Hash marks

With the heavy rain last night, I'm sure the Salem Creek Greenway will be flooded at the concrete ford. The Salem Lake Trail will probably be soggy and shouldn't be ridden to prevent ruts from forming.

I'm a retired Navy guy. On the Navy enlisted blue dress uniform on the lower portion of the left sleeve, you may see a patch with diagonal slash marks on it. For every 4 years served with good conduct, a sailor earns a good conduct medal and ribbon. For each subsequent good conduct award, a silver star is added to the medal and ribbon. In addition, the sailor earns one red slash mark for every good conduct award. For as long as the sailor maintains at least 3 consecutive good conduct awards, the stripes are changed from red to gold. Sailors have traditionally referred to these slash marks as "hash marks." They also use the term "hash marks" when referring to slash type markings on anything, including underwear.

On yesterday's bicycle ride on the Salem Lake Trail, I started seeing "hash marks" on the surface of the trail. These are the short black slash marks caused by a bicycle tire skidding due to its wheel being locked down by the brakes. You usually see the marks on downhill sections of the trail, in curves, and especially in downhill curves. Sometimes there are accompanying marks indicating a crash. I have had my share of making unintentional "hash marks," both on the trail on my underwear. It pays to slow down in curves, especially when on a dry hard-packed cinder trail because once you began sliding on it, it's similar to being on black ice.

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