Angry Hikers

PB Forum :: USA - West
Angry Hikers
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flag captaingrumpy
O+
Posted: Dec 21, 2015 at 14:09 Quote
Something just occurred to me, sorry for rambling.

I drove up to Granite Creek the end of this summer. An old logging road off to the south of middle fork of the snoqualmie river, off NF56. I used to ride/push my bike up to the top of a mountain and picnic with great views. Never see anyone, was great.

So now I've got a bunch of angry-type hikers in my woods. Old logging roads being converted to trails and closed to bikes. Angry old folks with ski poles. Fiercely protective of 'their' hiking trails.

I want access, asked friendly-like how I could get through that area, if there was a bike friendly way. I hadn't yet taken my bike off the truck. They were so mad to see me (at the trailhead) they were spitting. Really wound up. Really angry. I'm a nice guy, was just asking. I'm going to respect the signs. Why they so cheesed off, hard not to take it personally. Clearly there's a problem though.

I looked up some 'access' info for trails, the current online debates. All I can find is hiker 'trail' organizations readying for another fight. They're super pro active about keeping bikes out of 'their' wilderness. I hear that bikes detract from the place, that bikers don't appreciate the woods, etc. WTF.

I'm wondering where the passion for this anti-bike movement comes from. I ride up, I ride down, I stop and say hi to hikers. Everyone seems happy.

I totally missed that this area was to be converted to hiker only. I last visited a few years ago but it is still a special trip for me. I need to be more involved.

Cheers!
flag XCMark
Posted: Dec 27, 2015 at 11:48 Quote
captaingrumpy wrote:
I'm wondering where the passion for this anti-bike movement comes from.

Old people with money and no-one telling them to f*ck off! At the same time, these people will claim that the freedom America gives makes it the best country on the planet. As long as they are the ones who get to assign the freedoms.

I would also wager that when a new "bikes only" type trail is made, these "passionate people" are the ones setting traps, destroying features and walking the bike labeled trail.

Always be kind and compassionate, and if you can, record unwanted conversations with hikers. If you are attacked on the trail by these "passionate people", run them over!
flag cottonmouthdug
Posted: Dec 28, 2015 at 8:28 Quote
Fun police are everywhere. To keep hikers away build trails with steep sections that are ridable but unwalkable. Leave a large log across the trail with dirt pilled on the high side. Hikers dont like climbing and lifting their dog. To detract horses add sketchy wood bridges. Fill in between gaps with debris(sticks and rocks)to eliminate roll through. Hikers are generaly lazey and wont clear trail features if its too much work so keep it heavy.
If you discover sabatours make sure there are no witnessess and bury them beneath lips/landings and speak of it to no one
flag RunsWithScissors
Posted: Dec 28, 2015 at 8:55 Quote
The one thing that all trail user groups agree on is that everyone besides THEIR group are a bunch of clueless a*sholes who shouldn't be allowed outside. Every group has a few jerks in it, including ours. You just ran across their jerks. I'm sure somewhere on a hiking forum one of them is writing an angry post about bikers tearing up trails, littering, bombing down trails at dangerous speeds, etc. even as I type this.

In my opinion, it's a problem that will never completely go away, no matter what you do and it has nothing to do with politics, race, religion, or how you choose to spend your time outdoors. Some people are territorial and combative and that's just an unpleasant fact of life.

Sorry you ran across trail nazis, bro. Sadly, it won't be the last time. When you find a sure fire solution, let us all know about it, and then you can move on to "world peace" or some other unlikely goalWink
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