It’s Hard For Me To Defend Mountain Bikers

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by hill^billy, Feb 19, 2019.


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  1. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Yes, a couple of years ago I posted up a ride report and the title was “Mountain Bikers Are Some Of The Coolest People” well I’m here to say definitely not all of them.
    Most know on this social media site that I have a local trail here in Acton, I believe (know) that this trail would have been permanently lost if it were not for me. I started the restoration, and with a handful of people of whom I am extremely grateful pushed it close to the top where some unknown people took over, I believe it is almost finished or is, I really don’t know? I had some health issues so I haven’t been up there in awhile.
    Personally I have been working on the trail for 8 years now, and have enjoyed it immensely, working it and riding it. I renamed it AT, Acton Trail.
    In all of these years I have been afraid of social media bringing the crowds, you know the masses! I have pretty much up until now have enjoyed a private trail so to speak and feel very lucky for it! I mean really, I don’t think this happens anymore! Where else besides GE is there a trail that is exclusively a mountain bike trail with no conflicts with other users? Enter social media, I think that social media ruins and magnifies everything it touches. Computers and social media have put us fast where we are? But alas, ironically without social media there may have been only 7 miles of x-country, or no trail at all.
    I guess I should get to the point here then, I was out today working on it and then a ride, it seems there was a flash mob ride the trail yesterday, I’m guessing 10 to 20 riders and brought at least on big dick, in one day I saw that people were riding were the trail never was over some shrubs. I think this is finally the begining of the new p-lines that are inevitable. I can’t stop human nature! I’m sad, if you venture here please respect the trail and the area. Leave it the way it was built not the way you think it suits you.
    I did not see alot of the trail today so I’m not sure if the begining part of the trail has other blatant off trail damage but I would not be surprised!
    Cutting the corner for what?
    791A419E-9ADA-4897-BC31-B56518379C0D.jpeg
    Why?
    D84B9703-05D0-41A7-96AE-80392E26B089.jpeg
    Connecting back to the trail, killer down hill ( dick!)

    Yah, a better line? Dicks!


    E2C3BA66-B5F4-46A5-B825-E002C2DCBD01.jpeg
     
  2. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Sorry to hear about uncouth, uneducated, ungrateful, selfish asshats who don't know, don't care to know or just don't care about being good trail citizens.
     
    BIKEMONSTER, Mikie, scan and 9 others like this.
  3. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Thanks for sharing, not so much liking the post. People suck. Most people will respect the land, but the few that don't or won't should be removed from the gene pool. Idiots.

    I'll add in this space that I was in a national park not that long ago, and the mother and father had their kids along on a trail. There was a river. So they set up their hockey net and sticks on opposite sides of said river, and were banging shots across. I mentioned that this was probably not the best place to do that....and was met with an indignant "I'm sure we're fine."
     
    Mikie, -ROCKY-, mike and 5 others like this.
  4. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    The reason I’m so pissed is that dick has started a line that others will follow! I need to put a sign that says dick!
     
  5. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Or maybe just install a deadline....
     
  6. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Yah, better line?

    2F023CAD-CBFA-43C6-8630-C516AE833217.jpeg
     
    Mikie, -ROCKY-, mtnbikej and 5 others like this.
  7. CBone

    CBone iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Antelope Valley
    Name:
    Tucker
    Current Bike:
    Intense Primer
    :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
     
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  8. mountaingirl sara

    mountaingirl sara iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    So Cal
    Name:
    Sara
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley
    Sorry @hill^billy , I understand your frustration! Strava may be to blame, the arse hole that did the damage has no connection to the trail and doesn’t give a shite. Hope they don’t come back and you’re precious trail is forgotten by those who don’t respect it:thumbsup:
     
    Mikie, Fueledbyex8, -ROCKY- and 7 others like this.
  9. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Ummm, no. Strava is not to blame. It can't do anything on its own. People are to blame. Let's be rational here.
     
    Sidewalk, Mikie, Fueledbyex8 and 9 others like this.
  10. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    And let me just add "welcome to the rest of SoCal" where we contend with selfish, uneducated, uncaring trail abusers by the dozens. Daily. I don't think your isolated trail will get the mass pillaging that we see down here.
     
