"S Curtiss" wrote in message
news:F5Ykg.6583$FR1.4103@dukeread05...

"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
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"SMS" wrote in message
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S Curtiss wrote:

Sure - No worried! Since your OPINIONS have been ignored, and you
offer no corroboration from review or comment on your opinions by
accredited persons, and cooperation has prevailed state to state and by
federal agencies, and mountain biking continues to grow, and you
continue to present to a handful of other "presenters" at conferences
you don't even reference until they are over, and you insist on your
definitions and generalizations... No worries at all for those of us
who live in reality!

That's the bottom line. Since no study has ever shown that mountain
biking is any more damaging than hiking, people like MV have to resort
to the type of lies that they have become infamous for. He still has
never produced any citations or references for his position, because
none exits.

At this point, everyone basically agrees that mountain biking and hiking
are about equal in trail and wildlife impact. Despite this, many hikers
still would prefer that they have exclusive use to trails and to the
back country, and it's understandable why. But they should be honest
about the reasons, rather than trying to use false rationalizations like
MV and ED. No one would think any worse of them if they would simply
say, "we find it annoying to have to share trails with other users," and
it would be a breath of fresh air from a pathological liar like MV.

My point of view from the outset has been that I do not want to share
hiking trails with bikers. For me it all has to do with the different
mental attitudes that the two groups bring to recreation in the out of
doors. These attitudes are not reconcilable. They are as different as
night and day. That is the MAIN reason I do not want bikers on hiking
trails. I do not believe I can say it any clearer than that.

So why not just say that? Why all this "my sacred trails" and mysticism
and pure souls and such? You have the option of hiking in many places
without bikes. You also have the knowledge that shared use areas may have
cyclists. Choose your environment.

My main point which I like to make over and over is that bikers and hikers
do not get along at all well on hiking trails. It does not have so much to
do with impacts on the trail itself or even on wildlife, but rather on the
kind of attitudes we bring to nature and to wilderness.

I have noticed mountain bikers like to travel in groups and are into fun and
games for the most part. They treat nature like it is a playground. We
hikers are not constituted that way. The fact that you have so little grasp
of the hiker mentality tells me all I will ever have to know about you. I
called you soulless once before and I meant it.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota