I rode some completely untouched freeride lines in Utah. This was the most crazy location I have ever been. Far from everything, with barely anyone there. No digging allowed, just your tires straight to the dirt.
Dealing with the wind was hard, but also having no experience on that kind of dirt was a challenge! Will be back next year to carve some more turns!
To watch the edit we made out of that day, check out this:
Thanks for watching, see you on the trails or on Youtube.
SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/c/remymetailler
While I love the freeride videos and admire those that do it, I think we all need to take some responsibility to nature and the future of it. We are encroaching upon wilderness (what's left of it) ever day for oil, coal, and yes, even recreation. I know this area where this was filmed. It's very barren and one would think that it's not a big deal to run a few lines down it. Well, it's probably not. However, this has just been publicized world-wide!!! Now everyone will want to take a wack at it!! The next thing you know, there will be resorts and gas stations and McDonald's and the next Red Bull Rampage staged here.
Maybe it's not such a good idea to publicize some things....??? Maybe one should keep their secret places to do fun things "secret" and to themselves. Believe me, once you tell someone of a magic place that is untouched, it won't last very long!!! These places are getting fewer and farther between.
Take some responsibility for them and their preservation.
Just my two cents.
Love Remy's riding! But we need to keep the larger picture in mind as sports develop.
Do whatever you want? Screw the consequences?? Really? Isn't that how ISIS started? The Taliban?? Think about it dude!
it's those small minded people (memory of a goldfish, as you put it) that are the ones that ruin things and have no care or remorse for the destruction they've done.
The riding is awesome, unfortunately, it's the advertising of it that does the most destruction.
Most people don't know what is the Cryptobiotic crust and how much it is important as it sustains life in the desert.
www.nps.gov/glca/learn/nature/soils.htm
To Slodown and all others responding back about ISIS remark etc.
Here is what slowdown said....
"And the fact that "your working" is enough justification to do whatever you want, screw the consequences."
My response to him/her was solely to that train of thought. If you have that train of thought with everything you do in life, it's that kind of thought process that brings about screwed up people and things such as ISIS or whatever else you can think of that was or is a major catastrophe to earth and people. It was a comment toward that way of thinking, not mountain biking. You all knew DAMN WELL what I meant!
James - I hear what you are saying and know what you are thinking. I can tell you this, however; when the upper crusts of some of the delicate soil is broken and disturbed, it can cause erosion by water and mostly wind. Heck, Remy even commented how windy it is there! I have seen some areas where a truck has rode over and across some delicate desert soil and the marks are still there for more than 25, 30, sometimes 50 years! No kidding!!
I did some soil and land reclamation work for the US government many years ago and you'd be amazed how fast wind can destroy a "wounded" (for lack of a better term) ground cover.
Additionally, when referring to the old Rampage grounds - plants can be planted and things can be done to re-vegetate the area but many times, it's never native again. This is how invasive species of plants move in etc.
I realize that we can't just stop living. My concerns are more that many people will try this and want to sink their tires into that soft crust. Let's face it, it's an awesome feeling to crush into softness like ice layered over soft snow. Unfortunately, that crypto soil can take 70 years to mend.
I'm not against people wanting to ride down the sides of these things. I would love to if I could and HATS OFF to those of you that can! It's amazing!! Hopefully we can just keep it confined to one area and not the entire (name not mentioned of the area where he's riding) area where this soft delicate soil is. But then - now we're regulating, aren't we? LOL
Here, and as far as I can see, the zone is 100% mineral; no single plant or animal... but it`s not an excuse to kill the view.
When we see what Rampage caused on he landscape years after years, I wouldn`t like the same carnage for that place we see in the video. But I don`t think that trains of riders will come tomorrow with shovels, picks and bulldozers to disfigure that landscape... hopefully not.
Remy. I hope you didn't take this as any attack on you. I totally appreciate and admire you for the fact that you DIDN'T disclose the location of this area AND that you didn't use shovels. From that alone, I got the idea that you ARE wary of the delicate decision making there is to do or not to do this.
You are an "artist" on your bike as are the film makers that made the video. Totally awesome!!!.
My only concern - not with you - is that I hope everyone doesn't go out to the many places similar to this to try it. Again, no offense made toward you. It's everyone else's minds that need to be clear about the decision to do it more and more etc.
Thanks for your videos and riding and thanks for your respect to the land too.
