The Fight for Mountain Bike Trail Access in 2016

Discussion in 'Trail Advocacy' started by Mikie, Jun 15, 2016.


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  1. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Great Article!
    Pointed out by @AKAKTM over on Facebook. Please take the time to read this.... Pease?


    THE FIGHT FOR MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL ACCESS IN 2016
    http://www.tetongravity.com/story/culture/the-fight-for-mountain-bike-trail-access

    flicker_crestedbutte1.jpg
    Foreground and background go well together–as they should. Flickr Crested Butte photo.


    Okay, what’s this fight really about? Your right to enjoy the outdoors? Your rights versus mine? Legislation? Protecting the environment? Petty human squabbling? It's a bit of all that, actually.

    Make no mistake; the access issue is serious. If you like mountain biking, and go charging around state parks, federal land, private trusts or wherever, somebody manages that land you're riding on. And they either have made, or will make, a decision about whether or not you can be there. It might go either way.

    At the access issue's core is a balancing act between protection and usage. Without protection and some sort of management, America's wilderness will be abused for profit and destroyed. That’s the way humans work. But if it’s properly protected, we can all enjoy it and use it for reflection and recreation. And any recreational pursuit that doesn’t harm the land should be okay, according to the spirit of legislation protecting it.

    However, strangely, we mountain bikers currently find ourselves sitting on the wrong side of this balance. Even though we've been around and playing (mostly) nice for over 30 years we are seen as potentially damaging to the environment and restricted from much of it. Let’s move through some relevant background info quickly and then (further below) take action to help us all mountain bike, hike and coexist going forward.

    HOW FEDERAL WILDERNESS CAME TO BE
    Yosemite_USA.JPG
    Yosemite is one of many natural spaces that is federally protected from personal and commercial use. Flickr photo.


    Following pressure from naturalist and wilderness advocacy groups, the Wilderness Act of 1964 designated certain U.S. areas as strictly protected from commercial interests. Again, that’s a good thing. We don’t want federal land used for predatory commercial toxic waste dumping, fracking, clear-cutting, strip mining, etc. Though some of that goes on, of course.

    Specifically, the act:

    #1: Created a way for Congress and Americans to designate "Wilderness Areas," a designation which would represent our nation's most stringent form of land protection. These areas include wilderness land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government: national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. No roads, motorized vehicles [emphasis added], commercial activity like logging or mining, or permanent structures were to be allowed in these designated Wilderness Areas.

    #2: Created the National Wilderness Preservation System to manage these protected wilderness areas. This System leverages the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

    #3: Immediately put 9.1 million acres of wild American lands into this National Preservation System for protection. Today, the amount of land has grown to roughly 109 million acres within 762 individual Wilderness Areas.

    The Act also succinctly and beautifully defines wilderness :

    A WILDERNESS, IN CONTRAST WITH THOSE AREAS WHERE MAN AND HIS OWN WORKS DOMINATE THE LANDSCAPE, IS HEREBY RECOGNIZED AS AN AREA WHERE THE EARTH AND ITS COMMUNITY OF LIFE ARE UNTRAMMELED BY MAN, WHERE MAN HIMSELF IS A VISITOR WHO DOES NOT REMAIN.
    We need space where ecosystems remain intact and evolve organically, where wildlife can go unmolested–a feat that's even hard to achieve in our national parks–and a place where we as a people can reconnect with nature and be at peace. So… we leave it alone. And for 20 years, we were all able to bike, hike, ride horses and enjoy these areas together.

    THEN, IN 1984, WE GOT THE BOOT
    10626296_768423525970_1623508578776443139_o.jpg
    In In 1984 mountain bikers got the boot from places like Grand Teton National Park. Ryan Dunfee photo.

    In 1984, the Wilderness Act was reinterpreted because of pressure from The Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society to ban bicycles from Wilderness Areas. They don’t (or didn't) like mountain bikes. And feared us.

    The relevant provision in the Act is Section 4(b), which currently prohibits all "use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport..." The initial USDA Forest Service's interpretation of the Act [ADDED since first publication] was “Mechanical transport, as herein used, shall include any contrivance which travels over ground, snow, or water on wheels, tracks, skids, or by floatation and is propelled by a nonliving power source contained or carried on or within the device." This explicitly defined restricted motorized and/or mechanized travel as any conveyance propelled by a non-living power source. Specifically, motors.

