Update: One Less Trail

[Smoke]

Brad has this to say:


Smoke- I can't post replies on NSMB, so will you add this please?

We did not apply for a permit. Based on heresay from over a year ago,
trails in the National Forest approximately 60 miles south of us required a
permit and certification for trail maintenance. I did not apply for a
permit because people do trail work in our area all the time without
permits. If a permit were required to do so, many of the trails would
disappear or worse- For example, the most popular trail in the forest,
known as "Raider's Camp", has had a large section of trees blocking a corner
of trail for nearly 6 months. Being the most popular trail in the area, I
figured it would not be long at all before the USFS sent someone in to move
this. Instead, as horses continued to trample the trail and look for ways
around the brush, they cut down the side hill corner section leaving a huge
2 foot deep rut going down and crossing a creek, which is now filled full of
foot deep holes and mud from horse tracks. The trees were an inconvenience
to bikers, but led to trail destruction by horses. The trees have now been
cleared, but it was NOT by the USFS, and it was done so without a permit.
The trail cut around the debris was cut by horses without a permit. There
are many other examples, but as you can see it takes too long to write them.
Trail "improvements" happen in this area nearly every day, and a permit is
not even considered. I guess everyone figures that if the government is not
going to use our tax dollars to upkeep the forest, then it is up to the US
citizens who use the "public" land to upkeep it. I thought that if the
trail was constructed and ridden, that it would not be an issue, mainly
because such a trail would be invisible to the USFS and would decrease user
conflict in the area. Horseback riders, hunters, hikers, and mountain bike
riders all use the same trails year round, with dislike for each other, but
we do get along. Our trail would help to lessen user conflict by offering a
bad ass trail unlike any other within 200 miles of here for mountain bikers
to flock to, which would in turn lower the chances of user conflict on other
trails. The USFS would only see our application as a need for their
attention (money) and would turn us down without listening to us. The area
the trail is built on burned nearly to the ground as a result of a drunk
motorist 2 years ago. The only remaining structure is trees over 4 inch
diameter. Most of the trees are black, the ground is charred. We used only
deadfall for building, and moved rocks and dirt to construct jumps and
berms. The officers of this area do not realize what mountain biking is.
There are hundreds of forest trails in this area. Many are used by hunters,
which in my opinion is far worse than building a trail. We did not "steal",
kill, or damage ANYTHING! We simply reorganized a burned section of forest.
It turned out to be against the law, but with so many abandoned trails in
this area, we didn't see it that way. I know the bottom line is that we
were wrong and that we broke the law, but I just wanted you all to know some
of the circumstances surrounding this issue. As you all know, the Canadian
and US governments are EXTREMELY different. Apparently, we have to hold the
man's hand while taking a piss. Whatever happened to that national anthem
of ours? "...land of the free..." I love all of our beautiful trails that
I have grown up on through the years, and I will deeply miss them when I
move to Canada.

Thanks,


What's the difference between a Freedom Fighter and a Rebel again?

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[pedalhound]

Dang......man that sucks. Good luck on the stuggle down there.

[Infamous]

that really sucks dude!!! Im really pissed off when the forestry people say that the mtn bikers doo too much damage when he hoarse's do a shit load more Good Luck with ur fight! we hope u'll win and after ur done move up north where the grass is green!