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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - - Passion -
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OK, they are closing the only challenging singletrack trail (9 posts)
|  OK, they are closing the only challenging singletrack trail | Jesus
Jan 20, 2003 11:59 AM | | around these parts. It's not closed yet, but the ball is rolling and there is no effective organized movement to oppose it. Let's all back up the heavy hitters, we sure could've used some here. Join IMBA today. http://stores.yahoo.com/imba/imbamembership.html Let's stop this bull$hit. |
| these parts? | JimC.
Jan 20, 2003 12:07 PM | | pretty much tells me it's in the States *somewhere*. You might get a better response by telling your targets where "these parts" are? It's pretty hard to get interested over a general statement like yours regardless of how important YOU think it is.
Just a thought, Jim |
| Galilee? Nazareth? Bethlehem? | Titan
Jan 20, 2003 12:18 PM | | Jesus, it could be anywhere! |
| Hawaii (nm) | JimC.
Jan 20, 2003 1:26 PM | | |
| Only worth a response if the trail's in an interesting place?? | Jesus
Jan 20, 2003 1:41 PM | | I'm bummed they are closing my trail, it doesn't matter where it is, it's a tragedy. It's a bunch of blind hate mongers whom I have never seen on the trail, and it's happening, they are getting organized and are taking the steps to close the trail. We all need to join IMBA and do our part to keep this from happening in our parts, wherever that may be. We do have a terrific litte mountain bike organization here, but we apparently have neither the numbers nor the experience to make anything happen with the land mangers. We all need to become a part of the biggest, most influential group around, IMBA. As individuals and small fragmented groups, as we are learning locally, we are close to totally innefective at influencing the land managers. The trail is on Wa'ahila Ridge, just above Waikiki on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. |
| No, just good marketing... | JimC.
Jan 20, 2003 1:45 PM | | for example, I help out IMBA in Canada, but I'm in Vancouver, BC. If the trail(s) you mention was/were in upper Wet Coast of Oregon or WA, I might be able to help 1st hand. Hawaii's a bit of a stretch.
Good luck organizing, Jim |
| Fear and loathing in CO | Standing Bear
Jan 20, 2003 2:01 PM | | I have bad news for you. IMBA won't "help" you save your trail. You can send them your twenty, thirty, or one hundred dollars but you are better off slipping it in the ranger's hand. IMBA doesn't handle local issues, your local clubs do.
In order to keep your trail open (or to reopen it) you need to become very involved in your local advocacy club and then become very active in volunteering for the parks. It really boils down to common sense and dollars and cents.
If a land manager has user conflicts and the conflicting party does nothing for the park in the way of volunteering and such then the decision to close a trail is easy. Volunteer time is cold hard cash for the land manager in the form of free labor.
If a land manager has user conflicts and the conflicting party doesn't have a solid, first name relationship with the land manager, it is easier to close the trail to the offending party because they don't KNOW you. That is why politicians travel their districts and "shake hands and kiss babies", to gain votes. By knowing your local land manager personally you eliminate the friction that can occur when a user is upset by another user.
Often user conflicts can be avoided by user education on all sides and also meeting the "other side" of the equation and bridging the gap.
No matter what, the only thing that will save your trail is YOU. If you want to "buy" your trail back by writing a check to IMBA, do me a favor, send the money to me. The results will be the same, your money gone and never heard from again. |
| well said. | Kitchenware
Jan 20, 2003 3:09 PM | | keep your money local if possible, if not, why not organize. |
| Fear and loathing in CO | sasquatch
Jan 21, 2003 8:47 AM | | I think that joining IMBA is an important thing to do, even if they can't focus their effforts into saving your particular trail. Just having an organization that has the mission of advocacy and education regarding responsible Mtn Biking and land access will help the overall cause of getting Mtn Biking accepted as a legitimate form of recreation. Money (and more importantly time and sweat equity) is more important at a local level especially if you never travel, but contributing to IMBA can only help our cause. They have the (inter)national power to stand up to other (inter)national groups who don't think Mtn Biking should be allowed anywhere, and to work with groups like Sierra Club and others to try and persuade them of Mtn Biking's legitimacy. I'll repeat that getting involved with your local land managers and showing up for trail work days, and meetings that bring various user groups together will be the most effective way to save your local trails, but IMBA is importanat, and if you like to see the world from the saddle of a bike, IMBA will help ensure that places like Moab, Fruita, Downieville, and many others remain open and worht riding. Good luck on your trails in Hawaii. I hope to get the chance to ride them someday.
P.S. You should contact IMBA and notify your regional chapter, there may be something that they can do, or at least they will provide you with some good strategies for working to ensure your trails remain open. |
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