[pct-l] Fw: Bicycle Usage Proposal

[Ernie Castillo]

30 years, and several time zones, removed from the PCT, I now bicycle as my primary outdoor exercise. I can tell you that nearly all of the bicyclists I encounter are polite. There are, however, some "yahoos" that tend to ride with abandon on popular rail-to-trail routes in Oakland County, Michigan but they are the exception, rather than the rule.
 
On my 1980 PCT trip, I came across a bicyclist, riding a touring bike with paniers, who was riding a road route that intersected several crossings of the PCT. We shared a campground and went our separate ways the next morning. At the time I thought "Now that would be something to do on my next adventure."
 
Mountain bikes weren's as popular in 1980 as they are today and it is easy to be prejudiced about the people who enjoy that means of off-road adventure.
 
I am not advocating allowing mountain bikes on the PCT. I understand what mechanized vehicles can do to fragile terraine. I do believe, however, there should be long-distance routes made available to bicyclists that do not involve logging hundreds of miles on paved highways.
 
On a recent 69-mile route I rode to celebrate my 57th birthday, I came across a couple on what were officially mountain bikes riding pavement roads for a planned one-week trip through Michigan. They had paniers, tents, rain gear, etc. If this debate had started a month earlier, I would have asked them this question: If you had a preference, would choose to ride pavement or dirt? I can only imagine what their answer would be.

Ernie Castillo (one of the Revolving Ramen from the Class of 1980)