Please stay off unfinished trails

[gopherhockey]

I posted a different email on this last night but deleted it because I was too upset. Hopefully this comes accross a little better.

This is for the 2 individuals last night who took it upon themselves to poach our new XX loop when it was both unfinished and too wet to ride. Additionally, these two have NEVER shown up for a trail work session.. They knew it was closed (they admitted it) and they have been on our web site, yet they still felt.. well, I don't know what they felt but they rode it anyway.

Then when we told them to get off onto the open bypass they said they would, but once we left the area they continued to ride.

We simply DO NOT want people (unauthorized people) poaching unfinished trails. Not only is it not good for the trail itself, but we sometimes are in the middle of working on difficult sections that have not been tested and could possibly be unsafe. What happens if we get someone injured because they are riding an unopened trail and Dakota ends up making us stop work again.. or worse - close the entire trail?

This kind of thing really upsets me. Maybe it shouldn't - I know there is a temptation to get out and ride... but, these WERE people that knew it wasn't open. They SHOULD have know it was too wet in the first place, and the big orange fence accross the trail should have told them to stay out.

I just don't undersatnd people sometimes... especially when it is our own fellow mountain bikers doing stupid stuff. I hate having to post this kind of message.

:embarass:

[Hardtailforever]

I've only made it to one work session on the XX loop (on account of finals and now an injury), but it pisses me off, too!!!

What's with these people? I don't understand...

Where's trailpatrol when you need them? I'd love to see some stupid punk, greedy for "adventure" in a forbidden area, get slapped with a fine for riding closed trails.

Maybe we should spike the first 10 feet of the trail or so- that'd lern 'em. So few people run sealant here that it would be flats gallore!

Ok, just kidding, but it just pisses me off, especially when I can't even ride open trails right now on account of having to sit at home and ice my leg.:hit:

[jjrsds]

I rode lebanon last thursday for the first time this year. I really enjoyed the trails and they seem to get better every time I ride there. I thank the trail crew and hope that I can get out there to help now that finals and night classes are over. I checked the new trails out, but I got off my bike and walked around the new area. I do not understand why some people need to go around closed areas of a trail. With all the great trails at lebanon why make more work. The trail crew is doing a superb job and putting a lot of work for the benefit of everyone that likes singletrack trails. By poaching you may injury yourself, make more work for the trail crew and make the trail crew angry. Enjoy the trails we have that are open. Land managment is difficult at best, with special interest groups that put pressure on goverment officals that can open up more trails (a good thing) or closing trails (which is very bad). A tremendous amount of work goes into just being able to have the ability to build a trail. Please respect this and enjoy the trails that are open.

[Trevize1138]

So ...

What does it take to become a trail patroller? What's the time commitment? Do I get a gun? (just kidding ;) )

[gopherhockey]

Great question!

www.trailpatrol.org and www.ncmbp.org (as well as www.imba.com) all have good info on becoming a part of the patrol. (local and national)

16 hours Wilderness First Aid training
4-8 hours CPR
X hours of patroller training (I believe they run a 3 day class)

You don't get a gun, but I carry a lot of rubber bands and use those - it really annoys the racers.

(just kidding..)

;)

[Trevize1138]

So, no gun then?

I dunno ... :crazy:

I think it'd be fun to ride around with a trail patrol outfit on and bust trail poachers. Then, tell them I'm gonna have to do a full cavity search to make sure they aren't smuggling rocks or any other part of the trail.

THEN they'll think twice before ever poaching again!