What’s the lure of mountain or off-road riding?

On Jan 30, 8:16*pm, wrote:
You are so right. I'm going to throw my mountain bike in the garbage now, as well as my girlfriends mountain bike.

What may work for you, may not work so well for others. Some people have more fun hiking, others more fun biking. Some people like to dance fast, others dance slow. Some people smoke meth and have sex really fast, others smoke pot and have sex really slow. My point is if you don't like mountain biking, then don't do it, and leave the rest of us the hell alone.

I just tell the truth. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, you
should try it some time -- whether you like it or not. You might get
some respect then.

On 1/30/2012 9:19 PM, Mike Vandeman wrote:

Horses don't cause "damage". They are wildlife, like deer.

I'll have to see if I can get a deer to let me ride it sometime.

4 inch deep hoof prints left in the trail are definitely damage.

On 1/31/2012 9:51 AM, Trevor wrote:

4 inch deep hoof prints left in the trail are definitely damage.

Indeed, all studies on trail damage show essentially the same thing.
Mountain bikers and hikers cause about the same amount of damage, the
difference is basically tire tracks versus boot tracks. Horses cause far
more damage to trails. Every expert in habitat and park management
acknowledges that this is the case.

Horses they have the added problem of making a huge mess. It's amazing
that we force dog owners to pick up after their dogs, but horse owners
simply leave their animal's messes for other trail users to deal with.
It's like drivers that toss their cigarette butts out the window.

Hikers and mountain bikers are actually natural allies. They should
unite and demand that parks and open space districts pass rules
regulating equestrians, including the requirement that equestrians clean
up after their animals. They can learn from Disneyland and Disney World
how it's possible to clean up after horses.

The issue here is that equestrians are generally very well off
financially and can influence public policy to benefit themselves at the
expense of less politically powerful and less affluent trail users.

So, horses walking probably beig ridden on a trail is not destruction? But people and tires doing the same thing, is? Do you know how stupid that sounds?

On Jan 31, 12:05*pm, SMS wrote:
On 1/31/2012 9:51 AM, Trevor wrote:

4 inch deep hoof prints left in the trail are definitely damage.

Indeed, all studies on trail damage show essentially the same thing.
Mountain bikers and hikers cause about the same amount of damage, the
difference is basically tire tracks versus boot tracks. Horses cause far
more damage to trails. Every expert in habitat and park management
acknowledges that this is the case.

Horses they have the added problem of making a huge mess. It's amazing
that we force dog owners to pick up after their dogs, but horse owners
simply leave their animal's messes for other trail users to deal with.
It's like drivers that toss their cigarette butts out the window.

Hikers and mountain bikers are actually natural allies. They should
unite and demand that parks and open space districts pass rules
regulating equestrians, including the requirement that equestrians clean
up after their animals. They can learn from Disneyland and Disney World
how it's possible to clean up after horses.

The issue here is that equestrians are generally very well off
financially and can influence public policy to benefit themselves at the
expense of less politically powerful and less affluent trail users.

Sorry, but no - Mountain bikers ruin it for THIS hiker with their
reckless disregard for the safety of others and various animals.

On Jan 30, 10:19*pm, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Jan 30, 10:33*am, Trevor wrote:

On 1/27/2012 2:56 PM, Mike Vandeman wrote:

That's what I thought. You are confusing quantity with quality.
Mountain bikers do travel much farther than hikers, and therefore do a
lot more damage and impact a lot more wildlife.

I guess the quantity vs. quality equation is a matter of preference.

However, both hikers and bikers can cause environmental damage, or can
be careful to minimize it. (Actually the worst damage I have seen on the
trail where I ride the most is caused by horses and motorized vehicles.)

- Trevor

Horses don't cause "damage". They are wildlife, like deer.

thanks for showing your ignorance - no surprise. horses are domestic
and non-native, therefore they cannot be termed wildlife, and ergo,
any mark they leave is most certainly "damage".