Do the rangers have issues with mud riding/jump making? Has there been "instructions" given by them on mud riding/jump making?
Unless the park is officially closed, I don't really see any method of enforcement on the mud riding either. Have looked through
Title 7 Chapter 2 of the NJAC and seems totally allowed to me.
I read the NJAC too. I have been doing this kind of reading for most of my 28 year career. Seems you overlooked some key sections:
Section 7:2-1.3 - Construction
a) These
rules shall be liberally construed to permit the Department, the Division of Parks and Forestry, the State Park Service and its various agencies to discharge its statutory functions.
Section 7:2-1.4 - Practice where rules do not govern
(a) The Commissioner may rescind,
amend or expand these rules from time to time, as in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, 52:14B-1 et seq.
(b) The Commissioner, the Director of the Division of Parks and Forestry or the Assistant Director of the Division for the State Park Service
shall exercise their authority in respect to any other matters not governed by these rules.
Section 7:2-12.2 - Hiking trail use
(a) The use of all designated
hiking trails except for posted multi-use trails is restricted solely to foot travel and the legitimate activities associated with the pursuit of hiking.
Section 7:2-12.3 - Hiking trail restrictions
(i) The cutting,
digging, defacing and/or removal of any vegetation or physical features is prohibited.
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"Physical features" is not defined in the definitions sections, but National Geographic states: "The physical and human characteristics of a place make it unique.
Physical characteristics include the natural environment, such as landforms, elevation, water features, climate,
soil, natural vegetation, and animal life. "
Seems under a liberal construction of the rules, the Allaire trails are multi-use hiking trails.
To answer your questions about mud riding and jump making- the answer is these are prohibited because they involve digging and defacing of physical features (soil).
Under liberal and expansive construction mud riding involves digging and defacing the soil. Merriam Webster defines "dig" as "to break up, turn, or loosen (earth) with an implement." Therefore, riding when the trails are muddy is digging up the soil because a bicycle is an implement that is breaking up, turning and loosening the soil."
Perhaps the folks at JORBA could contact the Commissioner, the Director of the Division of Parks and Forestry or the Assistant Director of the Division for the State Park Service to discuss if they would entertain proper signage, and asking if the Park Police could block off the trails during and after heavy rains.
I ran into some newbs out in the WMA South of the paved driveway off of Ramshorn this summer installing new jumps on one of the main trails. I politely informed the gentleman and his young son that they are really not supposed to be doing that in a WMA or on State property, and the gentleman was indignant that he could do what he wanted. Not in the mood for a snit, I moved along shaking my head.