I get your point. But at the end of the day, there are much bigger issues this planet is facing than some tyre tracks left in some soil in utah. We shouldn't be worried about some shrubs in Virgin, we should be worried about Japan starting whaling again, or palm oil plants destroying orangutan's habitats...
Shut your old Schrader valves up and let these ppl ride. Or go burn youR GoPro camera and throw away your smartphone toO.
Funny - that's EXACTLY how I felt about it! I WANT to watch it but I just cant!! It's painful to watch yet so awesome too. It's like the S&M of Mountain biking! LOL
DAMN!! I just watched it again and now I'm just upset about it. I don't think I can ever watch this again! People just shouldn't do this!
This is my last comment. I've said enough. Somehow, I feel kinda sick! LOL
Hopefully Remy and other riders and video makers will think twice about the negative impacts on the environment they create and negative publicity they might receive if they do something that probably felt in their gut that the shouldn't have.
www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/new-study-shows-how-helping-desert-soil-could-save-our-snow
Let's be honest though, the effects of a few people riding their bikes compared to the larger picture, (dust storms for example) are infinitesimal...
Mountain biking isn't synonymous with destroying nature. There are many sustainable trails that are fantastic. Remy's behavior here is not sustainable.
I have a BS in Biological Sciences and worked in research at Stanford briefly, so I like to read scientific research journals. Many research journals are very weak studies and have slanted information that doesn't hold weight. Just because it is printed, doesn't mean it is legitimate study.
And with that last paragraph, I suggest you head on over to reddit and browse r/iamverysmart. You'll fit right in.
If this was really about self-enlightenment and learning you would have looked it up for yourself. As it is, you just want to use your "BS in Biological Sciences" to pick apart every study put together by MS and PHD candidates. Go troll elsewhere.
Just because people have a MS or Phd and get something printed, doesn't mean their study holds weight or that is not slanted. Studies can be very slanted depending on who is paying for the study. I learned there is a ton of slanted/weak research studies done and many have been debunked.
Unfortunately, humans can destroy soil crust and often do so without meaning to. Vehicle tracks, bicycles, and footprints are extremely harmful – even a single footprint can kill the soil crust immediately below. Continuous pressure can break up the crust. Then, rain or wind can scatter the pieces.
Impacted areas may never fully recover. Under the best circumstances, a thin veneer of biological soil may return in five to seven years. Mature crusts can take 50 years to strengthen. Lichens and mosses may take hundreds of years to recover.
Help us protect this fragile, but crucial, life by remaining on designated roads, routes, and trails at all times. Where hiking trails are not established, hike in sandy washes or on bare rock.
3 inch average tread width damage (2.5 inch tire width + collapsed soil edges and/or misalignment of both tires)
x
1/4 mile per run
=
0.25 ft
x
1320 ft
=
About 330sq ft of cryptobiotic soil damage per run. That's about the size of a living room.
now let the wind do the rest.
www.nps.gov/articles/seug-soil-crust.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_soil_crust
It's my personal opinion that we should 1) respect the boundaries of areas where different activities are and aren't allowed
& 2) recognize how to properly identify and respect those fragile, special things in this world.
If you think all of this soil he was on is cryptobiotic, I think you might want to discuss your opinions with those who have grazing allotments all over the west.
But I think there is another name for it, it's a crust that's built up and better resists erosion. (of which that still occurs, and for sure you can see the lines made through the crust from runoff,etc.) Anyway, I believe the issue is once the crust is broken erosion happens at a much higher rate. And depending on other factors it might not build the crust up again and just continue to erode and POOF your mountain is gone!
Anyway, since I've stayed at a Holiday Inn Express more than a few times I feel that I'm qualified to give a professional opinion...
I don't think the original poster was suggesting this was all bad. Instead, it looks like he or she was saying that it's bad to publicize riding in untouched places. He or she didn't say that the rider was going to destroy the world by his one ride. Seems everyone read further than was suggested.
Here is the way I see it. The rider DID post this video set with the word "untouched" in it. For that matter, it seems he IS making a big thing out of riding on terrain that is untouched and even might be vulnerable to erosion or damage to the environment. By entitling the videos this way, it appears that he DOES know this was a questionable thing to do. Had it not been labeled this way, I think many people here would think differently or maybe not even brought it to topic at all. So, if the rider's intent or actions were truly careless with the environment, rather than argue with people here, just go after the rider and his filming crew.
