A tale of 2 Hikers... A short story of love, greed, understanding and ignorance.
I needed to get in a 4 hour ride today as part of our training for the 24-9, so I left the parking lot at Sunderbruch and hit K-up at about 6:55 this morning to do "The Full Mielke" lap- I'll explain that in another post.
I'm having a good medium paced ride, I came upon a dood with a dog hiking for a 2nd time- I apologized and he stepped out of the way and apologized to me- and said he was at fault! I slowed and said "oh no, man- no fault, we're just both enjoying the trails on a gorgeous morning- have a good hike." and he said back "You know, I do marketing and I ride road and MTB once in a while, and I am amazed at the incredible difference between the attitudes of road roaders and mountain bikers." To make this short- he said MTB'rs always say hi to him, ask him how he's doing or tells him to have a good day or whatever. This guy was VERY complimentary of MTB'rs in general. I assured him we have our times when we are less than polite, especially when someone is abusing the trail system- but other than that we try to be welcoming to anyone who wants to enjoy the trails under human power. We all know roadies that are awesome and mtbr's that ain't- but it was a very cool talk with a very cool dood.
And then... (buh dum) a little over 3 hours in... (buh dum, buh dum) I ran into... Buh dum buh dum buh dum... EAR BUD GUY!!!
Aw yeah, the weekly new person who doesn't care about anything or anyone but himself. Awesome.
We've all been this guy- prolly good at sports in high school, got out a shape, life got busy, etc, whatever, so he's looking for a sport that he can do that doesn't suck. We can all relate, we've all been there.
This guys a little big, not in very good shape, but he's trying and he's working it, so he gets full cred on my Karma Clipboard. He's also exiting the field crossing right before LT, right where it narrows down, with earbuds a blarin like the fart powered french horns in a Monty Python movie. 
EAR BUD MAN! (Taa ta ta TAAAAH)
So I yell "comin by on your left", of course he's the only one in the world that matters so he doesn't hear me, I yell it again LOUDLY- nothing, I roast by him at about half the speed I usually run there cause I'm way over 3 hours in.. meaning I am running way slow... and I scare the living bejeezus out of the guy. After rolling by, I point to my ear and shrug palm up with my right hand, which, as we all know, is the universal sign for "WTF, Moron! You are on single track and you are being unsafe and a Shlong so turn them down a little, if you wanna run the earbuds on high- stay on the blacktop where people can go around you without scaring the bejeezus out of you, and you aren't ruining everyone elses day by endangering us and being a whole bag of shlongs." Yeah- it's the universal sign for that.
So I do LT, Jubilee, Sugar Bottom and Watermelon pass- And here he is again, EAR BUD MAN (TAA ta ta TAAAAH) I yell twice, he can't hear me, I start around him yelling, scare the living crap out of him, he jumps off the trail, falls back into the trail narrowly missing me and knocking me off- just a shit show, a real dumpster fire. I Yell- "Dood, Turn your buds down!" and he answers like a 12 year old talking back to his mommy for the 1st time... I swear, it was so like that, he says... "I don't have to".
Sigh... so I do Rock Cut... and here he is again... EAR BUD MAN (TAA ta ta TAAAAH). He's at the fast, hard right on the green trail that we have to rebuild the drains on every few years, the one you just rail on the outside bank and use the momentum to get up the hill leading over towards palos... and he's walking along, taking up all the area there is, ear buds just making him feel like king of the mountain at walking speed. I yell, he doesn't hear, I rail the bank and go past him airborn, scaring the crap out of him YET AGAIN!
I finished my ride (4 hours and 20 Minutes) and didn't see this cat again. But I just bet he not only thinks I was in the wrong, he probably thinks I was passing him on purpose. He's prolly not a bad dood, but everyone, pretty please, if you are on single track, use one bud or roll the volume back so you can hear others. I know you have a right to run them as loud as you want, but having the right to be a shlong doesn't mean you should exercise that right.
BY the way- the trails were AWESOME!
EAR BUD MAN! (TAA ta ta TAAAH) Don't be that guy! 
Last edited by Vibrato; 06-11-2016 at 12:10 PM.
Believe in yourself? Well sure, of course. But be aware that "believing in myself" has been the root cause of most of my injuries.
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"I feel sorry for people who don't do this." -Badfish41- after bombing the Hermosa's at Levis Trow.
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