An Open Response To Tony (re: Leb)

[jzipfel]

Since I had to drop the in-laws off at the airport at 6:30 this morning, I drove down and rode Leb. this morning. Had a great time. When I returned to my car, which was parked on one of the side streets since the gates weren't open yet, I received a nice (seriously) note from Tony. I took the note in the spirit it was meant but though he should not draw conclusions regarding me or my riding. So here goes (Tony's not is in italics):

"Hey Bro-
Have you ever voluteered to help build or maintain any trails. These trails are built by riders, for riders. All on their own time and without getting paid. So I suggest not riding the trails when they are closed if you want them to stay"

I am very aware of all the work and effort by MORC members and riders to build, sustain and suport the trails and Lebanon Hills. I rode Lebanon for the first time about a year ago and within the week, I joined MORC as my way of saying thanks. Unfortunately I must give an excuse for not helping build these trails. I like many of you and two boys and a working wife who keep me very busy coaching baseball, soccer, camping and riding. Doesn't leave a lot of time. So my way of saying thanks and supporting the efforts is through membership. When mine comes up this year you can bet that I will be for more than the minimum.

The only reason I was down there this morning (I live in the NW Suburbs) was because I was at the airport at 6:30am and did not want to fight traffic going back home. So I figured go for a ride.

As far as I could tell the trails were NOT closed this morning. I looked, no fencing, no signs, nothing.

"Besides the disrespect for the people trying to keep the trail ridable, it ruins our trails. When you approach a mud puddle, go through the middle of it. When you go around it, there are a number of resons why it is bad. #1 you're disrupting habitat and making our impact on the vegitation and wilderness more substantial.

I respect everyone who has made Lebanon what it is. While I have not put the sweat equity into the trail, I do support it financially. Remember the trail was not closed this morning.
If you were riding with me this morning you would see that I understand the rules of the trail. In the whole system there were about 10 puddles the size of a sheet of paper, maybe the largest was 12"x12". The trail itself was not even wet or tacky. If it was, I would have left. When I approached the puddles, yep, right through the middle.

"#2 You turn our beautiful, technical single track into boring multitrack by widening the trail"

I assume by "our Singletrack" you meant to include me and everyone else who rides the trail. Regrading turning it into double track, see my comments above.

"Anyways, all I wanted to say was that if you love riding Lebanon, like most of us do. Please respect the rules and the people volunteering to provide us with some bitching trails. I wouldn't volunteer for something like this, if I knew people simply disregarded my rules. So don't ruin it for yourself AND everyone else. Thanks for reading this.

- Tony (concerned rider, who convieniently lives next to Leb and sees people park on my street to ride to Leb when it is closed."

I hope that you will see that I do, in fact respect the rules, appreciate everyone who has put the sweat into making these trails a reality. The signs clearly state that the park is open from 5am to 10pm. I is just that the gates don't get unlocked until around 8:00am. And if you got rain down there, it sure didn't show up on the trails.

Hopefully you will now understand that I am not some paocher of trails who takes and gives nothing in return or would disrespect those who have made it possible. I also hope that if these notes were written to others that they too take it in the spirit in which it was wriiten. I have not hard feelings, but did feel that you made some assumptions that were not accurate.

Well, enough of that. Now go out and ride, it it the best day in over a week!

Jeff

[destrago]

For the record this was _NOT_ me. I live slightly over 2 miles north of Leb and don't have much problem with people parking in front of my house to ride to Leb (most park a little closer).


-Tony

[Burke]

I rode Lebanon for the first time about a year ago and within the week, I joined MORC as my way of saying thanks. Unfortunately I must give an excuse for not helping build these trails. I like many of you and two boys and a working wife who keep me very busy coaching baseball, soccer, camping and riding. Doesn't leave a lot of time. So my way of saying thanks and supporting the efforts is through membership. When mine comes up this year you can bet that I will be for more than the minimum.

Jeff, you bring up an excellent point. MORC has many, MANY members that are contributing to the development of singletrack without ever lifting a tool. It's true that volunteers build the trail, but everyone that becomes a member is volunteering their cash to support MORC. Many financial "volunteers" go was above and beyond basic membership. We've had many $100 memberships, a $1,000 membership that has been coming for at least 4 years straight now, and this year, a $1,500 contribution. These "volunteers" help buy tools, trail signs and other hard goods that support our trail systems. Without a combination of volunteer labor hours and volunteer financial donations, the organization wouldn't succeed as we have.