From what I can see, it appears he's a professional rider. Why not hit up his sponsors and let them know that he might be a risk to them should he be destructive to the environment or whatever else he might be doing? Why not go to YouTube and do the same? Even this site has a reputation to uphold. Let these people and the sponsors be held liable or see the risk the rider might pose for them. This will make the rider think twice about being responsible in the future.
Much like our freedoms we have in the USA, to vote for politicians; if you don't like what someone is doing, then vote them out! That is the power we all have! If the rider here is being irresponsible, then let his sponsors know about it. Arguing over the type of soil, what the scientists say, or who did this or that isn't going to get anyone anywhere.
I'm very involved with several projects regarding protecting our beautiful planet as well as the community (and some of my sponsors are as well), and I'm well aware of the impact riding can have on it and on that zone in particular.
No need to push it that far.
I don't really care where it is. It seems that a lot of people here DO care where it is, however. You mention that a lot of local riders like to keep that area secret. Well, just as the original poster suggested and was his or her main point, you just announced it to the world!!!
You admit that this might be a fragile territory and then you turn and say its not a huge issue. What kind of a contradictory person are you? You say you're involved with projects that protect our world - do these groups know what you just did?
Pinkbike just posted an article about the US Forest Service being sued over allowing e-mountain bikes on the trails. This is the kind of bad publicity that mountain bikers don't need. It can put ALL of us in a situation where our riding privileges can be taken away from designated areas. You may not live in the US or give much of a damn about US open lands as, being a pro rider, you have more access to places the general public can't ride. Don't "F" things up for all of us with your "untouched" type videos!
YES, sometimes there IS a need to "push it that far" and I hope you can see that a bit more clearly now.
Our environment is fragile, just like this place is. You live in Las Vegas, literally a town built in the middle of nowhere for $ purposes. It is the same for us here in Squamish, and Whistler.
The way I rode that place was very respectful. Why do you decide to have a go at me when some film crew spent 10 days on similar places building a jump course for a 3min video? You also probably are a fan of Rampage were the damage made is 1000 times worst.
Let's not be hypocritical on the Internet. Also I do care about your country, and your rules. Which is why I respect these rules.
Cheers, enjoy the ride,
You still don't see the point here, do you?
Take down that video or at least change the title and information on it stating "untouched freeride lines in Utah".
Don't encourage people to go to the few untouched areas to damage them and don't tell people where it is.
That's the point!
If you don't, maybe someone else should or will.
Why don't you go and see the government to pass a law about making forbidden MTB in any desert?
With regard to your last comment I still argue that you just DON"T get the point!
I've got an idea. How about if you post some or all of your sponsors names here and see if anyone takes you up on the challenge? Rather than making stupid remarks about seeing the government to pass laws (which you know is ridiculous) why don't you put your money where your mouth is? Post your sponsors names here!!
Let's see how "brave" (or brazen??) you are! Let's see if you truly care about things like this or if you're just spouting your mouth off like a typical celebrity.
What do you have to lose? You've already said that most people aren't seeing this anymore. Go for it!
What are your thoughts on this kind "off piste riding" VS conservation, etc.?
I have been thru Virgin Utah and pretty much all of Utah and I think a little patch of dirt in the middle of nowhere will be just fine a million years from now. Read the book "Sapiens" For a good Anthropologic and geographic history of the earth.
To you complainers : Next time you go ride- I want to see you guys make just a big of deal, when you go off a trail at your local track and run over a little bush or shrub. Don't ever build a berm, jump or clear brush either. Don't you know there are Endangered Dung Beetles that live under that stuff!!!
You guys are ridiculous.
Rant over. Bring on the hate...
"Me 'n' the Boys" built a sketchy narrow freeride line back in the day. When we returned to it a year later, we couldn't even find it!
If a bowling ball sized rock fell from the same area where Remi started. It would do just as much damage to the crust as he did. Now we can look at areas like this one around the Southwest USA and what do you find at the bottom of every mountain /cliff. Large, medium and small rock/fragments that fell and rolled down the mountain. Now you can say that it happened naturally ( which it did) but it still damaged the "crust" as much or more than he did. It would be hard to guess how many times a day,week,month,year this happens but its fair to say that Nature has damaged itself ( at least in this incident) far more than Remi did!