Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 Fluke 8/7/84; site fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!twitch!hocad!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!fluke!dbb From: dbb@fluke.UUCP (Dave Bartley) Newsgroups: net.bicycle Subject: Re: Mountain BICYCLES and the Environment Message-ID: <749@vax1.fluke.UUCP> Date: Tue, 9-Oct-84 11:51:46 EDT Article-I.D.: vax1.749 Posted: Tue Oct 9 11:51:46 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 11-Oct-84 07:17:15 EDT References: <173@oliveb.UUCP>, <1793@uw-june> Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Everett, WA Lines: 29 > Having said all that, what will probably come of all this is trail > use legislation similar to what already exists, i.e. based not on > safety, ecology or appropriate use but on who owns it. ("You can't > do nothing but walk here because its Federal Wilderness, but two > miles east is Joe Sparkplug's land and he loves four-wheelin' types.") I don't think this is going to change, which is why it's so important to influence Wilderness legislation and National Forest policy. It makes sense, given American notions of land ownership, to do it this way, though it doesn't accurately reflect "optimal" use of the trails. In government-owned lands, we CAN influence the policy through lobbying and involvement in the Forest (and Grassland) planning process. Where mountain bicycles are allowed should be determined on a trail by trail basis. A rocky, boot-beaten, steep trail is clearly off limits; any logging road or trail open to motorbikes (*deep sigh*) is clearly OK. I can only address the issue in Washington state, with whose trails I am familiar, but there are long, flat trails along river valleys in Eastern WA that would be candidates for such transportation. Erosion would be minimal, foot traffic is low since the trails are pretty darn boring compared to those on more mountainous terrain. I'm not sold on the idea but I'd much rather see bikes on this type of trail than those in more mountainous, erosion-prone, crowded areas. -- Dave Bartley UUCP: {decvax,ihnp4}!uw-beaver! John Fluke Mfg Co. {sun,allegra}! fluke!dbb Everett, WA USA {ucbvax,hplabs}!lbl-csam!