# Destructive mountain biking



## Cedarbranchbiker1 (Apr 7, 2011)

A tract of land has become open near High Point, NC. When the possibility of MTB trails was brought up, I discovered that MTB people are evidently worse than Hell's Angels and possibly even responsible for global warming and the dying off of the dinosaurs. We are SO BAD!


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## Mtn. Biker123 (Sep 17, 2005)

It would be fairly easy to challenge former and the latter, but CARBON.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Cedarbranchbiker1 said:


> A tract of land has become open near High Point, NC. When the possibility of MTB trails was brought up, I discovered that MTB people are evidently worse than Hell's Angels and possibly even responsible for global warming and the dying off of the dinosaurs. We are SO BAD!


I've been involved with trail advocacy, trail building and trail maintenance for almost 30 years and you know what? MTBs have their own set of impacts and in sometimes they can be pretty bad. We _can_ and do tear the $hit out of trails. We can and do act like a$$holes to other trail users (including other MTBers). We can and do act like the world owes us a place to ride that suits whatever the latest in bike technology can produce.

Happily, all what I said above doesn't apply to all trails and all MTBers by a long shot, MTBing is a legitimate use and has a lot of benefits to its participants, but to not acknowledge and mitigate our impacts on trails, the local environment and fellow trail users is a big mistake.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Look into IMBA for a presentation called "Better Living Through Trails". Here in CA, we had Jordan and Lani the travelling TCC come through and the day before a huge trail building seminar we had for a new piece of property we're building on, they did the BLTT Presentation to a room full of land managers and "potential" land managers from our local city, state, and other municipal agencies. It was an incredibly positive program and really set a great tone for the MTB community as well as the general community. I watched the faces of a lot of these managers and I think it was an incredibly positive outcome. It sheds a whole different light on what MTB can do for community through legitimate studies and factual information.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

zrm said:


> I've been involved with trail advocacy, trail building and trail maintenance for almost 30 years and you know what? MTBs have their own set of impacts and in sometimes they can be pretty bad. We _can_ and do tear the $hit out of trails. We can and do act like a$$holes to other trail users (including other MTBers). We can and do act like the world owes us a place to ride that suits whatever the latest in bike technology can produce.
> 
> Happily, all what I said above doesn't apply to all trails and all MTBers by a long shot, MTBing is a legitimate use and has a lot of benefits to its participants, but to not acknowledge and mitigate our impacts on trails, the local environment and fellow trail users is a big mistake.


We are also not alone as a user group in ANY of those things.


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

Cedarbranchbiker1 said:


> A tract of land has become open near High Point, NC. When the possibility of MTB trails was brought up, I discovered that MTB people are evidently worse than Hell's Angels and possibly even responsible for global warming and the dying off of the dinosaurs. We are SO BAD!


I'm not familiar with that area, but it's good to remember that decision-makers vote yes on something not because it's abstractly a good idea, but because influential people make it clear that "the community" wants it, and it will reflect well on that politician.

Who are the rich and powerful in the area? Do any of them ride? Do any of their children ride?

What about the universities in the area? Do they have mountain bike teams?

Winning a seat at the table in a parks-land-allocation type of thing is not just about "good ideas," it's about building the coalition.

Maybe the coalition already exists. Does your area have IMBA-affiliated clubs etc.?

The City of Houston would have never built a public skatepark for skateboarders. (There were quite a few private ones over the years). But, when famous and ultra-wealthy attorney Joe Jamail plonked down some funding, it got built pronto.

Houston Parks Board: Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark


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## b.r.h. (May 3, 2007)

Who are the groups that maintain the Winston Salem trails, or Owls Roost etc. in Greensboro? Perhaps reach out to them for assistance with advocacy and relationship building.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

The watershed trails in Greensboro, Owl's Roost, Shady Side, WildTurkey, Blue Heron, Kingfisher, etc...are built and maintained by the Greensboro Fat Tire Society (GFTS). 

