{"id":2458869,"date":"2020-05-26T23:20:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T05:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/15-reasons-why-the-cyclist-who-just-passed-me-couldnt-say-hi\/"},"modified":"2020-05-26T23:20:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-27T05:20:00","slug":"15-reasons-why-the-cyclist-who-just-passed-me-couldnt-say-hi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/15-reasons-why-the-cyclist-who-just-passed-me-couldnt-say-hi\/","title":{"rendered":"15 reasons why the cyclist who just passed me couldn\u2019t say hi"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

With most people these days looking as if they\u2019re either on their way to or returning from a bank robbery, I\u2019ve decided that, much like wearing an American-flag lapel pin after Sept. 11, 2001, saying \u201chello\u201d at a louder than usual though not quite menacing volume while simultaneously giving the air a forceful high-five slap as I pass others just feels like the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

Except lately there are signs pointing to not everyone \u2014 and bicycle-riders in particular \u2014 being on the same page about exchanging patriotic salutations. It may well be something in the water, because former Olympic cyclist and current Aspenite Scott Mercier even had to offer some etiquette tips in the May 22 edition of The Aspen Times after noticing what he characterized as a glut of riders on area roads, trails and paths in recent weeks acting like \u201cthat guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course it\u2019s an exaggeration for maximum effect to call all bikers \u201cthat guy\u201d \u2014 there are definitely plenty of women cyclists, too. While it\u2019s easy to pile on the Roaring Fork Valley\u2019s many (many) avid and likely overserved JUS Aspen customers on two wheels that cost more than your grandparents paid for their first house, during these uncertain times I choose to believe there are good and valid reasons why the more than 50 bikers who passed me a few days ago as I got in a final hike up Independence Pass before it opens to cars on June 1 couldn\u2019t say \u201chi\u201d in return, never mind even just turn their nose up at me in acknowledgement. You know, like they do during non-pandemic times.<\/p>\n

At the very least I knew they must be en route to something of critical importance, because all but one downhill rider failed to so much as announce their intention to pass. Don\u2019t cry for me Argentina, though, because eventually you become acclimated to jumping out of your skin while something on a heap of complicated metal whizzes by at 75 mph with zero warning, right? Or at least there\u2019s a pill for it, right? (Rhetorical question, duh: This is Aspen; of course there\u2019s a pill for it.)<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n