While sitting at the trail head a couple rides up to the map that is behind us. They look to be in their late 40s to early 50s, and clearly kinda lost.
They look at the map for a second before turning around and heading down another trail just past us.
The guy quickly zoomed up the little hill before the tail started and disappeared down the trail.
The lady struggled to hop on the bike and skip her way up the hill before following the guy.
"I noticed Hause was leaving the girl behind," Erik commented.
"Yeah. He has a big electric bike and left her with the crappy old bike he doesn't want to ride anymore."
"Haha, yeah, the big guy wasn't about to work hard."
"Haha."
I know we seem kind of crass and mean, I understand that some people would scorn people that make fun of others behind their backs.
But I think it is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Since I expect the same to be done to me. People need a form of catharsis to release their thoughts and emotions about a person or people.
I won't say it to someone's face unless it is something that person needs to hear. I think this falls more into the guy's nature though.
Because my friends and I in middle school used to eat at the same lunch table, and the only thing we would do was insult each other. We even got creative with it and started using the vocab and spelling words for the week.
Yeah, we were the geek squad, and I'm proud of that fact.
I suppose I don't feel any remorse about insulting people because it was just something I grew up with.
Big deal, get over it. That type of thing.
Anyway while Erik and I were sitting there still talking, that same guy on his eclectic bike came riding up the connector trail from the bottom to the top.
Wizzing his way over he stops a little ways away, and gives himself an airy satisfied laugh.
Both Erik and I were looking at him, then simultaneously we looked at each other and made eye contact.
Erik immediately asked, "Ready to go, Alphonse?"
"Yep" I replied eagerly.
Then we both hopped to it and started riding down the trail.
Over the first few rollers, around the next few berms, over the few rock jumps, down the couple of rock drops, and finally around the last couple of berms. The trail feeding out into the trail at the bottom of the mountain.
As we slowed our pace and could finally talk again we both broke out into laughter.
"Haha, dude I can't believe that." Erik started.
"Haha, yeah, the guy totally left her behind" I laughed.
"Left her behind? Dude I couldn't even see her anywhere down the trail. He completely ditched her."
"Yeah, and that satisfied little h–" I almost choked on my words when I realized we were riding up on a lady riding in front of us.
As we rode closer I was relieved to see that it was a different person.
The weight in my chest was alleviated.
When we rode past we gave the courtesy greeting, "Hello, how's it going?" and we kept on riding.
When we got out of ear shot we cracked up again.
"Holy shit dude, I thought that was her!" I exclaimed.
"I know so did I. I thought he really left her behind."
"Anyway, did you notice how when he got to the top of the hill he had that weird satisfied little laugh. Like he was happy with himself?" I questioned again after being cut off earlier.
"Yeah. I knew we had to leave because I knew it was about to get really awkward.
Because when she shows up she is not going to be happy."
"No, she isn't. I wonder if he meant to do that. Like that was his wife and she said that she wanted to come along and he couldn't say no, but his get away is biking. So with her invading his thing he did that to turn her off of it?"
"Yeah, I don't know. But it still isn't a good thing to do regardless."
"Well yeah, because you don't know if she got hurt or lost or anything. Plus it is just a rude thing to do. If you are riding with someone then you are RIDING with them."
"Yeah, I just don't understand people like that."
"Me neither." I agreed.
As we made our way back up the mountain to do another loop we didn't see the lady at all. Even when we reached the top there was no sign of her or the guy.
"I guess she isn't still walking up the hill." I said.
Erik responded, "I really thought we were going to run into her."
"Yeah me too!"
Erik and I managed to do a few more loops before we decided that it was time to head out. We still have a long ride out and we have to have the energy to make it out.
Along the ride out Erik made the comment, "What if we get to the parking lot and that lady is standing there with her bike like, he packed up the car and left me here."
"Ha, she would be on the phone with her lawyer so fast."
"Oh yeah, though it would be kind of funny if she met a cool bike guy there and they just went home together instead."
"The karma would be great."
Once we managed to get out of the woods and back to the parking lot.
I noted, "Looks like she isn't here, I guess he did wait."
"Yeah. though on a more serious note if she was still here. I would have seen if she wanted a ride somewhere."
"Well yeah, we can make jokes and all that, but if someone really needs help then we'll help."
"Yeah, I don't know what we would have done about her bike but at the very least we could have taken her somewhere."
"Yep."