<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>For the record, I have not confused motorcycles with bicycles. I quote Jim Wolf's note:</div><div>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; ">Mountain biking organizations are urging the Forest Service to open the </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; ">trail to mechanized users.</span>"<br><br></div><div>While you may personally not be proposing the use of motorized vehicles, I can assure you there is no shortage of motorcycles and giant 4 wheel drive vehicles or of people who would like to drive them on or off trails in Colorado. I hiked the CDT across Colorado just a few months ago and I saw them, jumped out of their way, and observed their damage. This being a democracy, they too can propose whatever they like. And I'm sure they have. </div><div><br></div><div>I'm also not confusing the damage cause by bicycles with that caused by other means. I have 15,000 miles of hiking and observations to draw on, and I've personally watched bicyclists riding out of tread, skidding, churning mud, and doing all sorts of other things that the riders know very well damage trail. I've personally hiked on these damaged trails, and I've personally repaired them. A great deal of damage has been done to the CDT by bicycles. </div><div><br></div><div>I welcome you to state your opinion on this forum. But I reserve the right to state my opinion. My concerns are based on fact, and spring from my love of wilderness and hiking, and I stand by my previous comments. </div><div><br></div><div>Dan Bedore<div><a href="http://www.bedore.org">www.bedore.org</a></div></div><div><br>On Dec 4, 2012, at 1:59 PM, "Steven Camp" <<a href="mailto:wingnut.hiker@gmail.com">wingnut.hiker@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D">You seem to have motorcycles and bicycles confused. There is no proposal to put motorcycles on the trail. The places you describe as rutted were damaged by motor vehicles and motorcycles, not mountain bikes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net">cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net</a> [mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dan Bedore<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 04, 2012 2:43 PM<br><b>To:</b> Cdt Ring<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Cdt-l] Lujan to La Garita CDNST Relocation<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">I'm more inclined to agree with Jim Wolf, the route should be closed to bikes, and I've submitted that opinion to the forest service. </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Let's make my opinion clear. I'm not opposed to bikes and other vehicles. I drive and ride myself where it is appropriate to do so. And there are plenty of roads and trails in the vicinity of the Cochetopa Hills where people can ride, so there is no negative impact to the bike riding population if one route is set aside for serene, quiet hikes where one is able to think and to see wildlife. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">But in my hike across Colorado this last summer, there were many times I had to jump off the trail for speeding bikes. Several times I saw all the wildlife run out of a valley in response to the whine of motorcycles. Miles of trail were 5 feet wide, eroded 2 feet deep, and nothing but loose rocks and roots, all due to wheeled traffic. And as I looked at the various routes I crossed, I realized that all routes were like this. So why not have one route through Colorado which is decent, enjoyable hiking?<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Are the bikers complaining that they don't like to ride through the kind of damage that bikes wreak? Giving them access to the new route will only cure that problem for a few months, when the new route will become just as bike damaged as the old. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">I'm for having a nice walking trail across Colorado. <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></blockquote></body></html>