Is this a glimpse into the future of our sport?

[bohomoto]

"The Land Trust and Santa Cruz Bicycles have something in common: trails. [...] That’s why when Santa Cruz Bicycles contributed $500,000 to help build trails at San Vicente Redwoods (matched by our No Limits Challenge), we realized we could be launching a new trend in trail-building."


https://www.landtrustsantacruz.org/sant ... 0k-trails/

 

[zedro]

This is why I think the bigger players (manufacturers maybe channeled through dealers) need to be more invested in riding area development. If they want to keep selling us bikes, they may want to pay attention to if we'll be able to keep riding them somewhere, even if it's just lobbying or throwing an event in a new development target to get the locals to by in. People don't care about our sport because it seems so fringe, I think we need help to make it more mainstream, or make it seem like it is.

Limerick (I was told) really loves us due to the contributions and trail development, as far as I know the cyclists and horsey's don't do it, but that's great for our image and the cranky ones can't really say much (whom I've never met, the horse people have been so far great to deal with). We can certainly build on that reputation, but corporate money could help market it even better.

 

[pat74]

Right on

 

[bohomoto]

Agree.

So how did California mountain bikers get a California bike manufacturing company to donate $0.5 million for trail development?

What is the story of this Land Trust Santa Cruz organization? How do they bank roll 12 full-time staff? What other kind of resources are required to attract this scale of investment?

What is the Ontario based equivalent to Land Trust Santa Cruz?

Are there any other successful models that we can compare to, such as IMBA?

 

[zedro]

I think California is so proactive (or over controlling) on land use and allocation, I wouldn't be surprised if it's more about quarantining bikes to a specific area to protect other places. Just like the whole rediculous green sticker red sticker restricted use business for ORVs.

I really wish dirt bikes weren't completely neutered in Quebec years ago. There is so much potential north of the river, but the Federation is weak and can barely secure previlidges on the atv trail system, and they're probably more focused on the enduro races.

 

[Skyllz]

I think California is so proactive (or over controlling) on land use and allocation, I wouldn't be surprised if it's more about quarantining bikes to a specific area to protect other places. Just like the whole rediculous green sticker red sticker restricted use business for ORVs.

I really wish dirt bikes weren't completely neutered in Quebec years ago. There is so much potential north of the river, but the Federation is weak and can barely secure previlidges on the atv trail system, and they're probably more focused on the enduro races.

For good or bad, having designated area is better than having nothing at all in most case.

Quebec is pretty bad indeed. The ATV trails would be boring as hell anyway on a enduro. I know, I ride them as much with my wife(both have ATVs also).à

That being said, the way this is going, I feel the next step or evolution is private land. Buy 300-400 acres with a bunch of guys in the middle of nowhere, form a private club/coop/Non-Profit org with it and ride there trouble free... I know i'd pitch for something like that in a heartbeat. Drive 2 hours, arrive there, setup camp(even have your reserved camping spot as a member), ride all week-end on private trails where only members can ride, maintain trails, make new one without having to deal with MNR, etc... Have a good time with people who share the same passion without the "riff-raff" around like we sadly often see at Limerick for example...

But it takes commitment and not many people my age want to get into something like that. Kinda sad actually

 

[fmcd]

Larry Murray suggested exactly this at a BMA AGM a couple years ago. This is the way to go but takes a little work to setup properly, all manageable stuff though.

We inquired up my way about large logged-off properties and were shocked at how comparatively low the asking prices were last year. Haven't checked lately but mostly because the Ottawa Valley Pontiac sector is an good hour from Ottawa maybe 1.5 hrs. Terrain is much like Calabogie.

Francis

 

[bohomoto]

Jeff Slaven's on the future of off-road motorcycling:

"Its going to take some changes in the way we think. Off-road riders need to become pro-active versus reactive in land closure issues and they need to get out their wallets. Motorcyclists in general are very independent and this may be our Achilles heel. The greenies are better funded, better organized, and pro-active.

We are also going to have to make a big push to police and educate our own. As Americans become more affluent, the improper trail use and noise issues will become more prevalent, because more bikes and ATVs will be purchased." (June 2006 issue of Dirt Rider, avaialble here for download: http://bit.ly/1YTE0mY )

He wrote that 10 years ago. Its astonishingly accurate. Dirt biking is not our right, its our privilege. And unless our behavior changes accordingly, our kids will not grow up with the same privilege.