I lost my temper yesterday...and it ruined what should have been a nice ride...and a local commuter discussion.

This year Colorado Springs finished connecting two popular trails. There is a blind, narrow chicane under a roadway and four months ago a local man decided that is the perfect spot to lay down all day, every day. While there are plenty of destitute people who congregate under other overpasses they are visible at a distance, with occasional people or belongings blocking the trail. I have trained myself to stay calm and consider them as stationary pedestrians. Pedestrians seem to trigger politeness, and I have been successful in learning to treat loiterers the same way. And to report blocked paths on the city's reporting app/website which seems to get things cleared within a week or two.

But this is one of two blind chicanes I know of on the trail system, and this man is putting himself in danger and endangering unsuspecting cyclists.

I and others have repeatedly reported him to authorities and city representatives and spoken with him. But apparently the only things authorities can do is take him to a shelter where he is free to leave. Or hold him for observation for a day or two. But without more than a week's break he returns to laying on the pavement blocking half of it.

Yesterday morning for the first time he had a cohort blocking the other half.

Expecting just him, I honked, slowed, and squeezed past an even narrower opening. The added impediment caused me to turn around. I pleaded once again with this guy to find some other place as he was endangering himself and others...

...and that's when a wave of anger washed over me. I am usually aware that cycling raises adrenaline levels...and I can usually feel it coming and stop myself acting on it, but this time I just went on auto-pilot. I yelled and called him a selfish pr***. And then completely out of character I called 911 rather than using the city's app or non-emergency number. With both men within earshot I described the danger they put themselves and others in, and the repeated efforts I and others have gone through to persuade the one guy to stop his behavior, and the repeated reports of urine and feces.

I'd like to say I did this all in a calm and articulated manner, but I didn't...I raged. But I finally caught myself, finished the call and continued to work.

I thought I could "pedal out" the frustration, but before I changed out of my bike clothes it welled up again and I made a sequence of photos from the helmet cam to show authorities. After changing my anger rose again and I posted them to the local cycling advocacy group's Facebook page. I don't like turning it into a problem-reporting site, but that is what it is becoming with many others posting their frustration at this and other encroachments on the trail system. And it generated frustrated responses.

Even when I or others post nice ride pics and vids or praise the growing and improving bike infrastructure, things eventually devolve into frustration and anger (although it is the internet).

I hated how I felt and even more how I reacted and I hope I can remember how awful I felt afterwards so I don't lose my cool like that again, and don't let a momentary disappointment ruin my ride and my day and bring out the same in others. I seem to be able to shrug off more and more of these things, but yesterday morning it just got the better of me.

I was in a sour mood the rest of the day because of how I reacted.

For the ride home I chose a different route, but I will take the trail again and make a point of not reacting (unless the man is hurt, in distress or needs immediate help).

Not giving in to anger makes me feel old...but it is the right way to go.