[Darth Lefty]

I posted a version of this on bikeforums but you are a different enough audience you might have a different enough take.

I found a water bottle on the trail today, and dear reader, I kept it. It was on a brief steep and rocky portion of the dirt path parallel to the MUP on Lake Natoma, by China Wall about a mile east of the Sac State Aquatic Center. It's Specialized bottle but it's not special. I'd only seen one other mountain biker this morning and the trails are also fairly well trafficked by dog walkers and, rarely, horse walkers. I judged someone commuting like me or going all the way around probably wouldn't come back for a lost bottle.

If you find a wad of cash or something you can take it to the cops; if no one claims it in a while it's forfeit to you. But most people finding gloves and wrenches and so on by the roadside seem to have no trouble keeping them. This bottle had a slim but nonzero chance of being retrieved and it was lost by a fellow trail user.

What's your limit?

(And if the bottle is yours and you do want it back let me know.)

 

[DH40]

I posted a version of this on bikeforums but you are a different enough audience you might have a different enough take.

I found a water bottle on the trail today, and dear reader, I kept it. It was on a steep and rocky portion of the dirt path parallel to the MUP. It's Specialized bottle but it's not special. I'd only seen one other mountain biker this morning and the trails are also fairly well trafficked by dog walkers and, rarely, horse walkers. I judged someone commuting like me or going all the way around probably wouldn't come back for a lost bottle.

If you find a wad of cash or something you can take it to the cops; if no one claims it in a while it's forfeit to you. But most people finding gloves and wrenches and so on by the roadside seem to have no trouble keeping them. This bottle had a slim but nonzero chance of being retrieved and it was lost by a fellow trail user.

What's your limit?

(And if the bottle is yours and you do want it back let me know.)

Gross....AND it's a Spesh bottle? I would treat that item as recycling that I'll usually pick up a piece or 2 of on a ride. If it's something bike-related, I'd probably leave it at the trailhead as I leave - passing the moral buck on to the next ethical human. If it's super-valuable/unique/sentimental I'd make a considerable effort to find the owner. I might steal I mean keep a multi-tool if it's a lot nicer than my own, but I think at this point we all have what we think is the good stuff already, right?

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

I have a $5000 limit, anything under this I try to return to the owner, anything over I keep!

 

[KingOfOrd]

Eek, used bottle? No thanks

I pack it in, I pack it out. That's it, no storage for any loose treasure

 

[TheBikeStore]

What's your limit?

I found one of these unopened on the trail and I was knackered at the time, so I must admit to scarfing it down on the spot.

I went on to buy several boxes to sell in my store (most of them I ate myself). Perhaps it was just a crafty Power Bar sales rep thinking outside the box?

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

I found one of these unopened on the trail and I was knackered at the time, so I must admit to scarfing it down on the spot.

I went on to buy several boxes to sell in my store (most of them I ate myself). Perhaps it was just a crafty Power Bar sales rep thinking outside the box?

Hook line and sinker.

 

[Darth Lefty]

I guess I don't get the "OH GROSS" reaction. I eat off the same dinnerware as my kids who are constantly sick from school germs, and that stuff only goes through the dishwasher. Any germs that aren't washed away will be poached

 

[Callender]

I concur with DH40.

 

[Naolin]

We have a few Local facebook groups in my Area where people will usually post stuff they found on the trail and often times find their owner.

I mean, if I found a used water bottle I really would not want to use it, I'm not a germaphobe but I have enough bottles of my own it would be silly to start using a used strangers bottle just because I found it.

I found a wallet once with like 10 bucks in it and the owner had his phone number and contact info on a paper in the wallet, I was able to call him and waited for him in a nearby bike shop and he came by to pick it up. He was traveling from out of town driving cross country so it would have sucked to loose all his ID's.

If I find an item and I can post it to find the owner I will, but there have been times where I've been places were there really isn't anyone or anything to notify. Like a time I found some gloves in a new place I was riding and I just picked them up and ended up keeping them.

Now what would I do if I found 1,000's of dollars on the trail? Maybe a bank heist gone wrong and the robber tried to escape on foot ditching thousands of dollars on the trail!? Yeah dunno, maybe report it, maybe time for a new bike, decisions

 

[veloborealis]

Anything under, say, $20, I'll keep. Over that I would at least make an attempt to find the owner. Found a nice windbreaker on the trail just last week. Posted it in my local forum, but no responses. I'll probably end up keeping it if not claimed. It just happens to fit me.

 

[the.vault]

I pretty much keep everything I find.
I found some cash on the street in Berkeley when I was in college, and broke. I brought it to the cops, and they said the money would just go in their coffer.
Most of the time I find things in the middle of nowhere. Picking up something is like picking up litter. If I see a post about someone seeking what they lost I'll give it to back them.
I have picked up and used liquids I have found in water bottles on rides that have gotten too long and hot. I've also just picked up water bottles and taken them home, and either washed the bottle or recycled the bottle depending on the bottle condition.

 

[Forest Rider]

I remember that one time I lost my water bottle.

I was happy it was still there when I circled back for it. I was thirsty that day.

I guess it was okay because this was an out/back trail. I supposed if I rode it as a loop I should expect to forefit retrieval.

What was in the bottle you found?

In the hot summer days on long rides I take a bottle with sports drink and a pack with water.
I drank down the sports drink bottle over the weekend on my 30 miler. Sure glad I didn't lose it or I'd have to text you to bring back my drink. LOL

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

Think anyone will ever find the Forest Fenn Treasure?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenn_treasure

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

Think anyone will ever find the Forest Fenn Treasure?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenn_treasure

I doubt anybody from this site will. ?

https://forums.mtbr.com/off-camber-off-topic/hidden-treasure-you-up-challenge-1105857.html

 

[Radium]

Think anyone will ever find the Forest Fenn Treasure?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenn_treasure

Wow. How about that?

 

[NRP]

I generally leave stuff as I found it. I assume the owner may return looking for it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Brah]

I found a container of weed on the trail once. Never did find the owner...

 

[KingOfOrd]

I found a container of weed on the trail once. Never did find the owner...

You can PM me anytime

 

[b rock]

If it fits in the open pocket of my CamelBak, and is less gross than a dirty tissue, I will probably pack it out of singletrack, out of respect for the trails.

I'm a little bit of a germaphobe, and didn't intend on using the water bottle I took home from a little used trail. I just ran through it through the dishwasher, and intended to give away. Then I lost one of my bottles down a hill, and another to someone borrowing it... after a few weeks of it sitting in my garage after I washed it, I figured I wouldn't catch anything from it.

 

[Sidewalk]

If it is something I would want back, I look for the owner. No cash value. I know it when I see it.

Found a shifter cover from some low end Shimano shifter. I tried to find the owner. I imagine whoever owned that bike is probably riding a new to them, best bike they ever had (even if crap in my opinion). And the cover is probably worthless compared to just buying even an upgraded shifter. But to that guy, probably worth something.

Picked up a bar end plug, put it in my pocket. I left it at the top of the trail where I found it (normal regroup spot). Turns out, it was one of my friends I was riding with :lol: