[pct-l] RE: Bikes on the PCT

[calliger@infolane.com (Richard Calliger)]

Sorry if I offended anyone's sensibilites in the following blast.....I have had
too many close calls (like maybe 3 or 4) of bikes coming down
hill at me, around blind corners and expecting THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT OF WAY...which is also FALSE>..cars and bikes YIELD
to pedestrians no matter where they are in California. State
Law, $102 ticket if u don't...

The PCT is collateral to the JMT in quite a few places..and actually is a
little longer...so my comments are accurate, therefore.

Still...no bikes means NO BIKES...that is the law...just what
is the problem here?? Change the law-- don't spout it is ok to have
bikes on the PCT (or any other trail where it is prohibited)---
there are thousands of miles of bike-ok trails..enuf is a enuf..

I dont want to worry about some idiot blasting away and
hitting me at 20 MPH..being a bike rider (mtn and street) as
well as a LD hiker and climber it is easy to separate things..

...as Nike says..just do it...I dont take my bikes on the PCT,
never did, never will...

and I dont expect anyone else to...AND NOW>>> on the PCT
I wont move anymore..my
pack and I stay where I am sitting...in fact
if I know a bike is coming I will throw some big branches on
the trail just for them and/or keep my pack on the trail as
long as it does not get in the way of other hikers...I have
had enuf of almost getting hit like the other person said here
as well!

I wont take it anymore... and if u are riding your
bike and do a nose dive and crash I won't call anyone...u suffer
and survive or not on your own wits..I WILL WALK AWAY! as far
as I am concerned u dont belong there and when u come
blasting at me and don't even slow down and yell your stupid
"on your left" or whatever..I ain't movin anymore...it is
attempted homicide as far as I am concern..u are coming at me
with an illegal vehicle on the PCT and u just better get off
and walk it if u want to get around me..

ENUF IS ENUF!


Rich
\
PS-

Again, sorry if I offended anyone's sensibilites here..
I am simply remembering the awful feeling of helplessness
and terror as 2-3 bikers come at you in mass at speed...

At 10:20 AM 12/6/02 -0500, Ginny & Jim Owen wrote:
>Not quite, Rich - I was talking about the PCT, not the JMT - and I don't
>remember that kind of horse damage even in the Sierras.  Nor do I remember
>it in Oregon where horses are a way of life.  Maybe it's my memory that's at
>fault?  Doesn't matter - that still doesn't excuse bikes on the PCT.
>
>I DO remember that kind of damage in the Smokies on the AT though.  The ruts
>were 18 - 24' deep.  Since that time the horse people have apparently
>started doing the maintenance on that section of trail. I believe they moved
>the trail as well, although I haven't been back there recently.
>
>And yes - I've also repaired horse damage - as well as ATV and mt bike
>damage.
>
>
>
>Richard Calliger
>>
>>At 09:56 AM 12/6/02 -0500, Ginny & Jim Owen wrote:
>> > And the horse usage IS high in some areas - but I didn't see that
>> >those areas were any more damaged or any less maintained than other
>>sections
>> >of the trail.  Maybe you should actually get out there and do some
>> >maintenance - you might find out how much work is done by horse people
>>and
>> >how tough maintenance on the PCT would be without those horses.
>> >
>>
>>
>>hmmm..THAT is totally in error!! There is a very famous set of
>>pics from Yosemite that the FS uses...it shows RUTS 14 inches
>>deep-- caused ONLY by horses (from the barn to the T-meadows
>>trail)...since it is NOT used by hikers the damage is
>>exclusively done by horses. Havign done the JMT twice once]
>>on my thru hike and once for fun it is easy to see the
>>SEVERE damage done exclusively by horses! The wear ruts
>>at least 10-15 inches deep in the softer area...
>>
>>a person with a backpak, even if it is 50 lbs does no
>>where any kind of damage like that..even 1000 people...
>>one set of pack animals goes down 2-3 inches and
>>damages the very infrastructure of the trail substrate
>>(I know..been there repairing it!)
>>
>>Rich
>>
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