[pct-l] bicycles

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (dsaufley@sprynet.com)]

I am a mountain biker and have worked with the trail crew, and hosted them, and will continue to do so for the remainder of my years.  I say with love in my heart to please be careful of broad generalizations about this or any other community.  There are boneheads everywhere, including in the hiking community.  Trust me, they've stayed here.  

I have also heard that there were reputed to have been a few who have volunteered to help with PCT maintenance (per Pete Fish's crew who maintain from the southern terminus to Kennedy Meadows).  

I want to state that I think Kraig's question was an innocent and honest one.  Outsiders -- defined by me as those who are oblivious to the world of long distance hiking, which is pretty much everyone outside of the hikers themselves and their immediate family and friends -- don't have a clue what the whole deal is about.  

I was a mountain-biker for years before I knew the PCT and all of you existed.  If I'd heard about or come upon the PCT, it would have been a natural thing to want to ride it, and to ask questions about it.  I would also want to disobey that rule because it appears incomprehensible and unfair from the mountain biker's perspective.  This is obviously the best trail EVER, bar none.  It makes bikers salivate, and God, I'd love to ride it (but I won't). Now, one can categorize the mountain bikers as a community that often breaks the rules, but please ask yourself how many in the hiking community break the rules about bear cans, and sleeping with their food -- also potentially dangerous behaviors that could impact the safety of others in the long haul.  There's a comment to start a war! 

Let's seek to educate the outsiders and newcomers, and to see and share the unique view of this community.  It's our best hope for the future of The Trail. 

-=Donna Saufley=-

-----Original Message-----
From: eyakel@earthlink.net
Sent: Dec 3, 2004 8:21 AM
To: Jeff Moorehead <jeffmoorehead1@cox.net>, pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bicycles

I have yet to meet a Mountain Biker who participated in a trail work crew.
Just food for thought.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Moorehead <jeffmoorehead1@cox.net>
Sent: Dec 2, 2004 5:25 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bicycles

Kraig,
 It's not just a single, thin tread of tire creating the erosion. You know 
as well as I do that there is an awful lot braking and sliding on rapid 
descents. That causes major erosion! And then there is just the attendant 
lack of concern for this effect when you know it is happening but you want 
to preserve your rights. I went mountain biking in the Lagunas one time and 
felt pretty bad knowing how much erosion that one descent caused. Never 
again in a semi-pristine area. I don't care if it is allowed, I won't do 
it-- it scars the landscape. Land boarding, too. Don't get me started with 
that... 

_______________________________________________
pct-l mailing list
pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
unsubscribe or change options:
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

_______________________________________________
pct-l mailing list
pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
unsubscribe or change options:
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l