[pct-l] Bicycle Usage Proposal

[dsaufley]

I am adamantly opposed to mountain bikes on the PCT.  

That said, as a mountain biker, I can tell you that road riding (touring
bikes) and mountain biking are entirely different sports. There is no
comparison, and riding a mountain bike on a paved road is pointless; that's
not what they're built for. For mountain bikers, paved roads are BORING, and
we deliberately seek out rocks, roots, and ruts (aka technical challenges).
The young boneheads (who appear to believe that they're invincible -- ah,
youth and the Darwin Theory) love single-track and aren't afraid of breaking
bones and wear scrapes and bruises as a badge of honor.  Consequently the
PCT and other foot trails have enormous appeal to them.  

Personally, I stay off foot trails, and prefer big climbs on unpaved fire or
logging roads, and often ride in OHV areas, but those roads lack sufficient
thrills for many mountain bikers. I will not join any mountain biking
organization because I'm against this "bikes everywhere" mentality. I do not
want a mountain biker silently approaching around a blind turn on a narrow
ledge when I am hiking or riding my horses.   

Unfortunately as a political and activist group the mountain bikers are
organized, well-funded, and have a political agenda to allow mountain bikes
on ALL trails. It's big business, with many mountain ski resorts offering
and promoting mountain biking as an attraction. The question is whether they
are powerful enough to bring about amendment the National Trails Act which
defines the uses of the trails within the system. 
	
Bottom line, the PCT and PCTA, with its designation as a private partner to
the USFS in maintaining the trail, has many challenges.  They need all the
support we can give to protect the trail from unwanted uses like this one .
. . and logging, mining, roads, utilities, residential development, natural
disasters . . . 

L-Rod

www.pcta.org/donate


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Melanie Clarke
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 11:25 PM
To: CHUCK CHELIN
Cc: PCT listserve
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bicycle Usage Proposal

Dear PCT,

Although I'm an avid road cycling enthusiast I have to agree with Chuck.
There are plenty of PAVED ROADS to cycle and they are a lot safer for the
cyclist.  A lot of paved roads are very remote with steep inclines or not,
that are great for cycling.  Everyone in my cycling club who mountain bikes;
always seem to crash and break a lot of bones when they hit the inevitable
tree root, rock etc.  Let's preserve our pristine trails for hiking.  The
trail is no place for a bike!!!

Melanie

On Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 2:29 PM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:

> *From:* George Alderson [mailto:george7096 at verizon.net<
> george7096 at verizon.net>
> ]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 14, 2010 2:14 PM
> *To:* George Nickas; Liz Bergeron
> *Subject:* Open wilderness and PCT to bicycles?
>
> Heads up!  Today somebody entered a proposal in the America's Great
> Outdoors
> IdeaJam that involves opening wilderness areas and national scenic trails
> such as the PCT to bicycles.  The idea is entitled " Support Bicycle
> Friendly Policies on Federal Lands" and it's at:
> http://ideas.usda.gov/ago/ideas.nsf/0/95AEE35223EF23548625779E00719C6B
>
> We need to demote this idea right away.
>
> Cheers,
> George Alderson
> 112 Hilton Avenue
> Baltimore, MD 21228
> E-mail:  george7096 at verizon.net
> Tel: 410-788-7096
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