    The regulation language probably came from a discussion about what "mechanical transport" actually meant. This was up for debate. A bicycle is certainly a machine which provides mechanical advantage to propel us faster than we could go on two legs. Though, again, Congress was most certainly NOT thinking about regulating bikes in 1964. And, obviously, neither was the Forest Service. And the four agencies responsible for implementing the Act had broad discretion to define the term on their own—though why four separate agencies enforce the act, and why they were given broad discretion to interpret it, is anyone's guess.

    However, in 1984, the USDA Forest Service reinterpreted mechanical with language amended to the definition to include [ADDED since first publication] "...or is a bicycle or a hang glider.” Yes, just that simple bit was added in ‘84 for designated Wilderness areas.

    In their defense, the USDA was under pressure to do something and there was not a lot of data that showed mountain biking's impact one way or another. They were just being cautious, I guess.

    Unfortunately, once a domino falls, it tips others. The other three agencies that manage wilderness–the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the US Fish & Wildlife Service–all followed suit to clarify 'mechanical' to mean 'bicycle'. And out the door we went.

    Of course, current research shows mountain biking does NOT have a greater impact on trails and nature than any other activity allowed by the Wilderness Act. NO GREATER IMPACT. But Americans aren't great at changing policy, even in the face of overwhelming research, as long as there's a document to justify an entrenched position.

    To be clear, not all national forests carry the Wilderness designation. There is singletrack riding on some national forests that don't carry that protection. However, the balance between management and riders can be sketchy in those areas, too.

    WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY
    moab.flicker_.jpg
    Cruising through Moab, where mountain bikers enjoy some of the best desert riding anywhere in the world. Flickr photo.


    This is where the crux of stupidity is for me. Mountain bikers are now forced to OPPOSE using the Wilderness designation to protect beautiful spaces, even though we ride, dig trails, and advocate for nature because we enjoy being out in it. We don’t like strip mining. We find peace, excitement and invigoration in nature just like everyone else. If you prick us, do we not bleed? Yet protecting what we love shuts us out.

    MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE ACCESS ISSUE IS SERIOUS; IF YOU LIKE MOUNTAIN BIKING, AND GO CHARGING AROUND STATE PARKS, FEDERAL LAND, PRIVATE TRUSTS OR WHEREVER, SOMEBODY MANAGES THAT LAND YOU'RE RIDING ON. AND THEY EITHER HAVE MADE, OR WILL MAKE, A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN BE THERE. IT CAN GO EITHER WAY.
    You know that reverent, almost religious moment you feel as you come upon a magnificent vista or epic bit of scenery out in the middle of nowhere? If you ask yourself at that moment, does this place deserve America’s most stringent and precious environmental protections, the answer should be "YES!" not "Umm… it’s complicated."

    We can’t fault most non-cyclists for supporting land being protected under the Wilderness designation. They’re not aware of this horrible conundrum and would rather see things protected than not. If they let mining, grazing or industry exist on any land, that activity is likely to get grandfathered in for use even after an area becomes Wilderness designated. Also, not all Wilderness lands have trails on them or are even suitable for mountain biking.

    Vernon Felton, long time editor at Bike Magazine and now with Pinkbike, has done some really great think pieces on this. If you haven’t seen this video, check it out below:

    Great Video Here!


    Great stuff, right? Especially because it has Rebecca Rusch in it; she’s awesome. Though the loss of Boulder/White Clouds is tragic, and this video will hopefully stir you to further action, there’s a interesting take-away in it.

    You may have noticed Aaron Clark, IMBA conservation manager, is a case study on how not to be taken seriously–even if you have something good to say. As an MTB advocate, he puts in some hard work on our behalf, and probably doesn’t always ride as much as he likes because of it.

    However, when trying to impress a broad audience who may or may not be on your side, sit up straight, put the beer away, take off your sunglasses, don’t whine, and don’t make faces. Seriously. The Sierra Club guy, while I disagree with him 100%, is firm in his position, holds his ground, and doesn’t hedge.

    As Felton points out, at the bottom of all this is petty human crap. Monkeys and bananas. If bananas are plentiful, monkeys get along fine. If bananas are scarce, monkeys will bite each other’s faces off. Felton’s most striking point in the video is that much of the reason we’re denied access to land is not because of MTB's impact, it’s because other, more organized people just don’t feel like sharing a scarce resource.

