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[OT] habitat
On 7/6/2011 2:45 PM, James wrote:
Marvelous how habitat grows back. I see it regularly in bush camping areas. "This area is closed for revegetation." It goes beyond that as well. Every single study on impact to trails has shown that hikers and mountain bikers have similar levels of impact--the impacts are slightly different, but similar level. Hikers have a much greater impact on wildlife because they move through an area more slowly and hence are there for a much longer time. Both hikers and cyclists cause trail erosion and damage in different ways. Horses of course have been shown to do much greater damage to trails than any other user, besides having the most impact on wildlife. The reason why some hikers are opposed to mountain bikes has absolutely nothing to do with impact on trails or habitat, that's a smokescren. The real reason is that they just prefer to hike without the additional trail users in what they believe to be space that they are entitled to. I don't blame them. I find it unpleasant to be hiking on a trail and have bicycles zoom by too, but I don't go around making up stories to try and justify why bicycles should be banned. The reason you see these incredible stories being fabricated (and MV is by no means alone in doing this) is because the argument of "we were here before there were any mountain bikes so we should have exclusive use" is so weak. If MV was really concerned about habitat or trail damage he'd be spending his efforts toward banning equestrians on trails, not cyclists. But of course it's clear that he actually has no concern about either of those. |
#2
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[OT] habitat
"SMS" wrote in message ... On 7/6/2011 2:45 PM, James wrote: Marvelous how habitat grows back. I see it regularly in bush camping areas. "This area is closed for revegetation." It goes beyond that as well. Every single study on impact to trails has shown that hikers and mountain bikers have similar levels of impact--the impacts are slightly different, but similar level. Hikers have a much greater impact on wildlife because they move through an area more slowly and hence are there for a much longer time. Both hikers and cyclists cause trail erosion and damage in different ways. Horses of course have been shown to do much greater damage to trails than any other user, besides having the most impact on wildlife. The reason why some hikers are opposed to mountain bikes has absolutely nothing to do with impact on trails or habitat, that's a smokescren. The real reason is that they just prefer to hike without the additional trail users in what they believe to be space that they are entitled to. I don't blame them. I find it unpleasant to be hiking on a trail and have bicycles zoom by too, but I don't go around making up stories to try and justify why bicycles should be banned. The reason you see these incredible stories being fabricated (and MV is by no means alone in doing this) is because the argument of "we were here before there were any mountain bikes so we should have exclusive use" is so weak. I have the good fortune to live in an area that sees off road cycling as a client base and contributor to the trail system, not a foe. We have our trails that we build and maintain that are open to hikers and that are closed when riding would be damaging, the hikers have foot traffic only trails and there are trails that are open to horses. We alter the trails when they start to become too permanent so that regrowth is a continual process. The trails that are open to cyclists are clearly marked as such and everybody mostly gets along very nicely. None of them have formed factions. Our enemies are common, wild pigs at the top with varying degrees of rudeness being anathema to all. Yep, there are jerk mountain bikers, they are rude to other riders as well. Nobody is rude to the horses, it doesn't pay. |
#3
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[OT] habitat
On 13/07/2011 3:46 AM, SMS wrote:
On 7/6/2011 2:45 PM, James wrote: Marvelous how habitat grows back. I see it regularly in bush camping areas. "This area is closed for revegetation." It goes beyond that as well. Every single study on impact to trails has shown that hikers and mountain bikers have similar levels of impact--the impacts are slightly different, but similar level. Hikers have a much greater impact on wildlife because they move through an area more slowly and hence are there for a much longer time. I have done both hiking and ridden the mountain bike on trails. I can guarantee that I can walk passed an animal with less disturbance and I would normally ride passed. Often I walk so quietly the animals barely notice me, or just stand and look. On a bike they hear more and see more rapid motion and take flight in alarm far more frequently. Realise that I am also a hunter, and as such am practised in the arts of moving quietly and inconspicuously through the bush. Both hikers and cyclists cause trail erosion and damage in different ways. Horses of course have been shown to do much greater damage to trails than any other user, besides having the most impact on wildlife. Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. The reason why some hikers are opposed to mountain bikes has absolutely nothing to do with impact on trails or habitat, that's a smokescren. The real reason is that they just prefer to hike without the additional trail users in what they believe to be space that they are entitled to. I don't blame them. I find it unpleasant to be hiking on a trail and have bicycles zoom by too, but I don't go around making up stories to try and justify why bicycles should be banned. I think they might feel cheated that the bicyclist covered a distance in 2 hours what took them half a day. -- JS. |
