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Message |
    
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 496
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 9:56 am: | 
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Whether your fer it or agin it, be prepared for a national mountain biking organization to bring pressure on the community to allow mountain biking right here in South Mountain Reservation:
"Across the state, there are areas -- such as South Mountain Reservation -- where bikes are banned for, from our perspective, not any particularly appropriate reasons," he said. "That's an example of an area where we can do some advocacy work to educate the landowners that the mountain bike community can bring a lot of good resources to that trail system to help maintain it and educate people to use the trails responsibly."
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=87afed9531d0e88c&cat=6cc44f91e35fc 758
( SORRY this link doesn't seem to be working for some reason) |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 837
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 10:40 am: |
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Cool, SM has a lot of potential for some great local mountain biking. I'm in. |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4961
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 10:43 am: |
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quote:well organized anti-cycling zealots
Also known as "equestrians". |
algebra2
Supporter
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 2812
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 10:53 am: |
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While mountain biking is fun, I love walking through the woods with my child, feeling safe that he can run ahead of me and not having to worry that a biker is going to come flying over a hill and hit us. These trails are well hiked, if they were empty that would be another story but they're not. I'm all for fighting the bikers! |
themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1355
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 11:23 am: |
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"educate the landowners"? Might not work in this case since it's the county.
I like mountain biking, but frankly, I'm glad it's banned in the reservation. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 838
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 12:23 pm: |
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quote:having to worry that a biker is going to come flying over a hill and hit us
Unfortunatelly that is the all to common impression of mountain bikers, and I guess there are black sheeps on wheels that do that kind of thing.
However not all bikers are like that, why don't we ban driving cars in MWD, because some drivers speed?
Bikers who live here, pay the same taxes as hikers and equestrians, but they can't use the same spaces for their recreation. Bikers have organized in groups in order to maintain trails, just as much as hikers. That is a great service for the community.
There is no need to allow biking on every trail, but opening up a few trails and marking them appropriately will still allow for plenty of bike free trails, so you can let your dogs and kids run around.
And there are plenty of trails that are a little further to hike to, that are not well used, but would make great bike trails. |
marian
Citizen
Username: Marian
Post Number: 541
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 1:17 pm: |
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Earlster,
I see you point and I sympathize with you and other mountain bike riders. (My husband and I own mountain bikes too.)
But you also note that there are some "black sheeps on wheels that do that kind of thing." Can't you see how frightening that is to people with small children (or just regular hikers in general) who don't want to be injured by a renegade mountain biker?
I for one hope they do not allow mountain biking in the reservation.
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Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1097
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 1:21 pm: |
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I hike the trails, including the back trails, and believe me, there are mountain bikers in the South Mountain Reservation right now. I am not sure how the "ban" is enforced, or even if it is enforced. |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 686
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 1:25 pm: |
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I mountain bike , SM is a great place to ride . Unfortunately hundreds of others on any given day felt the same way . Packs of riders would group together & tear threw the Reservation , making it impossible for anyone else to use the trails . It was getting way out of control , the damage to the trails is still visiable today . Had it continued unabated it would have turned the Reservation into a strip mine. The parking lots were filled with Conn. Pa. & NY plates , the Reservation was on it's way to becoming a ESPN X-Zone. This cannot happen. |
Paddy
Citizen
Username: Paddy
Post Number: 186
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 1:57 pm: |
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The black sheep that would abuse the system use the trails now anyway. There's little to no enforcement of the ban. I've never seen any Essex county sheriffs in there.
I'm all for opening some trails for mountain biking. It's a big reservations and no reason it can't be shared.
And if there are some out of towners coming in to use it, fine by me. Stop by South Orange town for lunch and bring some store traffic in. |
Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1099
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 2:03 pm: |
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Come to think about it, how about designating some trails, and charging an access fee for monthly or annual passes--enough to pay for rangers to police and maintain the trails? Probably will hear a million reasons why not, but the reservation is so undermaintained that anything to help upkeep should be looked at. Perhaps we could generate enough money to have a children's nature center--the res is such a great ecosystem but it is underutilized for education. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 844
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 2:37 pm: |
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Mark, paying a small fee, or having to put in some volunteer maintenance hours would work for me.
jet, of course you will get out of towners. But right now I'm an out of towner wherever I go riding.
