Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 20:00:09 -0800 (PST)

From: Terry Haggard <kosmo5150@yahoo.com>

Subject: Rise of outlaw/rogue trail building

Mike, Hey! I would like to provide lateral support to

what you had to say on IMBAA & the BBTC and how "They

irritate land managers and everyone else repeatedly,

and NEVER give up, until they get the blood (bike

access to trails, especially singletrack) that they

crave -- legally or otherwise!"

My support is lateral in that the good intentions of

mt. bike trail advocates too often lead to user

restrictions or closures. And a closed trail, on

official public land or unofficial private land, is a

useless trail, to me.

So I no longer feel a need to be an advocate.

Instead, I asked how most suburban trails started?

Answer: Someone built them, officially thru officials

on official land, or unofficially thru citizen

volunteers, where ever they wanted, often in a close

to home green/open space, likely sooner or later to be

developed.

This is where the heart of the trail building

community has gone. Away from the front lines of trail

politics fighting the good fight on whatever holier

than thou side, and to suburban green spaces that

hopefully few in the official world will ever hear

about.

We build trails when, where, and how we want. We

integrate filters to keep horses and motors out, build

structures, and generally speaking ride over and tear

into what ever we want. Most importantly, we have fun.

So I encourage you to keep fighting on the front

lines, knowing there are an increasing number taking

their trails/toys and going to play with other people

not on the front lines.

Ride on!

Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 08:42:25 -0800 (PST)
From: Terry Haggard <kosmo5150@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Rise of outlaw/rogue trail building

Hmmm... I am certain you are more aware than you

seem. You should keep thinking your good intentions

are working, because you fight over areas you and

everyone else knows about, which gains good publicity

for a fight, and more money. But most trail miles

today are created unofficially, without work orders,

permits, officials, budgets or otherwise.

All the good intentions aside, many trail enthusiasts

are moving and will continue to move to areas where

few are aware of. Like the story behind the story.

Open/green spaces that few otherwise care about are

open ground for outdoor recreationalists who don't

care for the official process. Like kids building

trails near their home.

So keep up the fight. I think it's a great diversion

for those who have become too bitter and dream of more

zero impact zones. While those who don't care take

their toys/trails and go outside of the "official"

area, like East Germans and North Koreans slipping

thru holes in the border.

I'll be working more on my new network of trails

throughout the winter, as well as helping others with

their networks, bridging over wetland areas,

trespassing on frog habitat, while being entertained

by others trying to regulate the "official" areas.

In the long term, I can see fewer people wanting to go

to the "official" areas as more unofficial areas open

up. Then some of the "official" areas may not be given

enough funding to stay "officially" open. That would

be terrible. Because then people who care would not be

able to manage their "official" green space because so

many prefer the unofficial spaces.

"This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land" in

pure Woody Guthrie fashion, and when people get too

selfish on either side, trail builders get out and go

underground, to carve up green spaces no one knows or

cares about. To more trails everywhere because we can!

--- Mike Vandeman <mjvande@pacbell.net> wrote:

> At 08:00 PM 1/18/04 -0800, Terry Haggard wrote:

>

> > Mike, Hey! I would like to provide lateral

> support to

> >what you had to say on IMBAA & the BBTC and how

> "They

> >irritate land managers and everyone else

> repeatedly,

> >and NEVER give up, until they get the blood (bike

> >access to trails, especially singletrack) that they

> >crave -- legally or otherwise!"

> >

> > My support is lateral in that the good intentions

> of

> >mt. bike trail advocates too often lead to user

> >restrictions or closures. And a closed trail, on

> >official public land or unofficial private land, is

> a

> >useless trail, to me.

> >

> > So I no longer feel a need to be an advocate.

> >Instead, I asked how most suburban trails started?

> >Answer: Someone built them, officially thru

> officials

> >on official land, or unofficially thru citizen

> >volunteers, where ever they wanted, often in a

> close

> >to home green/open space, likely sooner or later to

> be

> >developed.

> >

> > This is where the heart of the trail building

> >community has gone. Away from the front lines of

> trail

> >politics fighting the good fight on whatever holier

> >than thou side, and to suburban green spaces that

> >hopefully few in the official world will ever hear

> >about.

> >

> > We build trails when, where, and how we want. We

> >integrate filters to keep horses and motors out,

> build

> > structures, and generally speaking ride over and

> tear

> >into what ever we want. Most importantly, we have

> fun.

> >So I encourage you to keep fighting on the front

> >lines, knowing there are an increasing number

> taking

> >their trails/toys and going to play with other

> people

> >not on the front lines.

> >

> > Ride on!

>

> Your point?

>

> ===

> 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.)

>