Cyclists discover spike strips on popular trail in Marin County

MARIN COUJNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Mountain bicyclists say they discovered an apparent booby trap device, with sharp screws anchored off a popular open space trail in Marin County.

Many cyclists feel it was meant to send a not so subtle message.

Wesley Barker and Dillion Sheppard hit their favorite trail in the White Hill Open Space Preserve, but they were on the lookout for booby traps.

Bicyclists say they found a 4-foot strip of rubber with 34 screws drilled through and anchored into the ground off a fire trial. "Pretty scary, I don't want to fall on that," Barker said.

"To know we could have hit something like that, bummer," Sheppard said.

The Marin County Sheriff's Department wants to know how it got there in an area considered private property, but used by hikers and bicyclists.

Jim Elias from the Marin County Bicycle Coalition says the spike strip was no mistake. "It could be they were trying to send a message, not an effective way to send a message," he said.

Elias points to growing animosity towards bicyclists who often share the same trails as hikers.

"They think all mountain bikers want to ruin the trails," Sheppard said.

"We've been sending a message, slow and say hello, share trails respectfully," Marin County Bicycle Coaltion Tom Boss said.

Sheriff's deputies and rangers will increase patrols on trails, but warn bicyclists and hikers to be on the lookout for anything strange.