Work was a quick wild dream. The day itself was a dreary overcast, drizzly day. I decided to bike in it - what the hell. It was dark, drizzling, wet, cold - but not freezing.

I enjoyed the entire 36 miles, until the last 1/4 mile on the trail ...I look up ahead..I see lights...what look like car lights. I was like...wtf is that? (in most parts of the trail...I am way out in the middle of nowhere, no access roads, just trees, deer, darkness...but tail lights..and headlights? I slowly approach and realized that it was a Police car. This police car was right in the middle of the bike trail (not much room to get around) - his headlights on some dude he was questioning. I Thought not too much of it..I was just gonna slowly approach and then sorta bike around (like a car pulled over on the highway). I get closer, the cop turns around and with his flashlight, pointing at me..and my headlights pointing at him...he says in this really loud authoritative voice "pardon me sir, can you please stop your bike, turn off your lights, keep your hands on your handlebars and show me your ID..." I was like wtf? OK...so I did what I was told - good thing I had some ID on me (...sometimes in the summer, I bike without my wallet..too heavy...but I do have emergency contact info on me).

So all of a sudden, I find myself there, with this other dude he was questioning (a deranged looking man, obviously drunk, looked lost)...and me...under some kind of suspicion (I later heard the call back from the dispatcher that the other dude had a whole slue of offenses..including an outstanding warrant). Meanwhile, the cop says to me, I need to see if you are not wanted somewhere else for something (implying all sorts of shit...), and calls the dispacher to give them my name, et al. "Sir, were you aware that the path you are riding on is within a state park, and all state parks close after dark?" I sort of shrugged my shoulders and said, "not really - but this is a regional park I think, no?" Meanwhile, he's flashlighting my bike and making comments about "what a fancy racing bike you have.. "(giving me the impression that he was being semi-sarcastic for implying that I stole it or something).

Right at about that same time I said this, three other cyclists came roaring up the same hill as I did wondering wtf was going on - all with lights on, flashy bike gear - all out of breath; looked like I was the missing quadruplet in the pack. The officer about shit his pants wondering what this was about, gets on his radio, said he may need backup. Until he heard a few of the other cyclists ask "...what's going on?, why is there a car in the ...oh wait..it's a police car...." We all were bewildered as to what to do. The cop ran a radio check of each of our drivers licenses, then after 10 minutes each, said "you are free to go...just keep this in mind..". I continued on...just about a block before I got off the trail - wondering to myself...sheesh...am I going to get hassled by the "man" everynight now? Unsure what to do, if I should keep biking, or just ignore the "..just keep this in mind" comment, whatevva that means. I did not get a "warning" nor a ticket...or anything. Just a "you happenned to be out here, we checked your ID...yer clean...and btw, this park may be closed after dark (little unclear on that...afterall..the park is a regional park...runs through 3 counties, 4 cities..and is part of public domain, where people walk dogs, jog, commute). Every night, I see tons of people out on the trail - and some do it because they commute.

Just aggravating to think that I may have to bike on the streets if this is the case - assholes. Hell, I am street legal - with lights, flashers, and I have an assortment of safety things, cell phone, ID, tools, et al. I find this really ironic after yesterday, talking with the Friends of the WO&D. We are harmless to why they think we are any threat. Rolls my fricken eyes, Oy fricken vay.

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