    STATE AND LOCAL LANDS: UNIQUE AND ALSO TOUGH
    Wilderness_Access_Ryan_Dunfee_photo-1.jpg
    State and local land manager relationships still need careful management. You wouldn't want her kicked off the trail. Ryan Dunfee photo.

    Of course, Wilderness designation is only relative to federal land and not ALL federal land is designated as Wilderness. That doesn’t mean you can just ride anyplace that’s not federally managed. The rest of our riding land is either state or privately owned. Out west, there is a TON of Wilderness land. In the east, most land is private or state-owned. Again, someone always manages any land and, unless that’s you, they get to decide if mountain bikers can use it or not.

    State parks are generally amenable to mountain biking unless a particularly onerous relationship exists between them and us. Often, control of state land is ceded to ‘Friends of... [name of area]” organizations, towns or local land groups for upkeep, trail maintenance and management. If that's the case, making nice with those organizations is critical.

    Local governments can go either way. Sometimes they view trails and riders as a tourism and economic boon, or they could think of us as troublemakers. Rural populations have occasionally even spoken out against the federal Wilderness designation because of their economic reliance on bicycle tourism or natural resources, or may protest other restrictions Wilderness brings to public lands.

    Wilderness_Access_Ryan_Dunfee_photo-2.jpg
    Private lands, and land managed by trusts, need to be coaxed to allow mountain bikers. Ryan Dunfee photo.

    Land trusts and private lands can be particularly fickle. If some old lady's little Bichon Frise gets spooked by a rider, she’ll likely write a nasty letter with several hyperbolic overstatements (or outright fabrications) to her friend on the board of the land trust to try to get us off that land. I’ve seen mountain bikers accused of throwing water bottles at children for fun–which is silly. Those cost money! Some people hate mountain bikers to the point of trying to murder us.

    GET OUT THERE AND DIG TRAIL. DIG LIKE YOU NEVER DUG BEFORE. LAND MANAGERS LOVE THAT AND IT’S PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KICK YOU OFF ONCE YOU’VE (LEGALLY) DUG THE ACTUAL TRAIL YOU’RE RIDING.
    I’ve seen letters to the editor from local citizens appalled that riders might have the audacity to ride in groups. GROUPS! Some people want to walk alone with their thoughts in leisure socks and sandals, composing Victorian poetry, unburdened by any possibility of having a mountain biker pass through their sight. Some people think we might hit them. Some people don’t want us near their horses.

    However, many of these local trusts can be great friends, and some even have mountain bikers running them. With these, a bit of help with trail maintenance and tree-fall cleanup goes a long way. Truthfully, most citizens don’t even know how trails are made, maintained, or that mountain bikers spend hours and days taking care of them. We dig in the dirt, spend money on tools, pick deer ticks off ourselves so that EVERYONE can enjoy trails. Once folks find that out, they usually gain a bit of respect very quickly.

    Mountain bike groups have to manage relationships with, and advocate to, all other people who use the land we wish to ride on.

    ACTION: WHO’S DOING WHAT, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
    10380642_752627211910_694846904808917737_o.jpg
    Think globally, act locally when it comes to advocating for trail access and new trails. Ryan Dunfee photo.

    So, what do we do? Some mountain bikers say we have to be nice, be ambassadors, yield rights of way, and be nice. That’s a good starting point, I do that, and so should you. But there’s only so much Sh!t I’ll eat. Being human, I hate being told what to do. I’d rather do a lot and than expect a lot in return.

    Think globally and act locally seems to work as a good strategy. Join national groups like IMBA or STC who advocate for changes to federal law or managed lands access policy. And then also join and be active in your local chapters.

    JOIN A NATIONAL GROUP
    10443094_765221073710_5740851780618227433_o.jpg
    IMBA advocates for mountain biking nationally, and promotes the economic vitality brought out by good trails with their Ride Center designations, like Park City's Gold level trails above. Ryan Dunfee photo.

    I’m sure most of you have heard of the International Mountain Bike Association. And many of you might be members. I was, and maybe I'll re-up. IMBA's position is that “...mountain biking, as a rigorous test of the human body mind and spirit, is compatible with the purposes of Wilderness. However, IMBA is not advocating the introduction of mountain bikes in designated Wilderness. IMBA also respects the authority of our partners in the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service and does not encourage breaking the law by mountain biking in designated Wilderness.” Here's their specific advocacy link.

