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2 Posts
First off let me start off by saying I’m not the narrow-minded, say “no” to everything type. As a matter of fact as far as the infusion of BMX style riding into Mtbiking I’m all for it; what took so long? My roots are in BMX/freestyle so I love the fact that stunts have made riding a “big” bike more fun and challenging, when they’re done in the right place. But building stunts at Ralph Stover is a VERY bad idea. That will be the quickest way to get cycling banned from there.
We are quite fortunate to have a decent place to ride so close to home. I myself have been riding there for over 14 years. And in that time I’ve seen a lot of changes to the trail. Some for good some for bad. With biking getting so popular, more and more people are in the woods and the trails are showing it. It used to be single track all the way out to the pool/campground area, we can see that has definitely changed. And with this being such a high profile park with hikers, equestrians, campers, climbers and bikers, there’s that much more traffic and many more eyes. You know for a fact that someone is going to complain to the authorities about seeing stunts. And then it’s a matter of putting big “NO BIKES” signs all over the place. Remember it’s easier to close an area to riding than to open a new one up.
You might say that the stunts are off the main trail and they don’t interfere with anything. But the place is already getting to be a mess with all the little side trails and shortcuts around obstacles. Plus you know the stunts won’t be confined to the “off trail” areas for long. Somebody sees one stunt so they think its ok to build one of their own then someone else builds one in the middle of the main trail. How long could that cycle continue before we’re given the boot?
I am by no means trying to get on a soapbox and declare myself “trail boss” or anything like that. I just see the beginning of a bad pattern and the result will be bad for all of us. I’m just trying to make whoever builds there to see the process through to completion, the effects it will have. It’s a public park, and we have to be aware that not just bikers use it. As far as building, why not take a few minutes to fix a problem you see in the trail. Someone already voluntarily has done some great trail maintenance. If we all give a little back to this place it can be bike friendly forever. It would definitely give bikers a better image if they were seen doing a little bit to take care of the joint.
Now you can say I’m an a$#hole and should shut the [email protected]$k up and stop being a whiner and a pu##y or whatever, and you’re quite free to. But I hope you would remember these words when the only place that we’re allowed to ride is the Delaware Canal trail.
Just my meager two cents
A concerned biker
[email protected]
P.S. If this issue was already addressed I apologize for the redundancy, as I’m not a regular to this forum.
We are quite fortunate to have a decent place to ride so close to home. I myself have been riding there for over 14 years. And in that time I’ve seen a lot of changes to the trail. Some for good some for bad. With biking getting so popular, more and more people are in the woods and the trails are showing it. It used to be single track all the way out to the pool/campground area, we can see that has definitely changed. And with this being such a high profile park with hikers, equestrians, campers, climbers and bikers, there’s that much more traffic and many more eyes. You know for a fact that someone is going to complain to the authorities about seeing stunts. And then it’s a matter of putting big “NO BIKES” signs all over the place. Remember it’s easier to close an area to riding than to open a new one up.
You might say that the stunts are off the main trail and they don’t interfere with anything. But the place is already getting to be a mess with all the little side trails and shortcuts around obstacles. Plus you know the stunts won’t be confined to the “off trail” areas for long. Somebody sees one stunt so they think its ok to build one of their own then someone else builds one in the middle of the main trail. How long could that cycle continue before we’re given the boot?
I am by no means trying to get on a soapbox and declare myself “trail boss” or anything like that. I just see the beginning of a bad pattern and the result will be bad for all of us. I’m just trying to make whoever builds there to see the process through to completion, the effects it will have. It’s a public park, and we have to be aware that not just bikers use it. As far as building, why not take a few minutes to fix a problem you see in the trail. Someone already voluntarily has done some great trail maintenance. If we all give a little back to this place it can be bike friendly forever. It would definitely give bikers a better image if they were seen doing a little bit to take care of the joint.
Now you can say I’m an a$#hole and should shut the [email protected]$k up and stop being a whiner and a pu##y or whatever, and you’re quite free to. But I hope you would remember these words when the only place that we’re allowed to ride is the Delaware Canal trail.
Just my meager two cents
A concerned biker
[email protected]
P.S. If this issue was already addressed I apologize for the redundancy, as I’m not a regular to this forum.