We have a good relationship with one of the land managers involved, since he was previously a Park Manager at N.E. Park where we built the trails a decade ago. 

We are working on Rich Fork Open Space issue and meeting with Commissioner Phillips in the coming week. We will also be having a IMBA TCC visit in October.

Would love to have you join the club.


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## torrid (Mar 7, 2016)

Fat Tire Society is actively involved in gaining access to Rich Fork for mountain bikers (just joined myself). There have been a couple of contentious public meetings with the anti-bike people becoming quite irate. Anyone wishing to have continued access to the property for mountain biking needs to attend these meetings to make their voice heard. In a calm, professional manner of course.

The property itself is very much like the Greensboro watershed trails, undeveloped but hardly a pristine wilderness. Given the history of the club working with the city to maintain the watershed trails, that should prove all the concerns as to erosion and trail-sharing moot.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

August County Commissioner vote was 5 to allow mt. bikes, 4 votes opposed. 

Be sure you tell all your friends to vote in November to insure the 2 commissioners who are up for re-election stay in office. The High Point Commissioner's opponent has publicly stated he would vote opposed to bike access. Funding for trails will still need to be voted on in the next year. A change in Commissioners is significant risk, so make a difference in getting the vote out.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

Oh My Sack! said:


> Look into IMBA for a presentation called "Better Living Through Trails". Here in CA, we had Jordan and Lani the travelling TCC come through and the day before a huge trail building seminar we had for a new piece of property we're building on, they did the BLTT Presentation to a room full of land managers and "potential" land managers from our local city, state, and other municipal agencies. It was an incredibly positive program and really set a great tone for the MTB community as well as the general community.


 Sadly we had a IMBA TCC scheduled for an October visit before it lost it's Subaru funding. :-( It was an outstanding program!


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## Cedarbranchbiker1 (Apr 7, 2011)

TrailYoda said:


> Sadly we had a IMBA TCC scheduled for an October visit before it lost it's Subaru funding. :-( It was an outstanding program!


The people of High Point insist MTB trails will "destroy the land". Hiking trails, however will cause absolutely no problems. I have observed many times where hikers have taken "shortcuts" leading to erosion and roots exposed, making an unsafe condition for other hikers.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

The most eroded trail on the Greensboro watershed is a hiking trail that gets zero bike use. Poor trail design + Water = Erosion. "Erosion" is nothing but a smoke screen for the NIMBY adjacent home owners and former land owners.


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## 5k bike 50cent legs (Oct 10, 2016)

Does anyone remember Adam's Farm in Greensboro back in the early 90s. Used to be good racing there. I think it was developed? If I remember membership there was under the Bull Run MTB Association?


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## Cedarbranchbiker1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Adam's Farm was originally the Uwharrie Council boy Scout Camp. The camp was moved Highway 64 west of Asheboro on the new city lake formed by damming the Uwharrie River. Adam's Farm is a very large development now.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

GREENSBORO — The Guilford County Board of Commissioners on Thursday 8/3/17 approved two plans for the Rich Fork Nature Preserve, clearing the way for work to begin on the property after nearly two years of debate and controversy.

“This has been the most publicized open space property in Guilford County that we’ve had,” said Commissioner Alan Branson, who serves as a liaison to the county’s Parks and Recreation Commission. “Everybody seems to be, at last, finally, somewhat happy, which has been a daunting task over the last couple of years.”

The votes, both unanimous, formally concluded a once-acrimonious debate over the fate of the preserve, a 120-acre property in northwest High Point that was purchased as part of a now-defunct county open space program. Preservationists, many of whom helped acquire the land, worried that mountain biking would harm the terrain and wildlife, while bikers said the trails could be built in an environmentally sound manner.


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

The approved mountain bike trail plan officially only includes the Preserve, not existing the Northwood Elementary School trails which have existed for 30 years. Parks department is working getting that formally approved also.

The Fat Tire Society plans to begin working on the these trails this winter. Please start reaching out to folks in Southern Guilford County you know to volunteer to help make it happen.


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