Amazing People You Meet on the Trails

knucklebuster

knucklebuster

Well-Known Member
Sure everyone comes across them all the time, but a few noteworthy from today's ride...

- A 92 Year old man hiking up Mathis trail, stopped to talk to him at the Car Wreck cut off. He said he used to bike here until a few years ago but had to quit because he couldn't afford to crash anymore. Hikes from Canyon Vistas to TOW 3 times per week. Nicest guy to talk to, such a motivator.

- A 56, or maybe 60 year old guy, looked 35, riding an Uzzi, rode from his house in Laguna Beach earlier to do a dogwalking job in Aliso Viejo, and was on his way back home near TOW. Think he was going down Telonix. Talked of the recent conditions of some of the knarlier Laguna trails, and I'd believe he does them regularly.

- Trail runner absolutely hauling ass down Rockit, even through the rock garden, didn't actually talk to him since he did not want to stop. Dude was moving, maybe going for the running KOM down Rockit?

- Three lady hikers going up Car Wreck trail, all chatty and happy like they do this all the time. Up Car Wreck, really? Is that a fun hike? They seemed to think so.
 
We see and hear a lot of anecdotes about run-ins with horses, but I had a pleasant encounter with "The Silverado Sheriff" and his posse a few Halloweens ago. They were a riot... And they asked to use my image in their local magazine. :D

Silverado Riders.jpg
 
Faust29 said:
We see and hear a lot of anecdotes about run-ins with horses, but I had a pleasant encounter with "The Silverado Sheriff" and his posse a few Halloweens ago. They were a riot... And they asked to use my image in their local magazine. :D
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That's a great photo but I gotta ask: what's the dude in the middle wearing on his head? A Roman Helmet?
 
Aviatrix said:
Faust29 said:
We see and hear a lot of anecdotes about run-ins with horses, but I had a pleasant encounter with "The Silverado Sheriff" and his posse a few Halloweens ago. They were a riot... And they asked to use my image in their local magazine. :D
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That's a great photo but I gotta ask: what's the dude in the middle wearing on his head? A Roman Helmet?
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I think he was trying to be a gladiator, but he came across more as the "hippie" of the group. They were a riot...
 
Hillbilly, tell the story about your romantic encounters with Nuns and Moto dudes! Maddog can fill in the spots you refuse to remember.....
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I saw a frail, ancient man walking in tiny steps, holding an empty cup. We were over by the shoulder of Half Dome. (You know if you've been there, that it's no easy feat to get there.) I had no water of my own to give. It was mid afternoon, and I wondered how this guy was gonna make it down, and sizing up his small pack, I figured no bivy was planned. He tells me, no problem, I'll just curl up over there aside that log and put a few boughs over me until morning.
 
Not long after I had gotten back into riding, I was headed up Silverado Canyon Road, solo as usual, and then Maple Springs thinking I'd get to at least 4 Corners and maybe Modjeska Peak. Not far into Maple Springs I ran into a guy who was probably 10 years older than me (I was 51 at t the time). He proceeded to give me the entire history of Silverado Canyon, Blackstar Canyon, Fremont Canyon, Lake Elsinore, his ex-wives, and his recent bout with cancer. I never did get his name, though. Interesting dude, and he had me gasping for breath to keep up with him. He mentioned he rode that route every week. I hope he's still at it.
 
Yesterday a rabbi jogged past me on a climb in the Santa Monica mountains. Really.

I was struggling up the hill when a fellow passed me. He was built for comfort, not for speed. Despite the fact it was in the 80s, he was wearing a sweatshirt and a cap. I then noticed the fringes from a prayer shawl under the sweatshirt. (Orthodox Jews wear these under their jackets.)

I talked with him a bit. Yes, he was a rabbi.
 
A few years ago climbing STT, just before reaching Old Camp about 7 miles up ran across a guy walking up the trail.
He had on a pair of shorts, a bed roll over his shoulder, no shoes hat or shirt. That trail must have hurt his feet!

Nice enough guy, looked odd for sure though.
 
Not far into Maple Springs I ran into a guy who was probably 10 years older than me (I was 51 at t the time). He proceeded to give me the entire history of Silverado Canyon, Blackstar Canyon, Fremont Canyon, Lake Elsinore, his ex-wives, and his recent bout with cancer. I never did get his name, though. Interesting dude, and he had me gasping for breath to keep up with him. He mentioned he rode that route every week. I hope he's still at it.
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Sounds like Floyd. If so then he is still riding, maybe not Maple Springs (its closed) but Blackstar a couple of weeks ago.
 
I saw the male version of Arya (Game of Thrones) eat dirt at Sycamore last Saturday. Rolled up and asked if we had a first aid kit. Made me think that his riding buddy coming up (no helmet, blonde hair) was a young Joffrey, but only his hair matched.
 
scottay said:
Hillbilly, tell the story about your romantic encounters with Nuns and Moto dudes! Maddog can fill in the spots you refuse to remember.....
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Since hill^billy is too much of a gentleman to "kiss and tell" :angel: I'll be glad to fill in the details! H^B, Scan and I were riding through Grassy Hollow on the way to Jackson Lake trail when we encountered a group of about 8 Nuns walking on the road! Highly unusual anytime but it was cold and windy so we were shocked that anyone was up there hiking let alone a group of Nuns! They were very interested in our bikes and where we were riding so H^B elaborated eloquently about our ride and where the Good Sisters of the Holy Singletrack should go hiking in the area. One of them asked H^B "That sounds confusing! Why don't you be our guide for our next hike so we don't get lost? Here's my phone number at the Abbey!" The Sisters reluctantly said their good-byes to H^B (totally ignoring me and Scan) and we resumed our ride. Don't know if H^B ever followed up on the trail guide request!

