Kermit said:
I would rather see everyone getting along and sharing, than pointing fingers. We all cause damage and erosion...play nice or close it down to all, even foot traffic. I don't care how people enjoy the back country, just be nice to one another...and respect it. I know I enjoy all forms, some days I like to hike or ride my mountain bike...heck, you may even catch me on a horse or mule. Dirt biking is my favorite, I think everyone should try all forms at least once before they judge others.
I try to be nice as possible, pull off to the side and shut the motor off...I still get called names, and get dirty looks. hard core hikers are probably the angriest...at least from my personal experience....and that is on moto legal trails...oh well, must suck to be that angry.
The way I look at it, the Earth is in constant state of erosion...I mean really, how is a little peice of trail going to change the whole scheme of things? The mountains are being trusted up, then torn back down. The trails that are on them will disappear in time, along with the whole mountain.
I agree. And, I would say that a hard rain storm probably does more 'damage' to the terrain than most bikes, or vehicles can do. Don't misunderstand this to be an all inclusive, always true statement, but I do think it is "often" true.
That being said, in Arkansas, both the national forests are shutting down trails at the discretion of the local ranger districts due to trail damage. Dan (Big_Geek) called and spoke to a ranger about the new closures prior to his latest outing.
The culprit, according to the rangers, is out of state ORV users, primarily ATV's. That has little to do with the bikes in the Pecos, but has a lot to do with trail closures, in AR, AZ, and all through the southwest.
As described by the ranger, large riding groups truck in their ATV's and pretty much run wild. Not cool. I know one area (near AR/OK border) that even before this had been turned into a de-facto wilderness area, all but closed to ANY motorized transport, due to this kind of misuse.
I read the entirety of the ADV thread and come away with the same impression that I had before reading this. Most dirtbike riders are generally respectful of the trails they ride, moreso than it appears ATV'ers for sure, as I have seldom seen an ATV rider that was acting appropriately. We even had one mudbogging in a drainage ditch between ours and our neighbor's house, in a freakin' subdivision! Worse yet, he lost control and knocked down a fence.
Stepping off of ATV soapbox...
In regards to the Pecos report, as is pointed out in the ADV thread, the riders should have known they did not belong there. But (and it is a big but) reading the reports, it is clear that the writers of the report had an agenda, and even a vendetta against a riding club that it appears quite likely had nothing to do with the offenders in question.
But, even if you take the reporting with a grain of salt, the fact still stands that motorized recreation was being conducted in a wilderness area where it did not belong, and it is shameful and regrettable, as it does give anyone who uses motorized vehicles in wilderness (lower case w) of any sort a bad name, and will only help those trying to force land closures.
