Do what's right for all of Boulder

Guest opinion: Open Space trails - Do what's right for all of Boulder
By Dick Harris and Eve Rose
Posted: 09/19/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT

The fierce debate about allowing mountain biking through the heart of Boulder's Open Space is fundamentally about fairness. It's about fairness to the majority of Boulder residents, fairness to nature, and fairness to future generations.

Somehow that has gotten lost.

Let's start with the facts. Mountain bikers have access to 49 miles of the city's Open Space trails. They have another 89 miles of trail in the county and 135 miles of nearby U.S. Forest Service trails. This doesn't include the network of bike paths and lanes in the city or the $4.1 million Off-Road Bike Park the city is now building.

But mountain bikers want more. The question for all of us now is this: How much is enough? How much is fair? What is right for the city as a whole -- not just any individual interest group?

Some mountain bikers are currently trying to gain access to the last major part of Boulder Open Space that does not allow mountain biking, the network of trails below the Flatirons, stretching from Chautauqua to Eldorado Canyon. We believe this is simply too much.

People need at least one area where they don't have to watch out for bikes -- a peaceful place to run, hike, and walk. Some bikers argue that we can all share the trails, but the reality on the ground is much different. Any walker or runner will tell you that it's just not the same. Having to constantly watch out for bikers and make way to let them by is a fundamentally different experience.

"Just one trail is all we want" -- the current mantra of mountain bikers -- implies that their request is reasonable, simple, and safe.

But the trails in the route they want to access are not just any trails. The proposed route would include some of the most heavily used hiking trails in the area. That's because these trails are some of the most easily accessible trails for families, the elderly, casual hikers, after-work runners, dog walkers, and the disabled.

The mountain biking community has promised to be careful and we take most of them at their word. That's not the point. The difference in speed and weight, combined with the number of people on the trail, are a recipe for collisions and conflict (no matter how careful or responsible riders are). We don't have to wait to find out. We tried this in the '80s and it was a disaster. The trails had to be closed to mountain bikers because of so many conflicts. Today, the trails are much more crowded and the number of mountain bikers has increased. "Just one trail" cannot safely accommodate thousands of new users -- mountain bikers who will come from the city as well as Denver to access the new trail.

Just one trail sounds so simple, but belies so many serious problems. How will the surrounding streets cope with the increase in traffic? Parking is already a nightmare and nearby streets are already overrun. Surely, some bikers will want to drive to the start of this new route, but where will they park? What will happen to other neighborhoods along the route -- quiet now, but for how long?

What about the environment? What is our responsibility as stewards of the land? This particular area of Open Space is already a delicate balance of recreational use and conservation. It's a narrow ribbon of land -- a refuge for deer, bears, mountain lions, and many other native inhabitants. Introducing a large new user group will only strain the system further. The new route will use existing trails, but will also require new trails, further fragmenting habitat and taking away pristine areas.

We are families. We are hikers. We are runners. We are young and old. We are mountain bikers and conservationists. We also believe we represent the majority of Boulder citizens whose voice has been lost in the past year, drowned out by one very vocal group which has come to dominate the discussion of the future of our Open Space.

At the moment, mountain bikers already have access to hundreds of miles of off-road trails and more are being developed for them as we speak. Is it so unreasonable to ask that one area of our open space be preserved for the vast majority of Boulder residents?

Dick Harris and Eve Rose are members of http://SOSboulder.org.

The Woods Belong To Us- Trailer

The Woods Belong To Us - Trailer from 30 LBS Skunk on Vimeo.

This video was shot and produced by Greg Winkler from 30 lb Skunk Productions. It seems to be balanced so far....

Who Pays? Not the Mountain Bikers!

By RANDI ROSSMAN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT: pressdemocrat rescued-from-Annadel

Published: Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 3:51 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 3:51 p.m.

Two mountain bike riders needed rescuing from Annadel State Park Sunday after crashing, emergency officials reported.

One man hurt his ankle Sunday morning and was carried out by the Sonoma County sheriff's helicopter. Another man hurt his collar bone Sunday afternoon.

