By Melanie Brubaker Mazur

Times editor

It might be time to administer an intelligence test at our state borders.

I know we like our tourists - they are a major part to our economy, but apparently some visitors think because they have come here to play, they can leave their common sense at home.

The height of stupidity was demonstrated with some stupid cycling tour that was here last week, and they apparently decided that riding on U.S. 160 at night was a good idea.

Their support vehicles also felt entitled to take up the entire right lane, going at cyclist speed, and I nearly whacked one at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night near the Bridge to Nowhere when I was driving home from my kid's baseball game in Durango.

At 8:30 at night - when it's pretty darned dark - I am trying to keep an eye out for suicidal deer and hoping I don't have the misfortune of meeting some drunk driver. Having to swerve to avoid hitting some stupid car put me over the edge, and I honked and yelled. They waved back.

I wasn't saying hi, you morons!

And apparently, this was a tour for freaking rich people, because it seemed every cyclist had a support van driving behind them, going 10 mph. You know folks, there is a reason you have support vans. That is so when it's late, you're tired, and it's dark, you can load up and call it a day.

And I don't even know where in the heck they were going in Bayfield - there's no motel here.

So I passed two more cyclists, then it got worse - EAST of Bayfield, another guy was heading toward Pagosa, and by now, it was 9 p.m. and truly dark. What was he trying to prove, he's fodder for a bear or mountain lion?

I know the maps say 160 is a U.S. highway, but honestly, in a lot of places it's a twisty mountain road. Riding it at night is just stupid. And if there had been an accident, it would have been our tax dollars that paid for the emergency crews and police to respond.

Yes tourists, please come to Colorado and spend your money and enjoy yourself. But using some common sense is a good idea, too.