I won’t even use the trails here for biking in the daylight. There’s nowhere safe from the horrors of family bikers who ride in duck lines, Lance Armstrong wanna-bes who think they are reasserting their manhood to get over their mid-life crisis, and menopausal banshees who are trying to make up for 40+ years of shitty living by power-walking in groups.
[QUOTE=Trakehner;4787226]
The C&O Canal can be a challenge…fishermen, bikers, hikers, lots of dogs and even kayakers. There is the usual jerk contingent but most people are pretty good to deal with.[/QUOTE]
We park just outside of Harpers Ferry at the Dargan Bend lot, and ride NW towards Hancock. There are much less of that lot on that part of the C&O, we’ve ridden there a few times and not run into anyone. But then, we tend to ride the C&O in the winter and late fall, to keep our gaited boys conditioned during the seasons that a lot of the good bridle paths are wet and/or closed.
One note though, if you have an extra tall trailer don’t try to go under the bridge at Sandy Hook to get to Dargan Bend. Go the long way around. Trust me. 
Done! Thanks Shelby :yes:
[QUOTE=HydroPHILE;4787862]
Because I know the trail and bridge of which you speak (being a cyclist myself,) THANK YOU FOR POSTING THAT! I will now forward it onto every single SCT group of which I am a member.
I cringe every time I see a cyclist come zooming up behind [normally well-trained] horses, and I slow down…just WAITING for something to happen.
There are many rude and pretentious cyclists on the SCT that will crash into slow-moving pedestrians, cut them off, etc. and then sneer/yell at them.
This past weekend we were biking. We had stopped to take a water break (off the trail,) and a family of three had just stood up and were standing slightly on the edge of the trail to fix their son’s backpack. A cyclist came flying head-on to them and then cut to the side at the last minute flailing his arm at them and shouting, “DON’T YOU KNOW THE RULES OF TRAFFIC?! JESUS CH***T!!” As he approached a woman, obeying the “rules of the trail” - going slow, enjoying the view, pedaling her speed on the FAR right, he zipped past her and cut her off shouting, “GET OFF THE TRAIL!”
I have, however, found that for every pretentious you-know-what on the SCT, there are five respectful cyclists 
We ran across some Road-Jerks out in the middle of the country in northwest Georgia. Instead of riding on the right side of the road/as close to the side as they can get, they were riding right down the center line (I guess they thought they were safe doing so in the country.) I waited until traffic cleared and went around them, almost driving on the left shoulder. Two of the cyclists glared at me and shook their heads. Really? You’re riding in the middle of the road, and you get mad at us drivers who go WAY around you to avoid hitting you? Geez.[/QUOTE]
I know that trail well, as I live within shouting distance of it. Also my husband is a road cyclist (and he started long before Lance Armstrong’s name was ever in print). He HATES the Silver Comet Trail and only rides it at the crack of dawn. His complaint is it’s too crowded with novices on bikes, for one, but particularly oblivious breeders who block the entire trail by lining up strollers side-by-side and damming up traffic behind them.
Another beef - and riders need to watch out for this as well - is dogs on those damned “retractable leashes”. Usually the owner is on the left side of the trail and the dog is opposite, with said “leash” strung like a trip wire across the trail.
Well, looks like good is already coming out of this.
I revised/updated my Cyclists & Equestrians Flyer and sent it to:
–The Silver Comet Depot bike store
–Bike Cobb.org
–Atlanta Cycling.com
–Atlanta Bike.org
Mr. Joe Seconder from Bike Cobb.org wrote back right away, promising to post it on the websites and did! http://www.bikecobb.org/horse-sct
He also recommended I send it off to Cobb County Goverment’s “Safety Village.” Doing that now.
I also have Rebecca from Atlanta Bike.org doing the same thing on their website shortly.
Soooo, maybe just maybe, the word will spread. Methinks I’ll also approach Paulding DOT to see about posting signs at the bridges directing others to WAIT for Horses to Cross 
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;4787877]
YOU LIVE! :o Where you been girl? 
[/QUOTE]
The answer to that question is a whole lot of negatives (car accidents…yes “accidents,” family deaths, and illnesses,) but things are better now.
Keep Cobb Clean is also the organization that is in charge of “adoptions” of the SCT to whomever wants to “adopt a section” to keep clean, etc. They might want “in” on any PSAs.
