[Geysers] OF Bike Rental - The Curmudgeon

Wed Apr 19 06:34:30 PDT 2006

 From Karen Webb
    I agree with a lot of the points Scott is making, but wasn't the 
original query about where you could rent bikes in the Yellowstone 
area?  I have an aggressive spam filter that often spams out things I 
want (like geyser stuff), but I haven't seen anyone mention that the 
bike shop in West rents all sorts of wheeled conveyances (at least, it 
did the last time I checked).  I don't remember the rates being that 
spectacular, although when compared with buying a good bike, they 
weren't awful.  I think you can rent by the week, which improves (or is 
an improvement over) the daily/hourly rate.
Karen
Of the various "road" hazards, has anyone mentioned the brain dead 
tourons (or, at least, the selectively-deaf tourons) who just don't want 
to share the tarmac?  We even got Zayne a bike horn with obnoxiously 
loud Klaxon-type sounds, and they *still* don't pay attention when he 
beeps it.  I've taken to just screaming "BIIIIIIIKE!!!!" when 
approaching, then politely saying if I'm the last or if there are more 
bikes coming as I pass.

TSBryan at aol.com wrote:

> The Curmudgeon has had few opportunities for comment recently -- until 
> now. Hoo, boy. This whole business of bike rentals at Old Faithful 
> raises so many red flags with me, so many that the following is only a 
> sample. Each of my comments here will refer to Mr. Getty's statements 
> in his e-mail of 4/18/2006.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "There will only be myself and one other Xanterra 
> employee renting bikes out, and I can assure you that I have a 
> detailed speech that I will require each bike rider to listen to 
> before turning them loose..."
>      Right. I don't know what the operating hours might be, but summer 
> in Yellowstone has wonderful daylight for up to 16 hours. So two 
> employees, 7 days per week will be awfully thin coverage, no matter 
> what. It demands that at times it will be a single employee on duty, 
> and there will then be times (like right after an eruption of Old 
> Faithful on a gorgeous day in July) when that person will be swamped. 
> The renters will be anxious to get on their way. Are they all going to 
> get the detailed speech -- I mean, honestly ? And of perhaps greater 
> importance, are they going to pay attention to a speech, any speech?
>  
> Mr Getty said: "I'll also be asking each group where they intend to 
> go, and how long they intend to be out."
>      I contend that this will be a largely-meaningless exercise. These 
> people in the vast majority will be going out into the geyser basin 
> for their first-ever time. They will not know where they'll be going 
> -- not really -- and even if they do, they're going to encounter a 
> geyser that "erupts late", or "there was a long line at the store", or 
> "well, we didn't expect to go all the way to Biscuit Basin, but..." 
> Will there be a penalty for late returns?
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "Your concern about injuries... there is no way to 
> eliminate all possibility of injuries... we should MINIMIZE it as much 
> as possible [emphasis mine]"
>      How cool. This statement basically says that there will be 
> injuries. Rental agreements or no, this is a huge concern that ought 
> to scare the National Park Service out of its wits.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "I've coordinate again with NPS and we've developed 
> some procedures for the bikers to minimize there[sic] exposure to 
> vehicles, and again we'll be going over... proper safety procedures."
>      Yes, about as effectively as the bear/bison/thermal safety 
> literature handed out at the entrance stations.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "NPS is even looking into lowering the speed limit in 
> what we anticipate to be the heavier biked areas."
>      How wonderful to see that the NPS already recognizes that were 
> will be traffic problems in what is already a traffic nightmare area. 
> And also that NPS is considering impacting the travel of thousands of 
> people in motor vehicles because of a potential 30 bicycles. Thank you 
> very much.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "... I've modified the rental agreement to state that 
> any infraction of the rules can result in a stiff fine by NPS."
>      These fines should be explicitly stated, point-blank. The 
> agreement should also note that any fine will be  -- not can be, but 
> will be -- per bike -- for example, four bikes at Grand Geyser, four 
> fines levied.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "Guests will be required to lock bikes when they leave 
> them."
>      This will be enforced by whom. Will all locks be keyed the same, 
> so that anybody could "adopt" a different bike while out in the basin. 
> How often will keys be lost and, in such a case, who will be free to 
> go to the bike's location with another key? Or whatever? Or how soon 
> will there be "extra" keys floating around "in the wrong hands"? 
> Combination locks? Surely you won't go that route.
>  
> Mr. Getty said: "Currently, our plan is to use the existing bike racks..."
>      Excellent. Like the broken 4-bike rack at Grotto, the no rack at 
> Daisy, at Riverside...?
>      I say, if there are to be as many as 30 rental bikes in the 
> geyser basin at the same time (possible) and if the renters of those 
> bikes are required to lock the bikes when they leave them, then there 
> ought to be at least 30 bike rack spaces at each of the major 
> attractions in the basin -- Visitor Center, Inn, Lodge, Stores, 
> Castle, Grotto, Daisy, Riverside, Morning Glory, Biscuit Basin, Black 
> Sand Basin -- at a minimum.
>  
> Well, I suspect that the bikes, all apparently Trek Navigator 200 
> models, will be identifiable as Xanterra rental bikes. Wonderful. 
> Because if I see a single one on a boardwalk, on the dirt trail beyond 
> Morning Glory or beyond Punch Bowl -- I know how to 1) use the FRS 
> radios and 2) file a formal complaint. And both will be done for any 
> and every violation I see. That's a promise.
>    
> I will comment to the NPS right here -- I see on the Yellowstone 
> Website, page about bicycling in the park, that there is the statement 
> that bikes are NOT allowed on the dirt trail beyond Morning glory 
> Pool. However, it does NOT state (or say anything whatsoever) about a 
> prohibition of bikes between Punch Bowl and Black Sand Basin.
>  
> My overall opinion of this program? I hope Xanterra loses its shirt.
>  
> I suggest responses to any of this be posted to the geyser list, 
> geysers at wwc.edu <mailto:geysers at wwc.edu>.
>  
> Thank you.
>  
> T. Scott Bryan
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>_______________________________________________
>Geysers mailing list
>Geysers at wwc.edu
>https://mailman.wwc.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers
>  
>

-- 
Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of Heaven... Drape thyself...in the silken
Vesture of Immortality, and put on, in the name of  the All-Glorious, the broidered
Robe of Light.