    Mikie, -ROCKY-, Cyclotourist and 11 others like this.
  11. tick

    tick Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    Tick
    Current Bike:
    Process 111
    How about “ the people at Strava have designed the perfect tool for discovering new trail to ocerrun?”
     
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  12. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    No matter where you go or what you do, there will always be someone who doesn't want to color in the lines. Karma's a bitch, however.

    Only thing you can do is to clean up their mess, perhaps place a couple of rocks at the edge of the trail, and maybe place a sign saying "please stay on the trail". You can't let it get you down however. Just remind yourself that for 8 years people respected the trail, and they probably will for 8 more years. If they don't, you can make a point of figuring out when they ride, and be there on the trail that day with a big shovel in your hand the next time they try to short-cut the trail.
     
    Mikie, -ROCKY-, Cyclotourist and 7 others like this.
  13. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Thanks to you and others who work/ed on the trail, Doug.

    I've learned that it's a mistake to judge any group of people, because within any large group there will always be a range of individuals. That said, for better or worse, I have highly reserved faith in outdoor user groups due to experiences. I have a huge amount of faith in individuals. I just try to do the right thing for conservation/use, and inspire others to do the same. People's idea of balance between those two aspects of land mgmt varies between and including extremes. Best foot forward, what else can we do?

    TFPU, HB.
     
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  14. mountaingirl sara

    mountaingirl sara iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    So Cal
    Name:
    Sara
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley
    I’m referring to seeing other trails/routes that are out there...I know many riders mtn and road who will use Strava
    to find routes that were previously unknown to many people.
     
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  15. mountaingirl sara

    mountaingirl sara iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    So Cal
    Name:
    Sara
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley
    Bingo!
     
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  16. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Only if you like giving your location, biological and personal information to a private company to own for all time :) Some of us opt out.

    https://futurism.com/privacy-smart-cities
     
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  17. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    One bad apple spoils the bunch applies to every user group out there. According to Strava there are at least 140 people that ride AT. Unfortunately the more people that ride it the higher the odds someone is going to cut corners for whatever reason. It was like this way before Strava.

    BTW @hill^billy remember several years ago when you wanted more people to ride AT? Careful what you wish for. ;)
     
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  18. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    For clarification... I am not saying to smack them with a shovel :) I am just pointing out that many people have the good sense to feel awkward if they short-cut a trail while someone is working on shoring it up. A lot of time bad behavior is people acting stupid/selfish in the short term when they don't really consider the consequences of their actions.

    At least they didn't spray-paint rocks... or drive a big 4-wheel drive truck through there.
     
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  19. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Yikes, looks like Dick and all his friends are lacking both judgement and bike handling skills cause that corner ain't that tough to navigate.:thumbsdown: At first glance I thought that was moto damage. Hopefully the trail was too much work for them to pedal or push their bikes up and they wont be back. Doug I bet there's a strava segment for that area and it probably wouldn't be that hard figure out who's disrespecting.:mad:
     
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  20. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    AT has a pretty long history of being abused by trail users. I don't think I have ever been out there and not seen motos, mofos, and yahoos creating alternate realities on the trail.
    A lot of people still subscribe to the belief that "its just desert" and no harm will be done.
     
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  21. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I'll take the other side for this one... :devilish: advocate. :p

    This is something that @mtnbikej and I actually touched on tangentially last night as we were on Black Star lap #1. That fire road is notoriously bad after rain, but last night there were no tracks from people trying to ride it too soon. That's unusual... Normally, the trail is ridden with fresh mud, and you can see the foot deep ruts that last forever once they dry. Maybe... Just maybe... the next generation of mountain bikers in this area is learning to stay off... It's all cyclical. Education and getting the word out to the new crop is key. When I started riding, I would have been one of the guys to cluelessly try to ride it after the rain... I learned. Slowly. :oops:

    Trails like this one will be there long after all of us are gone, and the next generations will determine how they are used. "Your" trail will probably grow over many times in the future, and every new generation of riders will "rediscover" it and shape it to their needs and wants. If it bugs you so much, figure out a way to get the message out. But even if you're successful in spreading the word, there will always be corner cutters... Your goal is to limit them, and not have a stress attack in the meantime.

    You're not going to keep people away... Same with Wrightwood, as you've mentioned before.
     
