Wed, 30 Nov 2011:

Subject: Re: Wildlife Need Habitat Off-Limits to Humans!

Dear Dr. Vandeman,

I am sorry that I neglected earlier to thank you for sending your paper on wildlife habitat. When I was able to really assess the comments from our survey, I was quite taken with all of what you had to say.
On behalf of all of us, thank you so much for sending this important piece of work.

 

Fri, 28 Oct 2011:

Subject: Re: In limiting Loch Raven biking trails, city has broad regional support

As always, love how passionate you are about this cause. Grateful that there are people out in the world with so much love for nature and preserving things for our posterity...

Appreciate your hard work in this area Mike and constant perseverance.

 

Fri, 19 Aug 2011:
Subject: Re: Henry Coe State Park to Close (San Jose, CA)

You provide an invaluable service to us all.

 

Sat, 7 May 2011:
Subject: Re: Mtbers playing Russian roulette and losing

Hang in there Mike. You are providing a needed service and I appreciate what you are doing.

----- Original Message -----

From: Mike Vandeman

Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 12:01 PM

Subject: Mtbers playing Russian roulette and losing

 

From: a friend
Date: Fri, 06 May 2011 20:56:14 -0700
Subject: Mtbers playing Russian roulette and losing

While the mountain bikers continue to slag me with pure venom, in two days we have seen two serious injuries out of mountain biking and one near tragedy with lost mountain biking kids on the mountain. So six teens in all, and one adult (the irony of it all is that I am getting a mess of cyber bullying coming out of the nsmb.com that is rightly making me wonder for my safety... let the mountain bikers do it to themselves. They are like a bunch of rabid hyenas into the kill and getting crazier every day. And nobody seems to care or is listening.)
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Ranchstyle-Best-Trick-tomorrow-on-Pinkbike.html
Daire (12 hours ago)
 apparently some kid has broken his back there trying to pull a backflip, he is in a very bad condition too.


http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=141810
Canadian injured at Ranchstyle?

Just saw this email from James Wilson today. Saw brief mention over at Pinkbike as well:

Quote:
Yesterday at practice for Ranchstyle we had a kid from Canada try a backflip out of a step-down feature, under rotate and crashed hard. He is still out and we don't know if he's going to pull through or what type of damage is going to be there if he wakes up. It was a sobering reminder of just how dangerous our sport is and how grateful we should be every time we are able to come home after a ride and kiss our loved ones.

This weekend is Mother's Day and we should all give her a big hug and thank her for putting up with all the crap we've put her through. You should also give your wife, husband, kids or whoever else relies on you a call and tell them you love them – you never know when you'ree time is up and you won't get that chance again.
Then I saw the thread about Darren Berrecloth and his fractured vertebrae.

Haven't been able to find out who was hurt, or where he's from. Can only hope he pulls thru.

Like James says: give your mom a hug. Anyone reading this forum has likely given both parents reason to have sleepless nights. And for us older riders: spouses, kids, significant others ...

and
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=141765
Bearclaw injured (merged)

Via Twitter @darenberrecloth
"Broke three vertibrae today on a front flip in my yard spinal cord is 100 percent. Faaaak yfrog.com/h2jiodzj"
Healing vibes

Wed, 27 Apr 2011:
Subject: Re: Traffic signal synchronization

Dr. Vandeman,

 

Wow! What a bibliography and the quotes are beyond description. I will 

be using many of them in my interactions with friends. I commend you 

for your efforts in a noble cause. Thank you so much.

 

Mon, 11 Apr 2011:
Subject: Re: Parks Canada Doesn't "Get It"

Mike,

  I just love the term, "Stakeholders". Just another name for User 

Groups and lobbyists who have enough organization to manipulate the 

governing bodies. User Groups......perfect name for them.(USERS) 

Interesting how Parks Canada double-talked their answer to you. Who 

represents the User group......nature loving people? Who sits on this 

discussion board representing the "Stakeholder".....wildlife and 

ecosystems?

  If you look at almost every Park system or governing bodies MISSION 

statement, it usually reads......for the protection and nurturing of 

the natural resources for generations to come. Yet.....the power and 

money invoked by these lobbyists groups who demand that there be a 

place in our park lands for their User Group is overwhelming.

  As always Mike.....great work....keep it up....you are a role model 

to many people, including me.

 

Sun, 06 Mar 2011:
Subject: Re: Big Basin Redwoods State Park General Plan

 

Excellent!

 

On Mar 5, 2011, at 2:5 3:08 PM, "Mike Vandeman" <mjvande@pacbell.net> wrote:

 

From:

"Mike Vandeman" <mjvande@pacbell.net>

Subject:

Big Basin Redwoods State Park General Plan

Date:

March 5, 2011 2:53:08 PM PST

To:

generalplan@parks.ca.gov

In addition to my earlier comments, I notice that you are proposing < br>to create some "multi-use" trails. That is, frankly, insane! The 
purpose of a park is to preserve wildlife habitat. Period. That is 
precisely what makes parks attractive and of benefit to humans. Trail 
construction or trail widening are habitat DESTRUCTION! Do you think 
you are Caltrans?!

A trail should be no wider than is necessary for one horse or hiker. 
Trail users occasionally need to pass each other, but that is no 
reason to widen the trail for its entire length. You aren't Caltrans. 
Narrow trails also minimize the "denaturing" of the park, allowing 
pe ople to feel that they are in nature AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED. 
After all, THAT IS WHY WE GO THERE! I feel silly having to explain to 
park managers what a park is, but that is apparently what we have come to.

I saw no mention of other alternatives. That is a violation of CEQA. 
I would like to support an alternative that minimizes habitat 
destruction, and that does not encourage the introduction of 
VEHICLES, such as bicycles, into natural areas. Is that too much to ask?

Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are 
inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to 
mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996: 
http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtb10.htm . It's dishonest of mountain 
bikers to say that they don't have access to trails closed to bikes. 
They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else -- ON FOOT! Why 
isn't that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking....

A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more 
harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and 
that science supports that view. Of course, it's not true. To settle 
the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, 
and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see 
http://mjvande.nfshost.com/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven 
studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) 
in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to 
come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously 
avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did 
not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions.

Those were all experimental studies. Two other studies (by White et 
al and by Jeff Marion) used a survey desi gn, which is inherently 
incapable of answering that question (comparing hiking with mountain 
biking). I only mention them because mountain bikers often cite them, 
but scientifically, they are worthless.

Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills 
small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife 
and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches 
kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it's NOT!). What's 
good about THAT?

For more information: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtbfaq.htm .

-- 

I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to 
humans ("pure habitat").
Want to help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence 
and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you 
are fond of!

http://mjvande.nfshost.com 

Mon, 21 Feb 2011:
Subject: reciprocal links

love yr site!

would welcome reciprocal links; not just for search engine purposes (it works btw),
but to show support, and allegiance to what's important.

do hope you like our site ...