Tonight was a bit colder than I expected but enjoyed a mostly pleasant ride from work back to the car.
I checked the Garmin website this morning and found there was a software upgrade available for the 350. I downloaded it into my GPS, which took almost 2 full hours (!), but was pleasantly surprised to see it now displays more map info, INCLUDING other hams running APRS vehicle trackers like mine. More Geeky Stuff. Coool.
At the concrete surfaced bridge where the North Diversion Trail and the Hahn Arroyo Trail intersect, I first saw a bicycle leaning against the telephone pole, then spotted its scruffy rider a few feet away, just off the path, relaxing and smoking a cigarette. As I always do when passing a stopped cyclist, I asked him "Is Everything OK?" - About half the cyclists I encounter do the same when passing me when I'm stopped at the side of the trail for some reason. This guy? He immediately started screaming at me:
-"Am I all right?? Are YOU all right?"
-"Look at all those lights!!! What a bike!! What are you AFRAID of??"
I kept going, turning east on the bridge and realizing he wasn't being friendly at all, pedaled away. As I got farther and farther away, he screamed louder, and LOUDER, "What a bike!!! What are you AFRAAAIIID of?" I was close to a quarter mile away and I could still faintly hear him screaming at the top of his lungs.
I suspect he is a homeless guy who obviously goes off the deep end, easily, and has anger issues??? He reminded me of a homeless guy I encountered at a bus stop several years ago who, after a benign "Good Morning!" greeting, began ranting about how he was a lover of peace and world contentment, but couldn't seem to stop talking, repeating he was a peace loving guy, but slowly working himself into a screaming rage, shouting "I'll show them!! I'll KILL THEM ALL!"- repeatedly.
This was not long after one of the infamous mass murders in the news, and as I got on the bus I took out the cell phone and called the cops on him. Never heard anything more about the guy, so perhaps he was just a harmless screamer.
Most of the comments I get from passers-by are friendly and enjoyable. I have helped stranded cyclists with tire patches, CO2 inflation cartridges, etc, and others have helped me. First time I ever got such a nasty response to a neighborly question. "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
Evening stats from the GPS: Total Distance Miles: 7.85
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.6 Mph 10.3 mph 20.5 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
58:57 mins 43:15 mins 15.42 mins
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