    This position chaps my ass a bit, because I DO think we should be able to ride in Wilderness areas. I think we should help be responsible for maintaining those trails. And I’d like to see IMBA put its formidable resources toward advocating our access to these areas.

    Though they feel greater impact can be made focusing on other areas, both federal and state, IMBA membership is very valuable and not wasted. Consider it.

    The Sustainable Trails Coalition arose in response to IMBA’s position in the Wilderness debate. They’ve fundraised and hired lobbyists, because they feel mountain bikers should be allowed in Wilderness areas. In fact, one of the founders of IMBA, Jim Hasenauer, a Mountain Bike hall of fame inductee, wrote an open letter supporting STC’s efforts. Join and help here.

    Like IMBA, only in clam chowda flavor, NEMBA serves the New England mountain biking community. If you are in New England, you'd join this instead of IMBA, because there are very few actual IMBA chapters (well, just one, in northern Maine) in the Northeast. NEMBA differs with IMBA on how to handle the Wilderness Act. NEMBA is a coalition of local chapters, like IMBA.

    There's also a host of others. JORBA (for New Jersey), CORBA etc. etc. Here's a complete list so you can find the one closest to you.

    WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU JOIN? BE NICE, BE DISCIPLINED, BE A PARTNER
    11731777_882897868450146_1967457957822311580_o.jpg
    Bonus! We get to play with chainsaws. FCNEMBA photo.


    I have the good fortune to belong to a local NEMBA chapter with an incredibly engaged and talented group of individuals, FC NEMBA. The president of FC Nemba is Ryan Tucker, who offered his thoughts below on this issue. From Ryan's perspective, good advocacy drives great sustainable trails and positive relationships with our land managers and fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Below is his advice for those looking to build more trails in their local hood:

    AN ADVOCATE'S GOAL IN A NUTSHELL IS TO HAVE MOUNTAIN BIKES AND BIKERS BE AN ACCEPTED AND POSITIVE MEMBER OF THE OUTDOOR TRAIL USER COMMUNITY, WHILE PROVIDING THAT ENTIRE TRAIL USER COMMUNITY ACCESS TO GREAT TRAILS.
    #1: We’re the new kids on the block with regards to trail access, so as with anything where you’re new to the scene, be polite, respectful, and helpful. Stating that, we know access is a privilege and not a right.

    #2: Be disciplined. If your mountain bike group’s internal organization is a mess, be disciplined and present one clear calm face to the outside. You will encounter people that want nothing to do with mountain biking and mountain bikers, and they can be vitriolic.

    Be disciplined and stick to your goals & objectives while being respectful. If you’re not getting meetings or time at the table, keep trying to find the person with the relationship and stick to being polite, respectful, and helpful however you can.

    #3: Get to know the people you’re interacting with and find common ground to build from. After all, they’re humans and love the outdoors, too. Don’t like mountain biking? Maybe they’re beer/sports/Star Wars/travel/something fans. Connect and find the common place.

    #4: Be credible. Know what you’re talking about–hyperbole and assumptions aren’t easy to back up with a smart land manager or other user groups that want to restrict access and don't even want to hear us out. Start small and know that you’re not going to get the three-mile flow or DH-only trail after your first meeting, but that crappy, muddy 10-foot section that could use some armor or drainage? That’s where you begin. Do the small things, do them well, and you build credibility. Credibility will turn into responsibility.

    10406662_10208619715397508_1885852400302174097_n1.jpg
    Respect land management rules, even if February happens to stay warm and there's some trails you can't ride.


    #5: Be a partner. It is not just about the trails, it is also about keeping beautiful places to be beautiful places to be on foot or bike. Remember that your land managers and other user groups begin to see you as a partner. You get access and an opportunity to shape and improve trails… you don’t just do the work you want to do and walk away.

    Help the other groups with their goals; don’t be shy to advocate both ways, as in “Hey fellow mountain bikers, the Laurel Trail runs by a vernal pool and given the ecosystems around it–let's stay off Laurel for a few weeks and give the salamanders a chance."

    #6: Work with your local advocacy group. They have credibility and can help you. They’re probably all volunteers, so expect lots of leg work on your part, but having a group with organization makes life easier and tells land managers it is more than just YOU asking for something."

    CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
    Find your representatives using the links below. Send them emails. Tell your MTB friends to do the same. Seriously, if they know your position and want your vote, they’ll act. Email Congress is a great website to start with, as is the fed's comprehensive list of publicly elected officials. Here, also, is a link to your Senators. And one for finding your person in the House of Reps by using your zip code.

    TGR has a template for a letter you should feel free to cut, paste and/or modify.

    WHAT TO DO ON THE GROUND
    13340160_10209826392118160_5765867027706205227_o.jpg
    Building trail is building bridges. Dave Francefort photo.


    After joining your local chapter, connect with local land managers as part of that group and help maintain trails where you like to ride. Listen to land managers. Find out what their main points are and address them. If they don’t like when mountain bikers ride wet trails, then help stop that.

    Get out there and dig trail. Dig like you've never dug before. Land managers love that, and it’s pretty much impossible for them to kick you off once you’ve (legally) dug the actual trail you’re riding. This can also be a lot of fun. My own chapter has some majorly talented trail builders.

    We also have outreach, sponsorship, group rides, etc. We have a beer sponsor for our trail days (beer after digging trail tastes ALMOST as good as beer after a ride), a retail sponsor for our tools, we get grants and bike shops sometimes sponsor trail days with food. We usually group ride after we dig, too.

    IMG_84081.jpg
    The always critical rock cradle. Dave Francefort photo.


    Again, Ryan Tucker on what to look for going forward: "As alluded to above, there’s always going to be someone in your advocacy experience who is anti-bikes. Being respectful and continuing to show up and be a positive member of the trail user community means eventually you get to know more about the other than whatever labels you had given each other early on. Be patient and find intermediaries where you can.

    The rogue user–whether it’s a rider or builder–they’re out there and they’re doing everything on their own terms. Maybe they build decent trail or show up every trail day, but no matter what you do, they do their own thing. If it's destructive to access, you have to reign them in. Peer pressure, email campaign, direct communication, or even reminding people of the legal outcomes associated with trespassing and illegally building. Some people know advocates will clean up their messes, crappy building, illegal building, etc… not cool because we lose time away from getting new trails open or built and from building positive credibility."

    AND... WHAT ABOUT E-BIKES?
    7537a757-5a92-4f15-aea7-6c8af6703342.jpg
    FCNEMBA's Kyaiera Tucker running mini excavator at Farrington Woods Park, Danbury, Connecticut. Paula Burton photo.


    Tucker: "E-bikes, they have a non-human power source and have motors. Slippery slope and what every land manager that has worried about with allowing mountain bike access since day one. They’re welcome on trails where motorized use is permitted. The progress we’ve made for access in the past five years is stunning, and it's because we, as mountain bike advocates, have spent the time investing in credibility with land managers and other trail users. Continuing to keep building that credibility would be great. There are numerous arguments from both sides here, but the imperative is to maintain access, and in the US, e-bikes are a clear threat to that."

    SO, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
    There's been a little movement on the IMBA/STC front; less than a month ago they released a joint press statement supporting each other's efforts. After all, we both like mountain biking and want to see trail access. And it's tough to see mommy and daddy fight.

    NEMBA, initially strongly in STC's camp, remains strongly in STC's camp, because F@ck you, we took it to the British and started the Revolution.

    In all seriousness, write to your local representation. Use this form if you like. Join a national organization, whichever one you feel best represents your point of view. And take care of your local MTB trails and scene, and keep riding.

    In the near term at least, there's more to riding than just pedaling. You'll have to do a little work legitimizing the sport you love. But that doesn't have to be painful; you might even make a friend or two doing it. I have.

    There's not much point to guess what the 'framers' of the Wilderness act had it mind other than protecting the land for everyone, for all time. And even though it seems clear as day that we should have every right afforded to other users of America's trails, not everyone sees it that way. I feel interpretation of law, and appropriate modification, is the responsibility of a current population, not past politicians. And while, at this moment, our culture seems coarse, and willing to entrench on any issue without regard to other's rights or feelings, we still need to be cool, rise above, and think about other people.

    This is a fluid and dynamic situation that can be positively influenced by YOUR actions. Take a moment to move the needle. Join. Engage. Dig. Ride.
     
    PATKOUG, MattB, fos'l and 13 others like this.
  2. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    Excellent article. Must read for every mtber.
     
    Mikie likes this.
  3. yvettessherpa

    yvettessherpa Member

    Location:
    French Valley
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    YETI Baby!!!
    Thanks for the great read.
     
