[pct-l] PCT and Mtn Bikes

[Brick Robbins]

On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 6:46 PM, Pierre <pep at pacifier.com> wrote:
> I this true that the PCT was open to Mtn bike prior to 1988?
>
> I want to respond in this bike forum but want to be correct.

This is a carefully crafted and often repeated misrepresentation. It
contains some truth but is crafted to lead you to a specific
conclusion, that the PCT was once the realm of the Mountain Bike and
their right to ride there was somehow "taken away."

For all practical purposes Mountain Biking didn't exist until the 80s,
so it wasn't an issue.

Since the PCT was designated as a foot and horse path, when mountain
biking started becoming popular enough to be noticed, the USFS issued
the order keeping the trail for foot and equestrian use.

The 1988 order didn't take anything away, it was introduced to prevent
a new activity from impacting the trail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_mountain_bike_and_mountain_biking