Posted on 01/23/2008 9:52:22 AM PST by george76
Mountain bikers worry proposal could kill ‘epic ride’.
Many of the area's skilled mountain bikers are concerned about a proposal that would ban them from some of their most-prized local trails, including a segment of the Colorado Trail.
The proposal is part of a draft plan by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to guide management of 2.4 million acres of public lands in Southwest Colorado.
The plan recommends classifying 55,000 acres as new wilderness, including 51,000 acres west of Hermosa Creek.
Congress is ultimately responsible for establishing wilderness areas, which cannot be used by motorized vehicles or mountain bikes.
"There's 500,000 ways to preserve it other than by banning bicyclists," mountain biker Gardner Catsman said.
The Colorado Trail, a 500-mile route from outside Denver to Durango, is "a premier, world-class, long-distance" trail for mountain bikers, according to the trail's Web site, with the strenuous 75-mile segment from Molas Pass to Durango being especially revered among the sport's elite.
Severing it, Catsman said, would eliminate the area's "only classic, epic ride."
(Excerpt) Read more at durangoherald.com ...
Actually it was your fault. There are well established trail rules for meeting and passing bikes, hikers, equestrians and even motorbikes. Everyday there are thousands of meetings on the trails where there are friendly greetings and easy passages. Only takes one of the users not knowing trail etiquette to make it uncomfortable.
I trail bike, hike, & horse ride.
So those modes of transport meet your approval, and yet bicycles don't make the cut? Hmmmm.
We need to ban all humans from forests, wildernesses and state parks.
Half the country seems to have their heads up their a**es..
Did they think big gov was their friend?
Wilderness is for people and their machines; coffins are for enviroNAZIs.
And while we're at it, lets ban trees, coyotes, foxes and oxygen. (and tax everything else)
Quit picking your snot locker, you lazy, cheap snack seeker!
Actually, 'one percenters' was the name of the first 'out law' motorcycle club. They started in the SF Bay Area, and it was from the 'percenters' that the Hells Angels, and the Mauraders sprung up.
Yep. The government has got to much power and to much concentrated power.
“Hahahahaha! I laugh because I’ll bet many of the mountain bikers that are now freaking were in forefront to get these “wilderness” designations in the first place and to ban activities they didn’t like in those areas (like motorized vehicles, hunting, etc). They’re just shocked it’s coming around to bite them in the ass.”
99% of the rabid bikers are liberals, who think they should have trails just for them. As you noted in your reply, they are often the forefront shock troops to get areas tp ban motor vehicles. When it bites them, they can’t believe it.
In N California in the past decade, more and more 4x4 and simple access roads to our rivers and parks have been blocked by boulders and trees to keep those of us with vehicles out the desireable area.
Most of the time there is a bike passage area where the bikers can go in and out with no problem. Many if not most of these areas require daily or yearly vehicle passes, and the cost of these passes go up each year. The bikers can park their cars outside the park or rec area and ride their bikes into the areas for free. The rest of us pay for the rangers with our daily or yearly passes and the maintenance of the bike trails which ban/block motor vehicles. Injuries to visitors requiring a meat wagon and emts are often for bikers doing things that can lead to serious accidents.
If you are a fisher with young children or grand children, it has become impossible to safely use these trails to get to the rivers or lakes to fish. If the kids don’t get ran over by the bikers, you have pack in their gear, food, water and clothing change as well as yours because your vehicle is blocked from getting on those trails to the water.
Places that used be a simple 100 yard or less walk in are often several hundred yards to a half mile walk in. No problem for the bikers they have maintained trails to get them to and from the good areas for free.
The America River Parkway system is a prime example of making it great for bikers. Decades ago I lived there with two young sons. There were all types of roads taking us to the water or close. I could haul the kids’s gear and whatever in my 4X4 have it stowed in the vehicle nearby. I can’t do that now with my grandkids. There is only one of the park areas where you can drive to the river and a 4x4 is required. Most boat ramps have been closed making launching a boat a tactical exercise.
Last but not least, these ban the vehicle areas force you to park in unattended lots away from the water. These makes your vehicles targets for the druggies roaming the parks on their bikes.
I hate to burst your bubble, but you're dead wrong.
Actually, us kayakers hate the wave runners and power boats!
Plans for management from the USDA and forestry division are generally proposed in “packages”. Plan A, Plan B etc. They can vary greatly are one or more are designed to attract a specific group. A period is opened for suggestion and it’s mostly the enviro wackos and Animal rights groups that actually reply. Then a plan is adopted. Usually the one that got the most support.
Then the other groups who failed to respond or offer suggestions start to rant and throw a fit because it’s not what they want.
IF you want to really get ticked, research how many US parks are now under the management of the U.N.’s “Biosphere” program.
You have no details of the situation and blame me. Clairvoyant, or just full of your self ?
As long as we have public lands, which is going to be forever, there will be regulated use. Hopefuly, regulation serves the goal of preservation as a priority, along with compatible uses. My kids and grandkids might like to visit these lands some day, and I'd just as soon a bunch of bikers didn't grind it down to ruts and eroded mud in the meantime.
In N California and Oregon, they bleed green, drive vehicles with mutliple bike racks and impeach Bush/Cheney stickers and still have their Gorebull Warmer/Loserman stickers with their Kerry/Edwards stickers.
Of course somewhere on the vehicle is a no war for oil and save the whale stickers.
During the worse economy in the history of America, many have traded in their old Volvos, Bugs and VW Campers for the hated SUVs made by BMW, Acura and other luxury vehicles.
Our younger son is a semi recovering liberal. He is one of the rabid bikers. He bikes at least 10k a year on his mountain and road bikes (he owns 6 expensive bikes and another new one will be ordered after his taxes are done). He has yet to met a conservative rabid biker in N California and Oregon in 20 years of serious biking.
Not clairvoyant (or maybe I am, not sure). You said it wasn’t your fault so naturally I just assumed that it was your fault:)
Preservation will absolutely ensure your grand kids will NOT get to use the land.
Hikers, bikers, equestrians, & off road motorized users work side by side making and maintaining trails. It’s called sharing the trails and a lot of user groups have that written into their bylaws.
It is Plan “A” of the enviro nazis to get public land users bickering amongst ourselves to pass laws excluding “The Other Guy”. Don’t fall for that crap.
I hate to burst your bubble, but you're dead wrong.
In Colorado it is more like 83% of rabid mountain-bikers are liberals, 12% are tourists and there is couple of conservatives whose 4x4 is getting detailed at the moment.
Bicycles are noisy and smelly?
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