[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 58, Issue 17

[Heather]

Ken, You are absolutely right. I stand corrected. Part of what happened was that I lost sight of the original issue and forgot that it was the Forest Service, NOT the PCTA who is having to respond to the MTB community. And I'm sure they do have to respond. 
The intent was that if there is no trail, there is no trail for MTB to overrun, and that by short-term sacrifice we could then regroup and move forward on the trail again. I know, that was naive, too.
Thanks for the work you do, and for pointing out the flaws in my post!


“We pray that you will be filled with his mighty, glorious strength so that you can keep going no matter what happens — always full of the joy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:11 LB).

On Oct 12, 2012, at 1:00 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Message: 23
> Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:58:44 -0400
> From: Ken Murray <kmurray at pol.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] Fair to Mountain Bikers??
> To: "." <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID:
>    <317330465.14398421350061124228.JavaMail.root at zmcs03l-pol-08.portal.webmd.com>
>    
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> My stance will be incredibly unpopular, but here goes:
> The PCTA is tasked with preserving the trail. They do 
> so with the support of thousands of dollars and hours 
> of volunteers' time. IF hikers were to collectively 
> band together and agree to suspend all contributions 
> and hiking on the trail for a year or two - pending 
> the outcome of the review to consider wheeled access
> - well, it's called voting with the pocketbook. 
> I know - easy for me to say, as I wasn't planning to 
> thru-hike for a few more years.
> 
> Just a thought. 
> ==========================
> 
> Heather, I am puzzled by your suggestion.  It appears
> to be severely punative to a bunch of people dedicated
> to the PCT, just because an outside group has suggested
> something.
> 
> You might consider that the PCTA has put together a very
> effective team that has taken years to build, and has 
> developed personal relationships and trust with agencies, 
> landowners, users......that is not something you do overnight.
> 
> Your suggestion would throw those people out of work, 
> and destroy the network they've developed.
> 
> They also coordinate and fund trail maintenance on the PCT.
> That would come to a screeching halt.  Just the thousands of
> trees that fall on the PCT each year would start to accumulate.
> By the time of your hike, you may find it impassable.
> 
> The PCTA has taken a leading role in facilitating volunteers
> getting trained in various trail work skills, even being a 
> major partner in the big change in national saw training for the 
> USFS about to be rolled out.  You can't do a variety of work 
> on the trails, unless you have the credentials and expertise
> to do so, and the PCTA has greatly facilitated that.
> 
> Ken Murray
> volunteer ranger
> USFS Crosscut C-certifier