A quick post script to that story; A few months later, Scan and I were riding Blue Ridge trail, one of the trails recommended to the Nuns by H^B. We were about half-way down when we met the same group of Nuns hiking up the trail! They asked "Aren't you two the entourage for the really cute guy with the super muscular arms we met a while back?" We said "yes, we're his wing men"! "Where is he? He's so cute I just want to put him in my backpack and keep him!" We hated to disappoint the good Sisters but we had to tell them that H^B was not with us this time. They continued on the hike, their steps a little heavier!

The Moto Dudes encounter occurred at the Portugese Pass trailhead out of Kernville. There were about 8 of us on the ride and we had just finished the climb. As we were resting and snacking, about 4 Moto Dudes come roaring up on their dirt bikes. They were nice and friendly and we were all talking about trails in the area. As that got to be a little boring, H^B starts telling jokes and funny stories making everybody laugh! H^B was charming the Moto's chest protectors off! One of them says "Oh, you must be the cute, funny one of this group!" We all told him how right he was! The lead Moto guy invited H^B back to their cabin for some wine and a steam :shock: but Mikie stepped in and said "Sorry, he's our H^B and you can't have him!" so the budding bro-mance never got off the ground! Although that encounter took place about 3 years ago, H^B still gets a little nervous when he hears the distant roar of a dirt bike! :lol:

The moral of these stories which of course actually occurred without embellishment :? is that H^B will always be the most interesting, charismatic, humorous and vertically-challenged person that you'll ever meet on the trail! But he's ours and you can't have him! :lol:
 
Danimal said:
Maybe he's hanging at the rectory going by Father Hill^Billy at night....
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AND WHAT's WRONG WITH THAT!!!!!!!!!!!( red, huffing and puffing with deep rooted anger ready to snap at the right person I've been waiting for who attacks me for who I am!!!!!! A poser?) I love the internet! Sorry people, no rant here :lol: love this place.
 
Mikie said:
Bless me Father Hill^billy, for I have sinned.
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MIKIE WATSON! She might hit you with a stick, on the knuckles of course, for a little disclipinary action. Somebodys on to me. :lol: And don't be surprised if you see a pack of nuns, on mountain bikes cutting loose, hooting and hollering on the down hill run of Blueridge ;) .
 
hill^billy said:
Mikie said:
Bless me Father Hill^billy, for I have sinned.
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MIKIE WATSON! She might hit you with a stick, on the knuckles of course, for a little disclipinary action. .
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Arrgghhhh
Reminds me of my first 2 years of school. I was wacked on the knuckles and swatted with a paddle more times..... :shock:
Oh ya, and on multiple occasions had to bite a bar of soap too! :lol:
I thought those memories were buried for good......Thanks, not... :evil:


Maybe I wasn't the sweet little chap I thought I was :idea:
 
Stopped at the turnout after the little climb after the Luge today with Danimal. A group of 8 or so riders arrived shortly after us. One of them rides up and yells to his buddies "that was so fun!" He had one leg. Mucho respect, can't even imagine climbing up there nor coming down. Guy was obviously stoked to be out there.
 
knucklebuster said:
Stopped at the turnout after the little climb after the Luge today with Danimal. A group of 8 or so riders arrived shortly after us. One of them rides up and yells to his buddies "that was so fun!" He had one leg. Mucho respect, can't even imagine climbing up there nor coming down. Guy was obviously stoked to be out there.
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These kinda stories are good for my soul...thanks bud!
 
I had a blast yesterday riding up Lower Monroe Truck Trail, all due to a couple of guys I managed to overtake at the very bottom of GMR.

I had never ridden MTT, and didn't really want to attempt it alone. These two guys (both named Dave, both in their 50s like me, very cool) were more than willing to have an unkown trail them up the .... trail. Kept up a great banter, let me chime in, we had a great time. Made the climb so much more enjoyable.

I'm not one to ride in big groups, or even small ones, usually. I very much ride alone. But I have to give kudos to these guys, and if they're around on this forum, thanks again for letting me tag along.
 
Taking a break at the turn-around point above Old Camp at the end of Santiago Truck Trail today, a guy comes spinning up from Old Camp proper in the canyon. He stops to chit chat, happy and friendly and not too out of breath. Says he needs to keep doing this to stay in shape, and that he just turned 77 years old. Wow, much respect.
 
Taking a breather at top of Meadows trail in Aliso today, a guy (in flip flops no less) comes hiking up Meadows with his two dogs. Said he had lived in Laguna for 62 years and shared some pretty cool stories about the old days around there and what they did as kids for fun when they weren't surfing. One story, he said all the roads going up to and on the ridge were dirt, and they used to drive their 4wd truck up from the Laguna side then down a dirt road (pointing in the direction of Mentally Sensitive) and go "shooting" in the meadow. Sometimes they would get warning shots back from the ranchers tending the cattle herd down in the valley (bottom of Meadows and MS).

Great friendly guy, love running into people like that and hear about the good ole days.
 
Very cool, Dave. You reminded me of right after I moved to La Habra, we used to shoot right off the Fullerton Loop. It was a small range built by some of the Standard Oil/Chevron oilfield workers. There was even a trap house. Nowadays, you can still shoot in Fullerton. But you first have to learn hand signs, and the targets shoot back.

In the hills behind my house, you can poach some trails in the oilfield property and end up at an abandoned Nike base. My neighbor, who is no longer above ground, used to ride his trailbike there when access wasn't restricted, and bring snacks to the soldiers stationed there. Now you'll just find the remains of the concrete bunkers, longhorn cattle, and wandering horses. It's cool that the oil company still holds the land. As soon as they pull up stakes, there's sure to be a housing boom.
 
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