The best defense is a good offense. Keep your friends close your enemies closer. These are both well known cliches but they do ring true. In that spirit, I want to bring you one of the most vocal critics of mountain biking: Michael J Vandeman.
His website: http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/
His argument against mtb: http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/scb7
A pictorial argument against mtb:
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/overview
Its guys like this that make folks like us from JORBA and IMBA a little sensitive about some of the things people post, especially pictures. I hate to sound like the fun police and I really do dread this part of the "job", but pictures of people "drifting" on the mtbNJ can (with a couple of mouse clicks) become pictures of mountain bikers "skidding". This a .50 caliber ammunition to MJV's of the world. I'm not trying to single anyone out, this is a general statement just for all of us to think about, going forward.
The MJV site is really worth reading. Not everyone agrees with this guy but he does have traction at times. The things that save us are a) we're outstanding trail stewards, b) we now use good trail etiquette, and c) we have the science on our side (hiking and biking on a sustainably built trail are indeed similar). remove a, b or c and the balance starts shifting back to a ban bikes attitude in the public and land managers. flip off a hiker or two, start skidding all over the place, never attend trail maintenance. these are the threats to to mtb in NJ. the enemy, in essence, is within. be an advocate.
His website: http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/
His argument against mtb: http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/scb7
A pictorial argument against mtb:
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/overview
Its guys like this that make folks like us from JORBA and IMBA a little sensitive about some of the things people post, especially pictures. I hate to sound like the fun police and I really do dread this part of the "job", but pictures of people "drifting" on the mtbNJ can (with a couple of mouse clicks) become pictures of mountain bikers "skidding". This a .50 caliber ammunition to MJV's of the world. I'm not trying to single anyone out, this is a general statement just for all of us to think about, going forward.
The MJV site is really worth reading. Not everyone agrees with this guy but he does have traction at times. The things that save us are a) we're outstanding trail stewards, b) we now use good trail etiquette, and c) we have the science on our side (hiking and biking on a sustainably built trail are indeed similar). remove a, b or c and the balance starts shifting back to a ban bikes attitude in the public and land managers. flip off a hiker or two, start skidding all over the place, never attend trail maintenance. these are the threats to to mtb in NJ. the enemy, in essence, is within. be an advocate.
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