Typical Mountain Bikers: Irked that They Aren't Allowed to Trespass!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundays...226a6497.html:

Trespass threat to cyclists
Auckland City Harbour News | Wednesday, 25 July 2007

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URBAN ACTION: Mountain bikers are campaigning hard for a city trail.

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A row over urban mountain biking is 'coming to a head', with the group
behind an illegal trail threatened with trespass notices.

Members of the Underground Trailblazers created a 250-metre track at
the West View Rd end of Western Springs after becoming frustrated with
a lack of action by Auckland City Council.

Council parks officer Graham Marchant says staff have prepared 'a few
dozen' notices, which will be given to police to serve to anyone
building tracks.

"We're getting advice on what to do further than that."

Trailblazers leader Peter Stoneham says he got fed up of waiting after
eight years of fruitless discussions with Transit and the council.

"We went through due process," he says.

"I've been proactive and trying to get stuff done but the only way is
to make it political."

Mountain bikers claim their sport is the fastest-growing in New
Zealand.

Sport and Recreation New Zealand figures from 2001 show 12 percent of
25 to 34-year-olds and 6 percent of all adults went mountain biking
every year.

Auckland Mountainbike Club president Geoff Olliff says the club has
more than 800 members.

He says the number of people taking up the sport is 'greater than
rugby and soccer put together' but there are far fewer facilities for
them.

There are several bush areas with biking trails in the Auckland
region, but none near the city centre.

The council drew up a mountain bike policy in 2001, which aims to
'support, encourage and acknowledge mountain biking as a worthwhile
recreation and competition activity'.

Trailblazers created the Western Springs track late last year but it's
back on the agenda after complaints from nearby residents.

Submissions from Charles Joseph, Annette Isby and Louise Rive went
before the Western Bays Community Board last week.

Ms Rive says trees were damaged when the track was built and the
council has an obligation to enforce the law.

"If the choice is made to not do so, and to ignore our concerns, you
are abandoning the residents that you represent to the mercy of
bullies who are prepared to be belligerent and use the tactics of
intimidation," she wrote.

Board chairman Graeme Easte says the council is tolerating
Trailblazers in an attempt to minimise their damage.

"Council staff have extracted various promises from them on what
damage they can do."

The board ordered an urgent update on the council's efforts to provide
legal trails.

"Matters are definitely coming to a head," Mr Easte says.

Council arts and recreation committee chairwoman Penny Sefuiva says
she can understand the Trailblazers? frustration. But she says there's
a 'serious commitment' to finding a suitable council-owned site where
non-cyclists won't be affected.

"We haven't been sitting on our hands. We have the staff resources
allocated to it and we want to find a solution."

Ms Sefuiva says Mr Stoneham doesn't represent all mountain bikers and
the council is working closely with the Auckland Mountainbike Club.

Mr Marchant says options will go to the committee in September.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Safety tips credited with saving woman from cougar
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/07/26/4369108-sun.html
Edmonton Sun - Alberta, Canada
By CARTER HAYDU, SUN MEDIA Reading about hiking safety likely saved the life
of a Spruce Grove woman confronted by a cougar in Kootenay National Park,
....