[ft-l] Backpacker website poll

[cstrohme at hsc.usf.edu (Carl Strohmenger)]

I disagree. I have been on most of the trails in central Florida and
have never seen trails damaged by bicycles. I have seen a lot of trail
damage by *motocross bikes*, but none at all by bicycles. 

I also would vote for no bikes on the trails, but for the reasons
presented by David, NOT because of damage to the trails because it just
doesn't happen on the trails I visit.

Now horses and horse riders are another story! They cause only slight
damage to the trails, EXCEPT for the disgusting mess that the horses
expel periodically. This is enough to justify banning them from every
hiking trail. In addition, I have only met ONE horse rider (over about
25 years of trail walking) who was not a rude, aggressive, and/or
otherwise annoying individual. They exhibit a superior "God" complex
that serves to remove all of them from my list of preferred acquaintenances.

- Carl 

Diane Wilkins wrote:
> 
 [deleted text]
> Bike use damages the trail and exposes tree roots
> (sometimes quite extensively) which can make it difficult to walk, not to
> mention the injury to plant life.
 [More deleted text].