: Going backwards, People would ban kayak carts for the same reason that they
: would ban mountain biking. The wheels from bikes and carts cut into the
: soil more than footprints, promoting erosion. where a foot print creates a
: small puddle, a wheel track creates a furrow that rain flows through. My
: guess is that this is the reasoning behind such a ban.

(snip)
: hope this helps.

: Paul G. Jacobson

Paul, This is really off topic, but so was the above comment. You just tossed out a bunch of information about mountain biking with no facts backing them up. Of the two (and only) serious studies done on trail conflicts and damage, both cited that mountain biking does roughly equal damage to foot traffic in most situations. In flat areas, they often did less damage, and on steeper trails, more damage. You can read the info yourself at the MBOSC (Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz) website: www.mbosc.org

The New Zealand study was particularly thorough, and placed the blame for conflicts squarely where it belongs--"perceived damage". Their conclusion was that most of the problems are due to faulty assumptions and improper education of ALL USER GROUPS, mountain bikers included.

So while I agree that there are places (such as existing wilderness areas) where mechanized transport is appropriate to ban, linking this ban on trailers to bans on mountain bikes just doesn't follow. The roots and fragile soil are the real problems for this area. My opinion (and it is just that), is that any trail that is appropriate for use by anyone can and should be usable by everyone using human power. It may take some trial work, rerouting or limited closures seasonally to achieve this, but for the most part, a trail is either appropriate for everyone or no one. After you look at the real scientific evidence rather than anecdotal or so-called "common sense" knowledge, I think you'll see that education and maintenance are the only ways to solve the pressure on the trail networks we have. These pressures are social, not due to particular user groups.

That said, I'll get down off my soap box now. I just need to decide whether to go for a paddle or a bike ride ;-)

Mark Woodhead