adventurepdx,
You were kind enough to offer some local information. They were kind enough to not trouble you, since they had their own reasons for the route they were set on riding.
Yet, you decided to push the issue. That is were I see the initial rudeness.
Then you dish out even more rudness with your OP towards them.
(And bull-headed they were: they biked the Pacific Coast south-to-north!)
Your OP reads as if the situation was more about YOU than helping them out.
I admit I was a little frustrated by the reaction. I can understand being bull-headed, picking out a route, and not wanting to be swayed from the decision. (And bull-headed they were: they biked the Pacific Coast south-to-north!) But I guess I was hoping they at least humor me for maybe 2 minutes and listen to my route and why I thought it would be a better route than the one they were taking.