Set up some rules, speed limits, designated trails. My 3 year old is learning how to share, adults should be able to learn that, too. |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 687
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 2:42 pm: |
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I'm in the Resevation every day , except for some real Kamakazizes who ride in the dark with head mounted lites , I never see anyone on the trails . Maybe someone will make a run down Bear Lane but thats about it. The Man will take your bike. |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 688
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 3:05 pm: |
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Earl, I've given it a lot of thought , like banning riding on wet days , limiting riding to Essex co residents etc. . But I saw the direction it was going in when it was allowed & it wasn;t good. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5063
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 3:35 pm: |
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Where is a good place to go trail riding that is also legal? I've only done it once, and I did it illegally (in Monmouth county) and without a mountain bike. I got a few mountain bikes at the police auction this past June. Got some great deals on them, too. |
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 499
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 3:41 pm: |
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Waywayanda State Park has trails.
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Paddy
Citizen
Username: Paddy
Post Number: 187
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 3:54 pm: |
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Tom -- I hear Morris county is pretty good. Check their parks dept website for trails. I know Lewis Morris allows mountain biking.
http://www.parks.morris.nj.us/parkslist.html
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Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 846
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 3:59 pm: |
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You can mountain bike here:
The closest is Lewis Morris by Morristown.
My favorite is Hartshorne Woods, off Rt 36 by Atlantic Highlands.
Both have their challenges, not just flat trails.
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Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1101
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 5:06 pm: |
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tom: "I've only done it once, and I did it illegally (in Monmouth county) and without a mountain bike."
Sounds like a commercial I saw on TV the other day--two guys on mountain bikes, and one guy in riging gear running around without a bike, but acting like he had one (reminiscent of the Knights of Neep). Are you moonlighting as a TV commercial actor? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5071
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 5:08 pm: |
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No, I did it on a road bike, with toe clips, no less. I say the silliest things when I don't mean to be funny. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 429
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 10:13 pm: |
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Isn't there a bike path (Patroits Path, I think) off Route 24 just past the Morristown Square?? |
tulip
Citizen
Username: Braveheart
Post Number: 1937
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 11:03 pm: |
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Yes. Follow route 24 west outside of Morristown until you go past Lewis Morris and the Morris County Park Headquarters and County Sup's office on your left. On your right you'll see little historical marker type signs for Patriot's Path. If you get to Mendham, you drove past them. Turn around and look to your left as you head east and you'll see them. Nice paths.
And what's the matter with the Delaware Valley Park System along the Delaware? Just 'cause it's flat, doesn't mean it's boring. Walkers and bikers share pretty nicely there. The Kamikazes ride in the road while families bike and walk along the towpaths, PA side and NJ side. |
johnny
Citizen
Username: Johnny
Post Number: 1164
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 11:20 pm: |
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I am for keeping the ban on mountain bikes. Some of the trails are in really bad shape and opening them to mountain bikers will not help.
Charging a fee, volunteers, etc sound nice but the system will be abused. The reservation is one of the best and only open spaces in an extremely crowded area of the country.
Good intentions are nice but the Reservation needs more than that. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 848
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 9:27 am: |
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johnny, if you have time, go to Hartshorne Woods in Atlantic Highlands. Mountain Bikers are the ones that keep the trails there in shape, not hikers.
Yes there is some erosion, but then trails get moved for a while. It sure takes some maintenance, but trust me, there are many bikers out there that don't mind putting in a few hours a year.
They would for sure do more to the trails in the reservation, then what is done now to them.
Of course there will be 'out of towners' coming and using the reservation without putting in hours, but now bikers from around here go somewhere else and don't help there.
Did anybody here ever go to hemlock falls? There is broken glass all over the place, the reservation is a dump all the hikers are using it, but nobody is taking care of it. I say if there is a bike group that would take some responsibilty that would do much more for the reservation then is done right now, which is nothing.
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5076
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 10:16 am: |
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I've ridden my (road) bike on the road in Delaware Valley state park and that other park just to the north of it. That's some of the most challenging riding I've ever done. Some of those hills are like walls. |
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