INDEED! I think it’s rude that when I (not a novice cyclist, but definitely NOT pro, etc.) bike, and I shout “ON YOUR LEFT!” I am met by no one moving, no one paying attention, strollers or walking 4-across the trail. :\
I hate retractable leashes! For the most part I’ve run across responsible dog owners, but otherwise - ugh!
I have, however, found that for every pretentious you-know-what, there are five respectful cyclists
That has been my experience as well. I ride in a state park where cyclists are aplenty. I noticed that hardcore cyclists are respectful and educated while weekenders are entitled, rude and generally obnoxious. For instance, if I ride on a weekday I can use any trail and 99% of the time I’ll run into cyclists who are nice and easy to deal with while if I ride on the weekend I need to stay on the “hard” and difficult trails or I’ll run into a plethora of morons on bikes who aren’t in shape to ride on the challenging trails and stick to the fire-roads.
Well, sent “warning sign” query to Georgia DOT, since local DOT kept kicking me out… I’ll let you know what happens
Misty,
Where are you trail riding??
Agree - The mountain bikers are always very considerate.
The road cyclists, well, not so considerate.
[QUOTE=mzpeepers;4788568]
I noticed that hardcore cyclists are respectful and educated while weekenders are entitled, rude and generally obnoxious. For instance, if I ride on a weekday I can use any trail and 99% of the time I’ll run into cyclists who are nice and easy to deal with [/QUOTE]
Same thing on the SCT and other Greenways.
I try to ride as much as possible during the week, after work. I only ever run into pleasant people then.
Oh my goodness! Thankfully you, your horse, or those idiotic cyclists aren’t hurt. Some people dont have the common sense. A large animal is VERY powerful!!
And mine is quite large! She’s a Clydesdale/Standardbred Cross.
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;4789484]
And mine is quite large! She’s a Clydesdale/Standardbred Cross.[/QUOTE]
Lol! They BETTER give you the right of way!! Or they will find out what a 1500(?)-pound horse butt can do to them!
By the way, she is very pretty.
I have idiot and oblivious dog owners with Muffy and Binky on those retractable leashes have their organ donor dogs come up to my mule. “Uh, you don’t want him near the mule, he doesn’t like dogs”…and they’re oblivious and chatting away. “Uh, you REALLY don’t want your dog coming up to my mule!”…and they’re still oblivious and chatting away. “Get your bloody &$&^%^% dog away from us!!!” “HUH?” is their usual response…“C’mon Muffykins and Binkypoo…stay away from that dirty mule”. Sigh…he’s got one fox to his credit already, maybe a few brain dead barkers might add to his record? Fun riding a “hit mule”.
Gosh, I’m glad I ride in the middle of no where…
I’d rather take my chance with a crazy in the woods, than the clueless surburanites… (joking)
Thank you! :yes:
[QUOTE=endurancegirl_15;4789536]
By the way, she is very pretty. ;)[/QUOTE]
She’s a fabulous gal to ride, to groom - everything, too!
Being a gelding person, Penny and Tank are the only two mares I can stand - lol.
[QUOTE=Trakehner;4789596]
…he’s got one fox to his credit already, maybe a few brain dead barkers might add to his record? Fun riding a “hit mule”.[/QUOTE]
oooo I want a “hit mule”. That’s definetly what I need in my neighborhood! :yes:
Respectfully disagree
Yes, it was created for horses, but it’s still open space and still maintained because it’s now a state NRMA, and as such is open to multiple users. If it weren’t for being an NRMA now, it would be gone, so try to appreciate that sharing it is just part of the deal for still being able to ride (anything, bike or horse) there.
I LOVE Fair Hill, both as a rider and a biker. The bike groups that are based in that area, like the Delaware Trail Spinners, work very VERY hard to educate members and new riders about riding responsibly and how to act around horses. They also do a ton of volunteer trail maintenance that horseback riders get to enjoy (I’ve yet to see any horsey folk out there cutting back briars or clearing deadfall for themselves…)
Yes, there will be a few idiots on bikes (just like there are always a few idiots in cars) but there will also be a few idiots on horses. When you see someone on a horse that’s losing its mind because of the bikes – even when the bikes are doing all the right things – you wonder why that rider would put their horse in a situation it isn’t yet prepared to deal with. Just like you wouldn’t point a green horse at a 4-foot triple and expect it to jump; you shouldn’t take a horse who isn’t yet comfortable around bikes to a trail area that’s teeming with them.
Rider responsibility is definitely the key word on BOTH sides of the equation.
