LOOGOOTEE, INDIANA — There’s room for every user on the trail–but hiker Velma McLaughlin found someone earlier today who truly embodied that. Ms. McLaughlin encountered the unknown mountain biker coming towards her as she ascended a series of switchbacks up the hillside. She was completely caught off guard when the biker stopped and motioned for her to pass him.
“I was surprised that I didn’t have to jump out of his way,” Ms. McLaughlin says. “Usually the bikers are cruising along way faster than me, and lots of bikers get pumped with loud music so there are plenty of impediments to them yielding to hikers. I managed to stammer out a surprised ‘Thank You’ as I passed.”
Ms. McLaughlin continues, “He told me that trail rules are pretty clear about bikers yielding to hikers, and he liked to be courteous to others. Then he smiled and wished me a pleasant hike before pedaling away. Wish I would have expected that, I should have been way friendlier!”
The Hiking Times 