"Blackblade" wrote in message ...

One last point to end the thread. It appears, Ed, that you are, to a large degree, somewhat typical of a certain type of hiker.

Quoting from http://www.mbosc.org/Impacts/summary.html

"5.3 Social Impacts of Mountain Biking

Recreation conflict is a more complex phenomena than simply a case of "one activity versus another". There are a number of reasons which are usually given for disapproving of mountain bikes in off-road (track) settings. From consideration of all the studies and references available, these subjective reasons can generally be summarised as:

· Perceptions of greater environmental impacts and damage from mountain biking.

· Safety hazards of fast and silent mountain bikes.

· Attitudes that mountain biking is an inappropriate activity in the environment.

· Perceptions that mountain bikes encroach upon walking opportunities.

· Perceptions that mountain bikers are less interested in the setting and environment.

· A general dislike of mountain bikes and what they are perceived to represent.

In summary, these reasons can categorised as:

· Perceptions of environmental impacts.

· Perceptions of safety hazards.

· Perceptions that mountain biking is "inappropriate". "

However, the paper then goes on to point out that, in the main, these are PERCEPTUAL rather than ACTUAL issues.

An excellent summarization indeed! I recommend that you read it over and over and then memorize it. The only thing missing is the final judgment. The above reasons are NOT perceptions, but FACTS. Nothing could be more ACTUAL!

Christ! You are even denser than I thought!

Ed Dolan the Great
aka
Saint Edward the Great