[pct-l] Bicycle Usage Proposal

[AsABat]

Yes, America has a concept of wilderness that is different from almost anywhere else. We cherish our frontier and seek out wilderness to go back to man and nature without machinery. Its that simple. Mtn bikes (I ride one too) are not appropriate in wilderness. 

I thought I understood many places in Europe ban camping just anywhere on the ground, instead trekking from lodge to hut. I don't want the PCT to have bikes or lodges (other than at the existing towns and highways). 
AsABat

-----Original Message-----
From: Halfmile <list at lon.net>
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:05:58 
To: PCT listserve<pct-l at backcountry.net>
Reply-To: halfmile at pctmap.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bicycle Usage Proposal

I don't think Joel embraces the concept of a wilderness. Not that the
PCT is exactly a wilderness experience, but it does try to be as much
as possible. I'm sure the Alps are wonderful but I am also sure they
are not like the PCT.

Here is an entry from Joel's journal, where he again contrasts the PCT
to the Alps and goes on a rant about Californians because he had to
stand in the rain for an hour (apparently without rain gear):

"With THAT shitty weather it should be no problem to get a ride to
town, people will instantly feel sorry about a lone and stranded
hiker... I thought... At least thats how I was accustomed to it from
the Alps where on such a day the first car passing would probably
stop. Then again, I remembered Mt. Laguna, where I thought getting a
ride when you are standing with a kid out in now-where should be easy
and it wasn't. I was wrong that time and I was wrong this time. All
those posh Californian snobs coming from Palm Spring driving by me
with their super-size SUV's they had to buy in order to compensate for
their dick size or or because they like to smash school children's
head or who knows why. I stood in the middle of the rain at least an
hour and now I was getting cold, now my hands and soaked feet started
to feel numb, now my wet T-Shirt started to turn cold."

http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?entry_id=13899

You can read his March 31 entry for his rant about the lack of bus and
taxi service on the PCT.

-Halfmile



On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 7:52 AM, Joel Fisler <pct at fisler.ch> wrote:
>
> I totally disagree with the two postings.
>
> First of all, if you crash all the time and break your bones then you might be better off hiking. But making this a general rule for everyone is wrong. Furthermore you are confusing mountain biking with road cycling. Mountain biking on a paved road does not make sense at all. I am a mountain biker and I try to avoid roads (even fire roads) as much as I can because for me the nice thing about mountain biking is that I can be AWAY from roads and cars and everything.
>
> Second: Personally I would love to do the PCT with the bike. Its an ideal trail, its usually not too steep, wide enough and smooth for bikes and you could bike for weeks and weeks. I am totally for that. In fact, I dont understand why in the US so many trails are off-limits for mountain bikes. In Europe you are usually allowed to bike on all the trails e.g. in the Alps. Using common sense (dont pass hikers with 20mph, be courteous etc.) avoids conflicts with hikers and I personally never had any problems or arguments with hikers. Why the need for all those regulations? Isnt the US all about freedom and non-regulation? Why having trails for horses or hikers only, for bikers, for people with dogs etc. Why not allow everyone use the trails?
>
> Anyway, thanks for the link, I'll try to promote it where I can :-)
>
> Bye
> Joel
>
>
>
> On 18.09.2010, at 08:25, Melanie Clarke wrote:
>
> > tree root, rock etc.  Let's preserve our pristine trails for hiking.  The
> > trail is no place for a bike!!!
> >
>
>
>___________________________________________
> Joël Fisler - joel at fisler.ch - http://blog.fisler.ch
>
> HOME:   Hegibachstrasse 20, 8032 Zürich
> PHONE:  +41 43 4998365 oder "joelfisler" (Skype)
> CHAT:   fisler at mac.com (Messenger & iChat)
>___________________________________________
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/