A Bike Injury a Week at China Camp

On Tuesday, July 21, I happened to be in China Camp State Park. At about 7pm I saw three State Park emergency vehicles drive up. Two of them went up into the steep terrain to rescue an injured mountain biker. I asked the ranger who was stationed at the trail entrance how often this sort of thing happened. The ranger said, "about once a week, here in China Camp". I was astonished to hear this report. When the ambulance crew arrived a few moments later, I asked them how many times they make emergency trips for injured mountain bikers here at China Camp and they said about 3 trips in 6 weeks. When I told them what the ranger said, they said that once a week was probably correct because there were two other ambulance crews who respond to injuries at China Camp. A sheriff's vehicle also pulled up to survey the scene.

Who pays for these rescues, and does the state park system keep detailed data on the number and frequency of bike injuries and accidents for other state parks in this Marin district?

There was a recent attempt by IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) and other local mountain bike advocacy groups to open up a steep narrow trail in Samuel Taylor State Park called Bill's Trail, to mountain biking. The request was placed on hold while state authorities were forced to wrestle with strict CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) requirements. Bill's Trail is far more remote and difficult than China Camp, for emergency vehicles to access injured bikers. Is the state park authority not telling us something important regarding the hidden costs of mountain biking in the Marin District? As the state sinks into deepening economic turmoil, isn't it sensible and responsible to limit access to trail systems to this sport that is proving itself to be a financial burden and a drain on emergency services? Some national parks charge for rescues, shouldn't we?

Ignorance is Bliss

Mountain Bikers are talking about planning a mass arrest action at Bill's Trail by riding it illegally.
Smart. Very smart. They are counting on "support for their cause" by this foolish action.

State Park Rangers, take notice:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=535167

Bill’s Trail

Click To Play

Bill’s Trail, in a steep, remote section of Samuel Taylor State Park is under assault by IMBA, the International Mountain Bike Association, and other local mountain bike proponents. This well funded and determined lobby has managed to convince State Park staff, that opening the fragile, narrow, fern lined trail to aggressive downhill mountain biking is within the definitions of state park shared use trails. IMBA maps of the trail depict only a few hairpin turns when in fact there are up to 40 such switchbacks. The trail is accessible by an arduous climb to about the 850’ elevation of Barnaby Mountain and would provide a mostly moderately steep downhill ride (7-8% grade) for bike users.

Mountain bikers have proved on numerous occasions to be poor stewards of the trail systems in Marin and Sonoma counties. Bikers in Marin, have been arrested for building illegal trails in sensitive wildlife habitats on numerous occasions, threatened local residents who report or encounter them on illegal trails, destroy private property, cut down redwood and other trees and continue to build downhill ramps and jump courses in off limits county open spaces. Their tire tracks leave deep erosive ruts in healthy trails especially during the rain season. Recently, an injured mountain biker had to be air lifted out of nearby Annadel State Park.

Check out this mountain bike video shot at Annadel and you get the point:

Mike's Bikes Exclusive Video: Annadel State Park - Lawndale from Mike's Bikes on Vimeo.

The remoteness of Bill’s Trail poses significant problems for state park resources in both maintenance and monitoring in an economic climate that is in serious decline. Endangered Coho salmon spawn in a creek at the base of the trail. The impacts of substantial bike traffic near this creek have not been studied. When over a hundred miles of legal trails remain open to them in Sonoma and Marin, one wonders what the feverish urgency is in opening up more trails. The answer is that the mountain bike industry is a billion dollar commercial enterprise that must sell products. IMBA takes its marching orders from corporate giants. This is not care for the wilderness but yet another exploitative grab of traditional wilderness and open space for basic thrill seeking.

Voice your opposition to the plan by June 26, 2009. Demand a full CEQA review from state authorities. Call or email staff head, Roy McNamee rmcna@parks.ca.gov

707- 769-5665 ex 226

Illegal Trail Building Behind Bikes n Beans

Santa Venetia’s

Illegal Bike Problems

In back of the 7-Eleven on North San Pedro, is a special wild life area with a startling array of waterfalls on the seasonal creek that runs through this steep redwood laced canyon. Marin Open Space has designated this as a “sensitive wildlife zone”. Golden eagles have been known to nest here and more than several varieties of owls use it for hunting. While hiking in this serene haven, you may also encounter extreme downhill mountain bikers. For years, this unlawful user group has been cutting down redwood trees and building jump ramps, new trails and berms as part of their intention to use this place as an amusement park and technical training zone. Last December, Open Space rangers were alerted to a rash of unlawful trail building here. The Rangers spent considerable time repairing terrain and dismantling numerous illegal bike structures.

At the base of this trail, is a new business, China Camp Bikes & Beans, run by professional mountain bike racer, Justin Schwartz. Justin is also the coach of the Terra Linda High Mountain Bike Team. The store rents out bikes, provides trail riding advice and juices up its clientèle with pounds of caffeine. I ran into Justin (he was walking) while hiking near these illegal structures. He told me he hadn’t noticed them. Earlier that week I had been informed that bike representatives were pressuring Supervisor McGlashan to “open up all” the trails on San Pedro Ridge to downhill bike usage. This would be a catastrophe if enacted.