    Mikie likes this.
  4. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    Funny, I did just that after that foolish "let's boycott RnR?" thread.

    I know where IMBA stands on EBikes. More MTB users means more power for us, assisted or not.

     
    knucklebuster and Mikie like this.
  5. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Now I know where you live..... :sneaky:
     
  6. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Good article....made an impression so I...
    Just donated to both IMBA ( Share here in OC) and the STC.
    I think it is probably one of the better things I could do with my discretionary income, hope it helps at least a little.
     
    Andy, knucklebuster, Mikie and 2 others like this.
  7. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    I forget, we're not safe anymore ...
     
    Mikie and doublewide like this.
  8. StrandLeper

    StrandLeper Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Timothy M. Ryan
    Current Bike:
    SC Bronson 1x/Pivot 429 1x xtr
    Thanks for posting.

    Joining.

    For what it's worth, there was no thread stating that Rock n Road should be boycotted. It was posed as a question and not a declarative statement (for a reason). But if the thread motivated @ridinrox to join, this fool says "cool."
     
    rossage and Mikie like this.
  9. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    I made sure I added the question mark @StrandLeper.

    Your post was the last straw for me on the EBike debate. I understand the whole trail access and trail integrity; I've worked w SHARE, Warriors Society and even kioti maintaining trails so I get it. I now work w my chapter IVMB.

    However, there will come a day that I might want an EBike, I want that choice. And I'm willing to fight for it and not sit on the sidelines and cry. :thumbsup:
     
    StrandLeper, Mikie and knucklebuster like this.
  10. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    That article's pretty interesting, as is the Idaho wilderness battle video. Without being more familiar with the area, I wish they could've compromised and continued to allow mtb use, at least in part of it. I hate that something could be so loved, and then taken away.

    The history of the Wilderness Act shows that "mechanized" might've been confused with "motorized." I'm a fan of Wilderness areas for their solitude and simplicity, love the High Sierra from Mt. Whitney to Tioga Pass and think it's better w/o bikes. But I also feel that mountain bikes have a well-deserved place in protected areas, in a designation similar to Wilderness..aka human-powered, non-motorized trails and roads, which we need a lot more of. And maybe a third designation could allow E-bikes (without going full-blown motorized). But if that takes away from legitimate off-road use, aka motos and 4WD, I'd be against it because they deserve a place to play as well.
     
    Mikie, littlewave and sir crashalot like this.
  11. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    Renewed my membership thanks to this thread. I am also going to make more of an effort to get out and help where I can. I worked in landscape construction to pay my bills during college in Boston so I should be able to help move a little dirt.

    upload_2016-6-16_7-46-19.png
     
    Mikie and Andy like this.
  12. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    The article also spoke about the STC, or the Sustainable Trails Coalition. Their website is worth reading: http://www.sustainabletrailscoalition.org/#home, as well as possibly supporting. As mentioned, all fights for access include the risk of losing access.

    Both the writer of the above article and the STC are about fighting for mountain bike access, and both are in agreement with this statement from the above article concerning Ebikes:

    Tucker: "E-bikes, they have a non-human power source and have motors. Slippery slope and what every land manager that has worried about with allowing mountain bike access since day one. They’re welcome on trails where motorized use is permitted. The progress we’ve made for access in the past five years is stunning, and it's because we, as mountain bike advocates, have spent the time investing in credibility with land managers and other trail users. Continuing to keep building that credibility would be great. There are numerous arguments from both sides here, but the imperative is to maintain access, and in the US, e-bikes are a clear threat to that."

    My dad used to tell me a story about a monkey trap. You put something in a container the monkey wants. You make it so the container can't be moved. You also make the opening big enough for a monkey to get his hand through, but not if he's hanging onto the object he wants. The monkey gets trapped because he grabs the object and wants it so bad he won't let go.

    I think it's important to stay focused on the primary objective. Throwing Ebike access into the mix clouds the discussion and could cost us everything.
     
  13. Oaken

    Oaken Well-Known Member

    Location:
    OC
    Name:
    CeeJay
    What should be noted is that the efforts to ban bikes are emotional ones.
    Any examination of empirical-evidence based studies shows that a mountain bike is no more impactful than a hiker, and MUCH less impactful than an equestrian.
     
    ridinrox, Mikie and littlewave like this.
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