trail etiquette. Rode out to my car parked at Zilker went home and iced up the arm (not to mention some brewski's). Rested up and then went riding again that afternoon. (went to the doc yesterday) I've endo'd before, but generally have seen it coming and have managed to walked away with scapes and bruises. I didn't see this one coming until I was already launched and falling.

Look, I know it's our responsibility to look out for peds, but they have a responsibility to COOPERATE with us too. Does anyone know of an austin discussion group for hikers and bikers to air out their feelings?? It felt like Mopac on the greenbelt last Saturday. Any similar experiences in this group? Or am I the only bozo?

Nyuk, Nyuk...that's all Kids!


P.S. My Cinder Cone came thru OK. Just had to readjust the front brakes.....Wotta BIKE

[toonces]

Dude, that sucks. I've had toes and thumbs pop out of place, but never an entire half limb. Hope it ain't serious.

About the hikers. Not really much can be done about that type of encounter. It happens and it happens often. Especially on weekends and holidays. I've come across hikers just standing with blank stares in the middle of the trail. They look at me, they look away, they don't budge. I even nearly ran into a nice fella who decided to pause, watch me start creeping down that steep chute next to the log bench, and then start climbing up the damn thing while I was in the middle. I usually never resort to name calling but, f*ck, what a moron.

I think the people that are experienced with multi-use trails will know what to do and know what to expect. The others will jump to their left when you yell, "On yer left!"; will stand in the middle of a climb and gawk at you; will jump to their right when you yell, "On yer right!"; will walk four-up down the singletrack; will sit down and have a picnic in the middle of the trail; will let their dogs poop on the singletrack; will let their kids play in the dirt in the center of the trail; will -- you get the idea. Unfortunately, newbie fever can't be avoided on the mighty Greenbelt. Uggg.

[TechniKal]

The greenbelt is too crowded. I only ride it at night or during the middle of a weekday - and even then I tend to stay on the offshoots.

However, I will say this. I used to live on the GB and spent quite a bit of time on it. I had many, many more bad encounters with stupid assed bikers than I did with stupid assed hikers. Whether hiking or riding, I've been run into by inattentive riders, I've been passed by wannabe racer boys flying balls to the wall 1/4 mile from the Zilker Trailhead in traffic with tons of kids around, I've been yelled at by helmetless dufusses who don't understand what a shared trail is... Even though the vast majority of riders out there are smart and play by the rules, there are enough stupid asses out there that I can -completely- understand why hikers would have such a bad image of mountain bikers.

Sadly - Walnut Creek is becoming the same way.

[Cosa Nostra]

The crowds are exactly the reason I don't ride the Greenbelt unless it is early in the morning. I also agree with you on Walnut Creek becoming the same way. When I started riding there a year ago I only mentioned it to the people I ride with because it used to be fairly quiet. Unfortunately word has got out about it and now the crowds of hikers/bikers are there, although the hikers seem a little more aware of what's going on around them. I think the crowds are probably the reason I'm starting to go all the way out to Muleshoe on the weekend, I live in North Austin so it's a hike. We need to start lobbying for more trail access as mountain biking becomes more popular to help reduce the crowds and the use of the trails. Although you still run into clueless people out at Muleshoe, as this weekend I nearly colided head on with somebody who was going the WRONG WAY around the loop.

[dan]

We (mtb'rs) should all be ambassadors of the trails no matter how congested they may be with peds/hikers. We must'nt become so emotional to allow trail rage to set in. Since we knowingly and willingly share the trails, let's put our best smiles on and, with whatever level of courtesy we can muster, try to educate some trail manners to those on foot. We won't win the image issue otherwise.

[dburatti]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra
The crowds are exactly the reason I don't ride the Greenbelt unless it is early in the morning. I also agree with you on Walnut Creek becoming the same way. When I started riding there a year ago I only mentioned it to the people I ride with because it used to be fairly quiet. Unfortunately word has got out about it and now the crowds of hikers/bikers are there...

And everyone else that rode it also only mentioned it to the people they rode with.

[J]

My frustration comes from seeing people use public trails somewhat successfully in other countries.

In The Netherlands and Germany, the populations are generally more denser than ours. Thus, hikers and bikers have to share trails, as we do. However, unlike (uh oh rant coming on) us priviledged Americans who use these trails strictly for recreation, they use them for transportation.

In short, like most public highways over there, slower traffic stays to the right and you pass on the left when it's clear. When I ride on public trails, wherever they may be, people dont walk / bike on the right side of the trail - they're all over the place! Another problem is walkmans (walkmen?). People can't hear you unless you yell at them to move, albeit politely, and that's not usually taken well.

I try and be as considerate as possible while maintaining a reasonable, but not unsafe amount of speed on my bike. I ride on the right side, and try and sneak around people on the left.

[piers]

...After the sun goes down, is the best time to ride there to avoid the crowds. If you're good with early mornings, that's good too.

I agree -- we must be polite and smile when we can, so that bikers don't get a scorning looks from those on foot, even when we're thinking "What a dumbass...".

I used to have one of those little bells [until I smashed it off], which, silly as it looked, was actually very useful on the Greenbelt, especially in the Spring when the greenary is to tall that seeing around corners on the mail trail is difficult.

Did you have a bell on your bike when you were little?

[original_sinner]

However, I will say this. I used to live on the GB and spent quite a bit of time on it. I had many, many more bad encounters with stupid assed bikers than I did with stupid assed hikers.

I have to agree. Since blowing out my arm, I've been riding the Mopac - Pleasant Valley Road loop on Town Lake (hey..I'm desperate to ride OK?) and I must say the majority of bikers are riding way too fast for the conditions. Last night I almost got rear-ended by 2 wannabees (I was slowing for a group of peds) and came damn close to a head on after dark with this lampless clown who zipped in from a side trail.

For the most part my greenbelt experiences have been pretty positive with maybe a few exceptions (excluding Saturday). I really love the place and would hate to see it get a bad rep.

I don't live close enough to WC to get out there during the week, but if I could that's probably where I'd go. It's pointless riding TLHBT at peak hours and on the weekend.

Toonces - The arm's a lot better. Just moved some things around that aren't supposed to move. I'll be back on the greenbelt in a couple of weeks.

[Jeff]

I climb as well as ride and after very few trips to the greenbelt I found other places to do both. Ain't nothin going to change the fact that it's way to crowded and often loud there to pretend that your communing with nature.

[original_sinner]

I climb as well as ride and after very few trips to the greenbelt I found other places to do both.

Yes, but where else do you find a place like this so close to the center of a city? If you ask me it's a real gem.

[Hugh]

Early Sunday (before 9) you only see the occasional cross country runner and they understand trail ettiquette.
I got to ride in Durango last summer. I yielded the trail as you get used to having to do that here. The hikers in Durango looked at me like I was crazy. It was a neat experience. Too bad we can't all cooperate on the trails here.

[Austin Bike]

I'ved found that "excuse me" works a lot better than "on your left" with peds on the trails.

Maybe they think "on your left" means that there is room to get through. "Excuse me" pretty much means "get the hell out of the way" and people seem to understand this.

My .02

[the Inbred]

Originally posted by original_sinner


Yes, but where else do you find a place like this so close to the center of a city? If you ask me it's a real gem.

REI has a climbing wall, and i'm sure they'd let you test ride the bikes....heh...

sorry...long day.