Bikes carve long, deep channels into the soft soils of many narrow hiking trails on San Pedro Ridge. These channels erode the trails and funnel sediment into the numerous seasonal creeks that feed the Gallinas Creek river system that houses two endangered species. If you spot illegal biking on any of these narrow trails, please report this to Open Space officials.

Bikers, Their Anger and Their SMART Train

September 24, 2008- Marin County

SMART train opponents had one of their signs spat on and their posters blocked and tampered with by train supporters (mainly MCBC bikers) at a rally that was held today at Larkspur California’s Cal-Park tunnel to celebrate the commencement of the construction work on the tunnel. Present at the meeting were representatives of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Assemlyman 6th District, Jared Huffman, former Marin Supervisor, Cynthia Murray and SMART chair, Marin Supervisor, Charles McGlashan. Both McGlashan and Huffman downplayed the significance of potential harm to endangered species living along one of the trains Marin corridors, Gallinas Creek. Train opponents site traffic congestion,
increased development and spiraling costs as problems minimized by train supporters.

For more information on the “real” impacts and costs of the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit, see http://notsmart.org
Fact No. 2: The train would be an enormous expense, considering the few riders projected to take it. SMART's Project Funding Plan indicates that SMART would spend
$1.3 Billion over 20 years. Based on the projected number of riders, SMART would spend $50 per one-way ride.

By contrast, Golden Gate Transit's capital and operating costs per rider were $9 in 2006. In 2008 GGT and Marin County Transit provided 32,000 passenger-trips per day. Compare this to SMART’s estimate of 5,650 per day by 2025. .

Fact No. 3: Express buses would work far better in Marin and Sonoma than rail. Jobs are dispersed throughout the north bay, rather than in one or two economic centers. Ask yourself how you would get from a rail station to a job a mile from the station. Bus service would be far more convenient and would cost far less.

Fact No.4: SMART will compete with existing bus systems both for riders and funding. In many areas in which rail service has been introduced, bus service was reduced or realigned to promote rail use. In Los Angeles overall transit use declined after rail service began because bus routes were eliminated or realigned and bus fares were raised.

Rail backers want you to ignore these facts. Don't be railroaded by the slick literature you're sure to get this fall. The North Bay has much to lose if this measure passes.


30 million autos & trucks cross the Richmond San Rafael bridge every year making trips into Marin County. The train will have no impact on this traffic pattern. In-fill housing will add about 50,000 units along the trains length....think about the number of car trips that this will add. SMART is a developers' dream. Clapper rail habitat will be permanently lost if the train is allowed to cross the Gallinas Creek wetland.

Trains usually require a 3/4% tax, not a 1/2% tax as SMART is proposing. Trains in general are good ideas, however, this train is trying to cram itself into an infrastructure that will be severely effected in a stressful manner. The negatives far outweigh the positives on the train. Alternative fueled mass transit busing is the way to go in Marin and Sonoma.

Marin County Bicycle Coalition's Publicity Stunt Patrol

Why is the MCBC's China Camp bike patrol ineffective? For starters it does little to address the main problems with bikes in China Camp;

• namely that there is too much bike travel there that's taking a serious toll on trail conditions, especially during rain days,
  
• it does nothing to address the fact of illegal trail riding on off limits narrow trails in the park,
• Is there reportage to China Camp Rangers of jump ramps and worn hillsides?
  
• MCBC does nothing to advocate for increasing fines for illegal bike riding or
  
• for advocating for some type of fee structure for park use. This is particularly disturbing as the main user of China Camp are bikers and right now, they ride FOR FREE.

It seems clear from the above that the MCBC bike patrol is therefore a smokescreen to foster an image of concern for the open space and thereby create in the public mind the impression that mountain biking advocates are actually doing something positive for the trails that they destroy.

Here's some recent photographic evidence of trail destruction at China Camp.















There are numerous spots like these at China Camp.


















The next set of photos reveal an actively used illegal bike trail at China Camp. There are a number of these throughout the State Park.






























If you are disturbed by the continued destruction by bikes of the trail system in China Camp State Park, please call the Marin District manager for the California State Parks, Danita Rodriguez at, 415-898-4362 ex 15

Warning: Mountain Biking Harmful to Male Fertility

Bicycling. Bicycling has been linked to impotence in men and also may affect fertility. Pressure from the bike seat may damage blood vessels and nerves that are responsible for erections. Mountain biking, which involves riding on off-road terrain, exposes the perineum (the region between the scrotum and the anus) to more extreme shocks and vibrations and increases the risk for injuries to the scrotum. One study found that men who mountain bike are far more likely to have scrotal abnormalities, including calcium deposits, cysts, and twisted veins. Men who cycle can reduce such risks by:

• Taking frequent rests while biking
• Wearing padded bike shorts
• Using a padded or specially contoured bike seat that is raised high enough and sits at the proper angle

The rest of the story...



In another Austrian study: Sometimes a man's hobbies can interfere with infertility. According to a small study conducted in Austria, frequent mountain biking may contribute to a man's infertility. The study looked at 55 avid mountain bikers and found that nearly 90 percent had low sperm counts and abnormalities in their scrotums. In contrast only 26 percent of 35 non-bike riders had similar damage. The study, presented in December 2002 at the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, suggests that the frequent jolts and vibration associated with riding over rough terrain may be to blame. Infertility problems were most common in frequent bike riders who rode about 60 miles a week.