natedawg1976

All this bitching and PB might just shut it down next year. A lot of youl sound like spoiled little children who didn't get exactly what they wanted from Santa.

Looks like somewhere near Vegas.

Mr. Felton provides us with a "bit of history" and claims there are really only two goals of the Wilderness Act. Well, actually, there are many (see below) and frankly, mountain biking is not really compatible with many of the goals of the Act or more generally, the concept of wilderness. I love riding my mtb and I do lust after more trails near my home, but there is a more pragmatic approach to ensuring that we have more access and trails. One option would be to streamline environmental reviews for new mtb trails on federal lands so that we can get out there and build trails specifically for biking instead of attempting to appropriate trails that are generally not well suited to biking. The same senators who sponsored this bill have a history of eliminating environmental reviews for oil and gas, mining and other uses of federal lands and such a bill would probably stand a good chance of passage into law. It seems that the author and many others want a grand victory for the mtb community and want to justify an intrusion into some of the earth's last places of solitude because horse cause more damage to trails than bikes do. The primary issue is not damage to trails or noise but the ease by which hordes of bikes can penetrate the depths of wilderness and compromise or eliminate solitude and thus wilderness character. Mr. Felton, don't assume that I support your position just because I ride a mtb or frequent PinkBike. Nate, Lander, WY "WILDERNESS SYSTEM ESTABLISHED STATEMENT OF POLICY Section 2.(a) In order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness. For this purpose there is hereby established a National Wilderness Preservation System to be composed of federally owned areas designated by Congress as ''wilderness areas'', and these shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness, and so as to provide for the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoyment as wilderness; and no Federal lands shall be designated as ''wilderness areas'' except as provided for in this Act or by a subsequent Act."