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!