READ: Rope Mill Creepy Dude

[MrUnderhill]

@ mr. underhill- where exactly is this?

just past the beer stop there was a pic a nic shelter. just past that was the pickle parking lot.

[gmm]

Just a quick update to all. We've been in contact with the Parks & Rec Director, Preston Pooser, on this matter and he gave us this response:

We replaced the Porta-Jon at Rope Mill this morning and we are stepping up police patrols. Please pass this on to your members and ask them to please call 911 if they see or hear anything suspicious. Please also have them call my office (678) 517-6788 if they see any maintenance issues (like the holes in the porta-jon) so we can address it immediately.

[ScubaCruz]

Just a quick update to all. We've been in contact with the Parks & Rec Director, Preston Pooser, on this matter and he gave us this response:

We replaced the Porta-Jon at Rope Mill this morning and we are stepping up police patrols. Please pass this on to your members and ask them to please call 911 if they see or hear anything suspicious. Please also have them call my office (678) 517-6788 if they see any maintenance issues (like the holes in the porta-jon) so we can address it immediately.

Good job Gary. Thanks for working with the land manager on the problem.

Thanks Preston also for the quick response and helping us with solutions.

Everyone, please don't stop riding Rope Mill. Be assertive, safe but assertive. It's our park to enjoy and we're there to make it a better place for families and the law abiding community. I've always seen it work this way... the more of us that use a park or trail for what it's there for, the better it will be for everyone, and in turn, the less favorable it'll be for those that are there to break the law; whether they're cruising, hooking, dealing, littering or vandalizing the place. They will move on to other secluded locations. Our presence is a huge deterrent!

[AirborneGuy]

Tom Triplett Park down here in Pooler used to be that way. The couple of times I was there they had the road going to the back parking lot blocked off (that's where the "cruisers" would meet). I totally agree with spkell. I have no problems with it, but there are lines that can be crossed for all ***, hetero and asexual people, ha.

[chromohero]

[climbs on soapbox]
I'd like to point out there is a difference between consensual sex between adults and what happened to the OP, which was wrong, scary, and illegal. Stalking and intimidating someone is not ok--gay or hetero.
Obviously, it's not legal to get it on in the park, but gay people got a right to hook up just like the other 94% of us.
Live and let live. Nobody has crossed the line yet, but I personally wouldn't want this to turn into a gay-bashing thread. I wouldn't want SORBA or MTB'ers associated with hate.
ok, climbing down

[gtguy]

[climbs on soapbox]
I'd like to point out there is a difference between consensual sex between adults and what happened to the OP, which was wrong, scary, and illegal. Stalking and intimidating someone is not ok--gay or hetero.
Obviously, it's not legal to get it on in the park, but gay people got a right to hook up just like the other 94% of us.
Live and let live. Nobody has crossed the line yet, but I personally wouldn't want this to turn into a gay-bashing thread. I wouldn't want SORBA or MTB'ers associated with hate.
ok, climbing down

+1 on the roll

Paulding Co. parked patrol car at Tabor. That and some heightened awareness (calling the po-po if there were suspicious characters) seemed to curtail the "lunch" crowd.

[dgjessee]

I'm just glad it wasn't one of the younger solo awesome guys/girls I see ripping up the trails (maybe high school?) that this happened to. Overall I'm mad I didn't have the wherewithal to launch a bike tool through this guy's windshield, but at least it's front and center with the city now. I'm not gonna stop riding any park, and this certainly isn't the scariest place I ride (cough, "secret trails" near Mountain Industrial Blvd.). I really appreciate the parks and rec department stepping up to make sure everyone feels safe at their park facilities and I also appreciate the Cherokee County PD for being very responsive, respectful, and seemingly eager to help end that sort of nonsense in their city.

Can we get USACE to approve the connector trail though so I can park at the Blankets Church and still ride Rope Mill....? it's a safety thing now

[iride]

those trails do not exist. no need to reference that which does not exist.

[chet]

I rode the trails at Rope Mill Fri afternoon for the first time in a few months. I have to say I was a little on edge the whole time I was there. Of course it was mostly other bikers, families etc but I did see one creepy guy just hanging out on the bench near the bridge.

I did get in a good ride and the trails were great as always (1st ride at Rope Mill since I ran over my bike there on New years eve so I had to conquer them).

I did witness something unusual in that as I was leaving a car pulled in the lot and set up for a Bikini model photo shoot on the hood of a convertable in the parking lot. She was hot and totally not what I was envisioning for my trip.

[Mark D.]

I rode the trails at Rope Mill Fri afternoon for the first time in a few months. I have to say I was a little on edge the whole time I was there. Of course it was mostly other bikers, families etc but I did see one creepy guy just hanging out on the bench near the bridge.

I did get in a good ride and the trails were great as always (1st ride at Rope Mill since I ran over my bike there on New years eve so I had to conquer them).

I did witness something unusual in that as I was leaving a car pulled in the lot and set up for a Bikini model photo shoot on the hood of a convertable in the parking lot. She was hot and totally not what I was envisioning for my trip.

i wonder how many people who saw you checking out the model have since labeled you a creepy dude??

[samdog]

The first time I rode Rope Mill (October '11) I asked some dude sitting on one of the benches where the trail went that goes over the bridge. He said he didn' know, so I went and explored it, to the right. It wasn't long when I realized that it was not meant for bikes. I turned around, and guess who was standing there staring at me with a big smile? That same guy, on foot. He followed me in there. I, being polite, said, "oops, not meant for bikes" and hauled @ss around him back to the parking lot. He was yelling something at me, as I peddeled away with images from the movie "Deliverance" going through my head. After reading this post, I realize that this is an issue here. It was in the middle of the week around lunch time. I have since seen him there on several occasions, and I have also seen him at Blankets, wandering around on foot. Creepy looking guy in late 40's, possibly Hispanic, and always wears a Braves baseball hat. Be careful.

[grog]

Maybe this should be posted at the kiosk . . .

[Desert Soldier]

And THAT is why I open carry.

[bikephan]

And THAT is why I open carry.

get'em killer.

[Bushman]

When seconds count, the cops are only minutes away....just sayin'

The best defense is situational awareness, and this coming from a guy who BELIEVES in self-defense...