Essex County

Oz Von Toco said:
Seems like they're mad that MTBers are doing the maintenance the park department always drops the ball on. The top picture from the article showing logs through a constant mud bog....isn't that good for hikers too?
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Usually they blame this on unapproved people using chainsaws. But really, who complains about removing logs on legal trails?
 
Classic cycle: trails deteriorate due to county parks dep't neglect, mtb'ers fill the gap by maintaining & improving trails, haters complain about mtb'ers, county announces enforcement, mtb'ers stop maintaining trails, trails deteriorate again.
That picture in the Montclair article says it all.
 
don said:
Reading the article it sounds like it is a real shit show there. Covid comes along and kids and adults have nothing else to do so they look to the outdoors. Younger kids don't have a place to go but the local park. I think this quote gives a gauge on how tuned in the chairman is to the use of his park: “I think maybe after the lockdown here with COVID … I think there was an upsurge in park usage,” McLaughlin said. "I think maybe"? How about definitely. And there is a dog park but not an area for mountain biking?

How about give the mtn bikers and area to maintain and keep an eye on renegade trail and destruction. Riders that don't know any better will cut logs and pile dirt to make a quick and shitty jump - they don't know any better and are lazy. A good line would take less than an acre of land and can be safe for any level of rider if built properly.
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The main areas where most the man made features are(were?) is kind of a no mans land in the park, slivers of land away from the main park. I think they lasted so long because they weren’t highly trafficked by hikers. But all it takes is one squeaky wheel and then the county fears lawsuits. And one downed tree being cleared being mistaken for deforestation. The Karens and Ken NIMBYs of the world need something to get angry at.
I’ll say it again, Essex county park trails are the most poorly maintained that I’ve experienced, alternating between either completely washed out or never draining mud holes.
 
Jmann said:
The main areas where most the man made features are(were?) is kind of a no mans land in the park, slivers of land away from the main park. I think they lasted so long because they weren’t highly trafficked by hikers. But all it takes is one squeaky wheel and then the county fears lawsuits. And one downed tree being cleared being mistaken for deforestation. The Karens and Ken NIMBYs of the world need something to get angry at.
I’ll say it again, Essex county park trails are the most poorly maintained that I’ve experienced, alternating between either completely washed out or never draining mud holes.
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I searched for the guy in the article. He lives behind the little strip behind the reservoir. He probably never goes back there until recently. Not many people hike om that side. Its not officially linked to Mills Reservation.
 
Part of the area behind the reservoir with some nice obstacles is actually in Little Falls, which is Passaic County where mountain biking is not against the law!
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Jmann said:
Sorry, now I feel insensitive to the real Karen and kens of the world. Tough time to be coincidentally caught up in meme land.
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I hadn't heard or read any Ken memes besides the whole Barbi thing which has been around my whole life and also makes me laugh. The Karen thing ive always found kind of lame, but neither bother me enough to give them anything more than "passing through" real estate in my head.

Most humans, pack animals, blindly use words and phrases meant to hurt others that are accepted by their herd. Maslow's theory plays out every day on forums.
 
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threefour said:
Also
www.montclairlocal.news

Off-road bikers' structures dismantled, enforcement increased - Montclair Local

Last week, Essex County officials announced they are stepping up enforcement against illegal off-road biking in county parks.
www.montclairlocal.news www.montclairlocal.news
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If you are trying to get back on topic, kudos.

Summary:
County doubles down on decades old bike ban after learning of unauthorized building. Entitled riders upset. Cognitive dissonance on both sides.

Next up: People seek new unauthorized places to build. Rinse, repeat.

Did I miss anything?
 
If you are going to "make a case" for access, then I suggest perhaps widening perspective.
To those that preserve land, it is often done under the justification of maintaining water quality and so erosion is a primary concern.
What may be a "mud hole" to you, may be a considered a vernal pool to a naturalist.
Cutting out downfall on an unauthorized trail perpetuates use of that trail which would be a issue for a land manager.
 
KenS said:
If you are trying to get back on topic, kudos.

Summary:
County doubles down on decades old bike ban after learning of unauthorized building. Entitled riders upset. Cognitive dissonance on both sides.

Next up: People seek new unauthorized places to build. Rinse, repeat.

Did I miss anything?
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I'm staying on the high side of this topic. Hopefully in 4 months or so I'll have more pull in the area and will reach out to you to get some progress going (doubtful, but we can dream)
 
cassinonorth said:
I'm staying on the high side of this topic. Hopefully in 4 months or so I'll have more pull in the area and will reach out to you to get some progress going (doubtful, but we can dream)
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Right on. It is super cool to hear that you are getting involved in local politics. The climate in Essex & Union is super frustrating; more representation is welcomed.
 
We've been discussing the whole Essex County thing around the dinner table lately, and it got me thinking... (prior to the recent press), how much of the current county population is even aware of a biking ban on county property? Given the recent press, now might be the right time to try to campaign to the county populace as a whole about it and attempt to get something on local ballots asking the actual taxpayers if they'd allow biking on designated off-road trails in county parks.. Wouldn't need to be all the trails and wouldn't need to be in all the parks, but having a handful of trails in a distribution of parks might open people's eyes.
 
robmaurizi said:
We've been discussing the whole Essex County thing around the dinner table lately, and it got me thinking... (prior to the recent press), how much of the current county population is even aware of a biking ban on county property? Given the recent press, now might be the right time to try to campaign to the county populace as a whole about it and attempt to get something on local ballots asking the actual taxpayers if they'd allow biking on designated off-road trails in county parks.. Wouldn't need to be all the trails and wouldn't need to be in all the parks, but having a handful of trails in a distribution of parks might open people's eyes.
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Will the local press publish an op-ed, or even an article like that?
Local FB groups? Star ledger? Maybe a short video, well crafted?
Get some children/parents in there.
you know the drill!
 
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