Fri, 31 Oct 2003

The Park City Agreement and the Sierra Club's alignment with mountain bikers is an embarrassment to the environmental movement. Mountain biking is a thrill sport. That's why the sport needs the mountain. Mostly, it is about speeding down hills, jumping hurdles, and skidding around bends in the trails. Which is why single track is so important. It is not about the environment.

Further, there is ample evidence that mountain bike usage drives most other users (hikers, equestrian) off the "shared" trails. The reasons are obvious. It is dangerous to hike trails used by mountain bikes. And, the environmental experience, not to mention the environment, is degraded by the machinery whizzing past.

Finally, the mountain bike lobby's assault on Senator Barbara Boxer's Wilderness Bill makes it absolutely clear that mountain bikers have so little interest in preserving the environment that they will stop at nothing for the next thrill ride. For the Sierra Club to be aligned with an organization that opposes wilderness designations is ludicrous.

If you have been swayed by the phony propaganda put out by mountain bikers, I would urge you to visit any news stand and pick up, at random, any mountain bike magazine. There you will see exposed the true face of this thrill sport.

Sincerely,

John Dalessio

"John Dalessio" <dalessio@mbay.net>