    Mikie, DangerDirtyD, scan and 11 others like this.
  22. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I wonder what the ratio is of Strava users to total trail users? 1:5 is my guess. So there are 5-700 riders that could be using it. Maybe a more isolate trail is a lower ratio like 1:2. That's still near 300 riders. If just 1% make their own lines, that's still three to seven people. On wet desert soil, that's going to tear it up fast.
     
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  23. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    I knew that at some point I would have to explain my title, for the most part our sport has good people, I judge by what I see, judging is human nature, human nature is doing what I want and nobody is going to tell ME what to do. Now that I am older and paying more attention I reluctantly except that, I try to do my part and fall short at times, I would imagine you do also, but we try, some harder than others. No amount of education will stop someone from having the pleasure of sin, take for instance the people who should have there can of spray paint shoved where the sun don’t shine that @BonsaiNut mentioned.
    It’s great that you have a healthy amount of faith in humanity, personally I kinda don’t.
    Getting back to the mountain bike population, there are simply to many of us now, and I sympathize heavily with other trail users. Mix that with the GROWING population of my once beloved state, just listen to @herzalot discription of his area and what takes place there, awesome location! But to much inundation of his beloved home turf . I cant’t stop change, I knew it was coming. I can’t stop the direction the sport is trending to, it’s that begining here now unfortunately on this particular unique trail. I even had a hand in it. Some will say I am over reacting, so be it, I see what I see. I will explain (to many) when I get to @UPSed.
     
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  24. -ROCKY-

    -ROCKY- Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Lakewood, CA
    Name:
    Rocky
    Lol, motos, mofos, and yahoos!? Keep an eye out!!! :laugh:
     
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  25. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    I never said it was “my” trail. But I am invested. And I am not trying to keep people away, but at the same time I’m not waving a green flag, why would I do that? Call me selfish? Just my human nature I guess. In Wrightwood and on AT it is just very interesting to me to see what happens to a beautiful trail’s with little use, I see the transformation or impact of what to many tires do. Yah we can only hope the next generation of video gamers will keep those trails alive?
     
  26. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
  27. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Human nature, indeed...in all its colors. :unsure::geek:

    Sympathies to anyone who can't find affirmation of our collective existence by way of exemplary individuals. Kooks will be kooks, especially nearer metro areas. They'll make you insane if you let them. Take solace in the exceptional humans – and in being one. We're all we have.

    Change is constant – ride it or get thrown. Live in areas adjacent to large metro areas, have lots of company. The notion of home turf is quaint, but forget it. No way would I go back to my childhood rural wonderland – because it turned into a shitty place. I understand that family can weigh on where we live, but there's a world of bitchin places out there.


    This thread, like many on MTB forums, makes me consider my actions on the trail, and how they might affect others in the moment or later. So, thanks for that. :thumbsup:
     
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  28. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Mountain biking has increased exponentially during the time of video gamers... There are several on this site! Not me... I'm too old and slow now. But I was awesome at Space Invaders. :thumbsup:

    And more devil's advocate... why does a trail need to stay alive? My point above was that the same trail may come and go cyclically. We humans are the inconsequential part of the equation in the long game. Heck- 50 years from now there may be no mountain bikes. That trail may be taken over by the hover board crowd. :p

    AT is, I believe, historic? What would the original trail builders have thought if you told them that men and women (gasp!) would be using that trail for recreation on $5000 two wheeled contraptions?
     
  29. evdog

    evdog iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    San diego
    Name:
    Evan S
    It's your trail if you take ownership and make it your trail. You can block off the cut corners with brush, dig a big hole to prevent people from riding through, or grab some extra hands and plunk a big ass rock to block the line. Make it too big of a hassle for the offenders to remove it. Their problem, aside from their ignorance, is usually laziness. For the new lines they've cut you can rake out the tire marks to hide them, and block the line if necessary. The problem, as you say, is people will follow them. But if you can stay on top of it you might head that off and people will get the message to stay on the trail. Signs sometimes work, sometimes they don't. If you do nothing then you'll have nothing to do but complain. Do something about it and you will hopefully end some of the behavior which is very satisfying.
     
  30. Luis

    Luis iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Sylmar
    Name:
    Luis
    Current Bike:
    La Diabla
    Curse you GPS :mad: (shakes fist at 8 out of 32 satellites in the GPS constellation orbiting the earth at 12,600 miles)
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?