#4
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[OT] habitat
On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote:
Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. MV is probably very opposed to horses as well but since one of his only supporters is a real estate agent that bills herself as a "Horse Property Specialist," he feels obligated to not publicly oppose them. This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. |
#5
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habitat
On Jul 14, 7:48*am, SMS wrote:
On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. MV is probably very opposed to horses as well but since one of his only supporters is a real estate agent that bills herself as a "Horse Property Specialist," he feels obligated to not publicly oppose them. This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. The trail users who cause the most damage, BY FAR, are mountain bikers. They travel much farther & faster than anyone else. |
#6
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habitat
On 7/14/2011 12:40 PM, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Jul 14, 7:48 am, wrote: On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. MV is probably very opposed to horses as well but since one of his only supporters is a real estate agent that bills herself as a "Horse Property Specialist," he feels obligated to not publicly oppose them. This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. The trail users who cause the most damage, BY FAR, are mountain bikers. They travel much farther& faster than anyone else. More so that riders of off-road motorcycles and 4-wheelers, and drivers of off-road trucks? -- Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W I am a vehicular cyclist. |
#7
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habitat
"Mike Vandeman" wrote in message ... On Jul 14, 7:48 am, SMS wrote: On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. The trail users who cause the most damage, BY FAR, are mountain bikers. They travel much farther & faster than anyone else. What makes you think that "farther & faster" equals more damaging. Farther and faster means more efficient, less weight and less impact. Where you startled by a rude cyclist out on a trail and this is what it's all about? |
#8
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On Jul 15, 10:01*am, "Ronsonic" wrote:
"Mike Vandeman" wrote in message ... On Jul 14, 7:48 am, SMS wrote: On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. The trail users who cause the most damage, BY FAR, are mountain bikers. They travel much farther & faster than anyone else. What makes you think that "farther & faster" equals more damaging. Farther and faster means more efficient, less weight and less impact. BS. If you do X damage in one mile, then you do 10X damage in 10 miles. Did you flunk grade school math? Where you startled by a rude cyclist out on a trail and this is what it's all about? It's all explained on my website. Do your homework. ALL mountain biking is rude, whether it's in my presence or not. |
#9
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[OT] habitat
On 7/14/2011 10:48 AM, SMS wrote:
On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. MV is probably very opposed to horses as well but since one of his only supporters is a real estate agent that bills herself as a "Horse Property Specialist," he feels obligated to not publicly oppose them. This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. India has sacred cows, we've got sacred horses. I've ridden horses, mountain biked and hiked on the same trails. No contest, horses trash the place, but they're grandfathered in. It's ironic that many of our local trails have seasonal closures during mud season, but the only users who are excluded are bikers. |
#10
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habitat
On Jul 14, 1:02*pm, Peter Cole wrote:
On 7/14/2011 10:48 AM, SMS wrote: On 7/12/2011 5:08 PM, James wrote: Horses also leave lots of manure that may contain foreign seeds, and it is said heavy hooves damage delicate soil structures, in this country. MV is probably very opposed to horses as well but since one of his only supporters is a real estate agent that bills herself as a "Horse Property Specialist," he feels obligated to not publicly oppose them. This is a shame since if he could be educated to direct his efforts against the trail users that cause the most damage he would give up on mountain bikes and concentrate on equestrians. India has sacred cows, we've got sacred horses. I've ridden horses, mountain biked and hiked on the same trails. No contest, horses trash the place, but they're grandfathered in. It's ironic that many of our local trails have seasonal closures during mud season, but the only users who are excluded are bikers. You obviously haven't studied the SCIENCE (REAL science, not the JUNK science created by mountain bikers). The SCIENCE shows that mountain bikers have greater impacts on erosion, plants, and animals, partly because they generally travel several times as FAR and as FAST as other trail users, multiplying their impacts. (See http://mjvande/nfshost.com/scb7.htm.) Besides that, horses evolved in North America, and hence arguably have the right to go wherever they want to. BIKES, on the other hand, and inanimate OBJECTS, and have no rights whatsoever. And there is no right to mountain bike (see http://mjvande/nfshost.com/mtb10.htm). |
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