I was in the P-1-2 race that had the video footage which made the news.
The tack-throwers were at it all day; race volunteers did their best to sweep the roads clear of tacks as soon as flatted-out riders discovered the tacks lodged in their tires. Despite their efforts, it became apparent that the tack-throwers were hanging out somewhere at the course, walking around and discreetly littering the course with the carpet tacks.
You were more than in it! You made the podium!
I didn’t go down there, as I came down with a cold. I think we had 4 of 8 guys crash out or be crashed out due to tacks. Crazy!
I went to St. Mary’s College and did a lot of riding down in the area.
I know La Plata well, dated a girl from there for quite a while. You’re right though, drive through liquor stores are an overly common occurence.
It’s an odd mix down there between the local population, the influx of people for the Naval Air Station, the Amish and then some of the wealthy people with homes along the various waterways.
So pickup truck drivers in So. MD are less than polite.
Please allow me to apologize on behalf of all pup drivers across the nation for the assholes in MD; next time I see one, I’ll slap him and let him know that all Lycra clad bicyclists aren’t assholes.
most of the pickup driving folk in Southern Maryland.
Now you’ve gone on and exposed yerself as a Yankee elitist.
Ya’ll can say what you will, but you can’t hide your roots.
I honestly don’t know what you guys are talking about with this “Yankee Elitist” silliness. I’m from Central New York and 90% of the population up there are pickup driving tobacco-spit drooling inbred racist rednecks. There are ignorant hicks in all segments of this country. I’ll admit that I’m an elitist prick because I’m not a redneck, but it has nothing to do with being a Yankee.
PS the local NorCal rednecks near Winters CA put tacks on the road race course up there a couple of years ago as well. Redneck jerks everywhere offendin’ mah yuppie sensibilities I tells ya.
Well, first off, you know we’re buds and I was just taking a dig at YOU taking a dig. But you did say southern Maryland was part of THE SOUTH as if being part of THE SOUTH was an automatic indictment.
I do appreciate it, though. You inspired me. I’ve been driving around for a year now in my Honda Fit and saving the planet. After this dialog this morning I got in touch with my adopted Southern heritage. I went out and cleaned up my F-150 real nice. Even got a sunburn on the back of my neck while doin’ it. I’m gonna drive it to my next race. It’s a 4x4 with big honkin’ tires. For real.
That area of Southern Maryland is another world entirely, unfortunately this doesn’t surprise me.
I grew up in Southern Maryland and my father is one of the pick-up driving people you speak of. But I do agree that it is a different world down there. A very strange place actually. The redneck factor is quite high. I still ride down there frequently and really haven’t had many problems though.
Don’t make me post that barn photo, I am sure it is still on this site somewhere!
Being from the South isn’t an automatic indictment (but it’s close). But that area of Southern Maryland is a strange place. Some of the worst stereotypes about Southerners were more true there then in “deeper” south places I have been to, and you’re in freakin’ Maryland. But every area has it’s uneducated low lifes, even us Yankees up north.
I am a life-long Marylander, and have been in Mont Co since I was a small child, although I did live for a stint down in St. Mary’s from 92-95.
St. Mary’s geography plays a big part in limiting its contact with the outside world. Sitting at the end of a peninsula, the world is divided between “down the road” (ie, in the county) and “up the road” (everywhere else). The biggest game in town is the Naval Air Station at Pax River, which is the engine that drives the local economy. The county had about 75k people when I lived there, but is now up to 103k.
The irony of this story is that the drivers there are 25x more considerate to other motorists than up here in the big city. I do remember a story from about 15 years ago when I was down there of a cyclist killed by a drunk driver, but that is exactly the kind of thing that happens just about everywhere.
Frankly I would feel safer riding on the roads of St. Mary’s than just about any other place in Maryland, based on the lower level of traffic and the fact that not everyone is in such a freakin’ hurry all the time. (I would put Garrett Co/Deep Creek in the same category, but it’s so damn hilly!)
This is the second time this has happened in Maryland. About 4-years ago a triathlon in Northeast, MD had tacks on the bike course. This resulted in canceling the race for a couple of years but it now back on again.
Wow. I have ridden those roads, that is just pathetic. I have had full cups of soda, beer cans, beer bottles, a piece of brick, ect., thrown at me in southern Maryland. It is pathetic, especially since I am very respectful of other cars, but the idiot redneck level is overwhelming. I could go all day about this topic, but I will try to stay off the soap box.