A trail building volunteer telling another non-trail building MORC member they aren't pulling their load is like a drummer in a band telling a guitar player he isn't pulling his load because he isn't playing drums. There are many different ways to contribute to MORC and all of them are needed.

I personally don't contribute much in the way of trail work, my schedule doesn't allow it, but I feel that still contribute my fair share. Jeff, you should be in the same boat.

[manual63]

I just have a simple question. If the lot is closed, does that mean the trail is closed?

I would think that a 6:30am ride, since it is light out, would be perfectly fine, but I am not sure what time the park officially opens. I know it has a closing time, but I don't know the opening time.

Thanks for this post. I don't think Tony's (whoever that is) approach was very diplomatic. On the other hand, your reply was very diplomatic and it sounds like you know what's going on.

Thanks for supporting MORC!! Any support helps, financial or physical.

[jzipfel]

I don't think I have met Tony, but I want to believe he had good intentions.


I personally don't contribute much in the way of trail work, my schedule doesn't allow it, but I feel that still contribute my fair share. Jeff, you should be in the same boat.

I would say President of MORC is more than just contributing. Thanks to the entire Board.

Shad, The hours are 5am to 10 pm in the summer.
http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/hills.htm

[bigwheel]

I don't think I have met Tony, but I want to believe he had good intentions.

I'm not able to speak for, nor do I know who/which Tony it is, but...

1: It rained last night, and Tony probably thought the trail was not ready for bikes yet. Dakota county doesn't close down the trail unless it is either really bad or Tim/Dale/John ask them to. You really need to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should be riding. If you are making ruts -- even shallow ones -- it forms places that hold the water, and someone eventually ends up having to go out there and fix them by hand. Again, use your own judgement.

2: We are always looking for more volunteers. It never hurts to ask people. You wouldn't believe the number of people willing to do trail work, but don't know that we would like their help. However, nobody should ever be harassing anyone or trying to put pressure on anyone to work. The workers should all be there because they want to be there, NOT because they feel obligated. Also, we appreciate your MORC membership, and as Scott said, you help a lot, simply by being a member.

[gopherhockey]

I'm not able to speak for, nor do I know who/which Tony it is, but...

1: It rained last night, and Tony probably thought the trail was not ready for bikes yet. Dakota county doesn't close down the trail unless it is either really bad or Tim/Dale/John ask them to. You really need to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should be riding. If you are making ruts -- even shallow ones -- it forms places that hold the water, and someone eventually ends up having to go out there and fix them by hand. Again, use your own judgement.


I thank Tony for trying - diplomatic or not its nice to see people taking ownership.

On the other hand thanks Jeff for also posting your thoughts on this. It makes for an interesting conversation.

I think Bob's statement really hits the mark. (I'm not speaking to anyone specificially here, just a general comment) People need to use their own judgement on the trails. Its not a matter of being open or closed sometimes - even though there are some that do not respect the opening and closing of the trails that Dakota does do, it goes without saying that those are the times to stay off regardless.

Its the times when the trail is open and we're all responsible to interpret the conditions ourselves. There is a (yet to be posted) but unwritten rule to try stay off trails at least 12 hours after it rains. Even this is up to interpretation and situation. I've seen a tenth of an inch put Lebanon out of business for days, and I've seen Lebanon recover from a 3" rain in just hours....

The important thing to me is that people respect the trail and use their heads. If a person goes out early morning after it rains it is their responsibility to check and be willing to NOT ride if conditions are poor. Sometimes at various trails like Lebanon that might mean riding the intermediate but staying off the expert (which normally is impacted more by rain and takes longer to dry) - or might mean packing up and coming again later. I know people who have driven a long way only to find it wet and they were dissapointed, but not unwilling to turn around and leave.

The more we all respect each other and the trail the stronger our biking community will become. Posting a note on a windshield may or may not be the right way to go about this (perhaps we should pen a more official and diplomatic notice that we can all carry with us - thats for a different discussion) but it was making an effort. I thank him for doing that, but even more I thank Jeff for not getting upset at MORC, the trails or his fellow riders and taking it back to the forums where we could use it as a discussion point.

I cannot tell you how much it means to me to have people taking pride in the trails we have worked on. It helps erase a lot of destruction I see day to day out there when I know there are so many out there willing to discuss this issue, good and/or bad.

Thanks for posting that.