Bush to help open national parks to mountain bikes

[calamaridog]

I'm in favor of opening more areas. How about you?

Bush to help open national parks to mountain bikes

By Dina Cappiello
ASSOCIATED PRESS

11:52 a.m. October 14, 2008

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration plans to make it easier for mountain bikers to gain access to national parks and other public lands before the president – an avid cyclist himself – leaves office.
The National Park Service confirmed Tuesday that it is preparing a rule that will allow decisions about some mountain bike trails to be made by park managers instead of federal regulators in Washington, a process that can take years.

A park service spokesman said the rule would be proposed no later than Nov. 15 so it could be final before Bush leaves office. If adopted, the proposal would likely result in more mountain biking opportunities on public lands.

Currently, the Park Service has to adopt a special regulation to open up trails to mountain bikes, which requires the public to be formally notified. The same process is required for all-terrain vehicles and other motorized recreation on park lands.

“We are trying to give superintendents a little bit of latitude especially for non-controversial proposals for bicycling in parks,” said Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for the service. “We are responding to public demand.”

Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch called the rule a lame-duck gift for the mountain biking lobby from the “Mountain-Biker-in-Chief,” referring to Bush.

Ruch, executive director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the proposal would open up backcountry trails to mountain bikers. Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders.

During his tenure as president, Bush has embraced mountain biking as a low-impact alternative to running, which is hard on his knees. The president – who has a blue and white Trek bicycle dubbed Mountain Bike One – often rides on his ranch in Crawford, Tex. and in the Washington, D.C. area. He also has received several mountain bikes from companies like Cannondale and Trek.

The International Mountain Biking Association, which is supported by some of the same companies that gave Bush bikes, said Tuesday it didn't believe the timing of the rule had anything to do with the president's penchant for pedaling.

“It is extraneous to this (rule) that the president has interest in mountain biking. I don't think that has been an influencer in this case,” said Mark Eller, communications director for the group, which has been lobbying to change the rules since the early 1990s.

About 30 properties managed by the National Park Service include trails approved for mountain bikes now, he said.

A calendar for Lyle Laverty, the Interior Department's Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks also shows that the mountain bike rule is one the administration's remaining priorities.

In April 2006, after a 65-minute ride through Napa County wine country on Earth Day, the president told an AP reporter: “We're able to enjoy the beauty without really disrupting pristine nature of the place. It's a classic way for mankind to enjoy God's gift.”

[cnynrat]

I'm in favor of opening more areas. How about you?

Bush to help open national parks to mountain bikes

By Dina Cappiello
ASSOCIATED PRESS

... Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders. ...

Makes sense to me. It doesn't say they are all of a sudden going to open vast miles of trails to mountain bikes, only that they will move the decision about mountain bike access closer to the people who actually manage those lands.

I've always found the comparison of mountain bikers to horseback riders an interesting one. I know this is a simplistic comparison, but I find it hard to imagine that a 200 pound rider on a 25 pound bike on rubber tires does more damage than a 1000 pound animal on small steel feet loaded with a rider or gear. The ubiquitous knee-deep trails in the Sierras bear witness to the tail erosion caused by pack stock. Ironic that the environmental movement has historically objected to access for mountain bikes while supporting pack stock use because pack stock is "traditional" in some areas.

[ThomD]

That's a pretty poorly written article, but I'll take the good news. Oh, and this has been under review by NPS for years.

[jatibb]

as a ex-sorba president on the local level, and many years building trails i can say that horses cause MUCH more damage to trails than bikes. not to mention that most cyclists will at least try and avoid riding on muddy days while some areas seem to attract horse owner on rainy days. i know when riding when i see gu packs or powerbar wrappers it is the bikers to blame, but when i see cigarette butts, beer cans, soda cans, chewing tobacco packs,chip bags, i am pretty sure the cyclists arent at fault there. i dont mind the doodoo but garbage? come on. but we all belong, smile,get off, speak to horse....and ride on.
now if we could just get them to remove every paved road in our forests we'd be all set. i think if you wanna go into the wilderness, you just have to work at it a little bit. any of you who've been to cades cove in tennessee know what im talking about.

[Wanderlusty]

There is a mountain bike lobby??

[haven]

I dunno -- At this point, I'm willing to restrict cyclists to double track trails and specifically designated bicycle routes. I've had to dive headlong into the bushes once too often to avoid some kamakaze cyclist on a downhill run.

Chip Haven

[DaveInDenver]

There is a mountain bike lobby??

Here's a few that work at the Federal level, many more that work at the state level (like here there's Bike Colorado, COMBA, BATCO, etc.)...

America Bikes
IMBA
Bikes Belong
League of American Bicyclists
American Cycling Association
National Complete Streets Coalition
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals
Thunderhead Alliance
Complete The Streets

Wanna see some grass roots stuff, start at Cars R Coffins

[DaveInDenver]

Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch called the rule a lame-duck gift for the mountain biking lobby from the “Mountain-Biker-in-Chief,” referring to Bush.

Yeah man, that evil low impact, fit and healthy MTB lobby will stop at nothing to get people out of cars and enjoy a little bit of fun at the same time. Probably better that we cram 50 people into a hot, uncomfortable bus. Those buses use biodiesel, don't ya know. It's better anyway, the unwashed masses probably feel more comfortable seeing things framed by 2x3 foot windows, reminds them of the documentaries on Discovery Channel. Geez, it's just letting people ride trails, it's not like he's pardoning felons or anything.