In the morning rescue, the adult male rider was possibly about a mile up the Burma trail when he crashed.

The accident was reported at 11:45 a.m. to Santa Rosa firefighters. The Sonoma County sheriff's helicopter crew also was brought in to help because of its ability to quickly spot and retrieve people in the huge, dense park, Santa Rosa Battalion Chief Mark Basque reported.

The man, whose name wasn't initially available, had been riding with a group of friends when he crashed.

The helicopter crew found him within minutes of arriving. They used a 200-foot line to lower a paramedic and a sergeant with a litter.

He was packaged up and then lifted, at the end of the line, to an awaiting ambulance at the base of the park.

At about 1:45 p.m., Santa Rosa firefighters were called back to the park for another injured rider.

This man was about a half-mile up the Warren Richardson trail. Firefighters, state and county parks rangers helped with the effort, Basque said.

The man was treated for his injury and driven down the hill.

Both riders were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Further details weren't available.

Annadel was busy with hikers and bikers on Sunday.

“It's not unusual to get called into that park multiple times...especially on weekends when a lot of folks are up there,” Basque said. “Especially when the weather is really good.”

The Threats Were Real...

Trail Wars: Press Democrat:



"Keene, the cycle shop owner, said the state could have a legion of willing cyclists volunteer to help maintain trails if it wanted them. He compared it city officials who combat graffiti by inviting artists to paint murals. His businesses raised $4,000 for Annadel at a fundraiser party during the Tour of California."

If Mr. Keene was so keen on truly helping Annadel's fragile environment, he'd put his "crews" on restoring the illegal trails to original condition. To not do so, is to give approval to their destruction. Yet another mountain biker rationalization for irrational bike behavior.

The illegal bikers threatened to do this as soon as the state cut back on park services. Selfish? Un-environmental? You bet.

Criminality in Biking

http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-05-26/news/floyd-landis-doping-scandal-the-s-f-connection/

Matt Smith's recent article in the SF Weekly reveals a startling level of criminality in the world of professional bike racing. Some within the industry itself, describe the activity as like a "Mafia".

The culture of bad boy-bad girl in both racing and especially mountain biking is something that is lauded in the bike press as if it were a badge of courage. This misplaced hero idolatry fuels the ongoing commission of illegal acts both in the professional realm of cycling and in the forests where illegal trails are cut with impunity, imperiling the eco-culture of fragile terrain and even impacting endangered species. But this is what you don't often hear about. The bike industry tries to portray itself as a benign force, bringing outdoor appreciation to new levels of experience. Unfortunately the cost of that experience is wreaking havoc on open spaces and lives.

T-Boning a Deer is One Thing....

T-Boning a Deer is One Thing. Trying to t-bone a person is against the law.
On December 23, 2009, a trail activist who discovered a very large group, up to 60 people, night riding mountain bicycles in or near China Camp, was assaulted and nearly t-boned by a violent biker, who apparently didn't like being advised that his colleagues were caught riding an illegal trail in San Pedro Ridge Open Space. This person's criminal activities were witnessed by the gentleman in the picture here and the driver of the jeep with this California License plate. Seeing Sheriff's deputies arrive on the scene, the cyclist fled. If you have information who these people are please call the Marin County Sheriff's Office at 415-479-2311

NEW DISTURBING ADS IN MARIN MAGAZINE

The February 2010 issue of Marin Magazine features a giant two page ad from mountain bike manufacturer, Specialized. In the ad the riders, who are depicted riding in a fog shrouded forest, are exhorted to "t-boning " a deer at 40mph.






This is the kind of provocative and sensationalized advertising that stokes illegal trail riders who more often then not value high speed over safety. Is this responsible advertising? Should this have appeared in a magazine distributed in Marin County- the Nations hot-bed for illegal mountain bike activities? What was Marin Magazine thinking?


Maybe Marin Magazine executive editor, Jim Wood, would like to hear from you:
jwood@marinmagazine.com





Perhaps Marin Humane Society would like to hear from you too:
The Marin Humane Society
171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd.
Novato, CA 94949
mrogers@marinhumanesociety.org

415-883-4621