[pct-l] Forest Service to consider allowing Mtn bikes on the PCT

[randall welch]

I was hit by a mtb'er in this section. It happened along Holcomb Creek between 
the 3N16 crossing and Deep Creek. I didn't even know what hit me until the dust 
cleared. I played football in high school and can tell you I have NEVER suffered 
an impact like I did that day. I had huge a impact crater/divot in my shin and a 
deep laceration in the pulp of my thumb. My two-month old ULA Catalyst suffered 
a torn waist belt and the initial impact completely blew my right foot through 
the side of my Cascadias. The entire heel cup was severed from the rest of the 
shoes uppers. That foot was in tons o' pain but somehow avoided permanent 
damage/sprain. There were three riders in this group and as soon as I had taken 
a personal inventory of the damage and determined I was "OK", one of the riders 
who was obviously tense nodded for the others to run for it......and they did. 
Essentially, a hit and run. Did they run because they were illegally using the 
trail? Would they have stopped if they were legal users? 

Most of these MTB'ers are weekend warriors. They'll be section-impactors. In 
most cases their impact will be localised in short sections. These sections will 
experience very heavy/concentrated impact and the resultant damages. The 
MTB'ers have NO CONCEPT of thru-hiking or thru-travel on this trail. So it would 
stand to reason they would have little respect for the fact that indidviduals 
might have planned for years, sacrificed years of work/income and committed to 
months away from family in order to fulfill a dream. To this point, I'm just a 
section hiker...but, if I had been a thru-hiker that day...an MTB'er would've 
ended my hike.
Can you guess my position on this issue?
Randy (Sage)



________________________________
From: Marion Davison <mardav at charter.net>
To: Pct-L at backcountry.net
Sent: Tue, October 9, 2012 7:41:09 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Forest Service to consider allowing Mtn bikes on the PCT

Do horses really think we (bicycle riders)want to eat them?
Yes, horses are complete ninnies.  They also think llamas want to eat 
them.  The truth is that any horse could kill a llama with one swift 
kick.  But the horses don't know that.

I also don't want to see Mt. bikes on the PCT.  I agree that it is a 
sacred place that should be reserved for foot travel.  We do a lot of 
maintenance in Section C and have encountered bike wheel marks on every 
inch of that section over the years.  We have met bicycles head on, on 
many occasions (also motorcycles).  We refuse to yield to bikes.  I 
stand in front of my llamas with poles planted firmly in front of me and 
refuse to move.  I tell them firmly that they are breaking the law and 
need to turn around and exit the trail at the first opportunity.  I have 
been cursed at and threatened with physical harm.  I have taken 
pictures.  Some bikers have simply moved into the woods, waited for us 
to pass, and ridden on.  Others have apologized and turned back.  One 
memorable encounter was with a doctor I had seen recently.  We 
recognized each other.  I told him he was breaking the law.  He said, 
the trail should be open to bikes, so I am going to ride it.  He went 
around us and kept going.  Section C is riddled with trails and fire 
roads and dirt roads that are open to Mt. bikes and motorcycles so I see 
no reason why they must have the PCT as well.
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