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American Hiking Society doesn't want to share trails...

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,227
20,004
Sleazattle
A few years ago I went on a hike organized by some local hiking club with a girl I was dating. We carpooled with the president of the hiking club. On the way home the pres found out I was a mountain biker and let me know that she thought that bikes should not be allowed on public trails because they cause erosion and 'run over small animals'. I let her have it. I pointed out that more mountain bikers help build and maintain trails than hikers, she nor anyone in their club ever participated in trail building/maintenance. I pointed out that cyclists rarely leave the trail. Their stupid club members rarely stayed on the trail, I let her know that all that off trail activity was compressing soil that created an ideal environment for invasive species no to mention 'killing small animals'. Their little hike affected a significantly larger surface area than an equivalent number of cyclists would have. It also turned out that several of her favorite trails were exclusively built and maintained by mountain bikers. I don't know if I was able to change her mind about mountain bikers but I certainly shut her the **** up.
 

sstalder5

Turbo Monkey
Aug 20, 2008
1,942
20
Beech Mtn Definitely NOT Boulder
Almost all of my favorite hiking trails would be nearly impossible to ride a bike on. The rough terrain is what makes them fun. If you actually want to hike on bike accessible trails, you're a pussy hiker.
 
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DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,160
2,685
The bunker at parliament
In New Zealand bikes are allowed in the parks.
I wish. :(
Mountain bike usage is very restricted in National parks.
opening up access to trails is on a case by case basis with lots of incredible trails of limits to bikes.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) who manage all the National parks is slowly coming onside with mountain bikes but it has been a long hard road to turn them from being rabid "No bikes no matter what" to being more open about things.
The federated mountain clubs organisation (NZ's Sierra Club) has been quite pro bikes though. :)
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,534
Riding the baggage carousel.
I wish. :(
Mountain bike usage is very restricted in National parks.
opening up access to trails is on a case by case basis with lots of incredible trails of limits to bikes.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) who manage all the National parks is slowly coming onside with mountain bikes but it has been a long hard road to turn them from being rabid "No bikes no matter what" to being more open about things.
The federated mountain clubs organisation (NZ's Sierra Club) has been quite pro bikes though. :)
Sorry, it was a joke. SS Facebook post about this degenerated even quicker than most topics on teh monkey.
 

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
My response to them:
Hello:
I am deeply appalled and saddened at the notion of your advocacy for further trail user segregation. The future of outdoor stewardship is with the young. According to my observations and personal experience, many young people attracted to newer ways of connecting to nature like mountain biking, rock climbing and trail running. Unfortunately, your petition seems to have instead moved this group further away from your cause- the preservation of hiking only trails. Segregation did not work in the 1950's and 1960's, and it does not work in the the 21st Century. We are truly a multiuse community. I am truly sorry that you fail to recognize these changes.

Sincerely - Jim Mac
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Almost all of my favorite hiking trails would be nearly impossible to ride a bike on. The rough terrain is what makes them fun. If you actually want to hike on bike accessible trails, you're a pussy hiker.
They're not talking about hiking, they're talking about walking on a path. These are the same people who gab on their cell phone the entire time they're "enjoying nature" and complain that my hub is too loud as I politely coast past them.

Hiking is how I check out trails that only guys like Hans Rey can ride.

Though they're still not as silly as the groups who want to shut down desert trails to dirt-bikes and 4x4s because it's dangerous to hike with them around. These are trails that take me all day to ride on my 450, in the middle of the desert, you think anybody has ever actually hiked the trail from Barstow to Vegas? I doubt anybody has even seriously considered it.
 

oldfart

Turbo Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
1,206
24
North Van
It is ironic in my neck of the woods where we used to ride in the UBC Endowment lands. There were rough trails and some more manicured ones too but in the early 80's all were welcome to ride run or walk. But the City became more populated and that area now called Pacific Spirit Park became more popular. People complained about bikers going too fast, hikers wanted to walk around with their head in the clouds, equestrians wanted everything because those folks are stinking rich in that part of the City and of course the proclamation that mountain bikes cause erosion. Never mind that a trail by definition is an erosional feature. Now the trails are wide, 2 meters or more nearly everywhere and probably a metre deep in gravel and filter fabric pea gravel highways. Te width of the pathways is way wider than when it was mostly singletrack and the other night I was followed by a ranger on a ****in' 4X4 quad! Two stroke no less. And still the 60 year old bag with resting bitchy face gives me the hairy eyeball when I slowly ride by her and her little doggie and say " Howdie howzit goin'" . The added Irony of all this is the loss of huge hunks of that land to development. Probably won't continue because the area is a park but geez. They whine about a handful of cyclists wearing out gravel paths. They are so manicured and fast now the best fun is to go super fast. I go over 50 kph on one of the downhills which is pretty straight with water bars to launch off. But only at night when no one is in there. It is ironic that mountain bikers don't often complain about having to share with hikers.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,155
Canaderp
Can we take this on their trails?



I have honestly never understood the statement that bikes erode trails, yet it always seems perfectly okay for horses to be on those trails. Not only do the horses crap everywhere, which you now have to walk/ride through, but they literally tear up the trail and turn it into a loose nightmare of sand.
 
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jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
You realize of course that graphically that image implies stomping out hate.
I don't get it?? It looks like it implies that we are assholes and we hate you, and that we are going to stomp on you with our expensive Hiking boots and our wealth will make us victorious in our cause. Because we simply hate you godless heathen. Clear as the day is long.
 

The Toninator

Muffin
Jul 6, 2001
5,436
17
High(ts) Htown
I&#8217;m not confident bikes should be allowed on all trails. However, I have not given the topic enough consideration to come up a standardized set of rules to cover when bikers would or would not be allowed.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Common sense works more often than standardized rules.
I rode a couple of private tribal land trails in HI where nobody was allowed without a permit. As long as there is equal opportunity for permits, that seems like the best way to control impact numbers if that is a concern since there is no significant difference in trail impacts there is no valid reason for user discrimination.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Common sense works more often than standardized rules.
Like if you know people ride bikes there and if you don't like bikes on the trails.... Then stay home. The thing that gets me is that hikers clearly can afford to go to countries that have hiking trails that don't allow bikes and yet they stay here and ruin our trails. Obama isn't likely to use the military to round these jerks up and imprison them. Clearly we have to take matters in our own hands..... Does anyone know how to get a hold of Alex Jones?
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,055
11,298
In the cleavage of the Tetons
I&#8217;m not confident bikes should be allowed on all trails. However, I have not given the topic enough consideration to come up a standardized set of rules to cover when bikers would or would not be allowed.
Well, I live near a few MILLION acres of Wilderness, which currently a private playground for hikers and equestrians...at least here, that should be enough for them. But no, they want bikes not allowed in ALL forests....which is just ridiculously greedy.
 

The Toninator

Muffin
Jul 6, 2001
5,436
17
High(ts) Htown
Well, I live near a few MILLION acres of Wilderness, which currently a private playground for hikers and equestrians...at least here, that should be enough for them. But no, they want bikes not allowed in ALL forests....which is just ridiculously greedy.
Horses shouldn't be allowed anywhere if enviro impact is an argument towards not allowing cyclist.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
I’m not confident bikes should be allowed on all trails. However, I have not given the topic enough consideration to come up a standardized set of rules to cover when bikers would or would not be allowed.
I'm sure there is a fringe that would advocate bikes on all trails. I'm not in that minority. I do, however, think that the AHS is being unreasonable in their stance.