The time has come

There has been talk, lots of talk, for years. Some efforts have been made but nothing of a concerted push to get things going. The time has come.

I personally don’t feel that I am the person for the job, so don’t see this as an appeal for you all to join me. Rather, I would hope that a few of us can come together and make this happen. As Mr. Gurr put it, we need a steering committee. We need a group, a club if you will, that will take responsibility for the rapid growth in popularity of the trails in our area and the ever more needed trail maintenance. A group of people who are willing to break with the old protocol of our area of building illegal trails that are neither sustainable, managed nor maintained. We need a group of people to step up, speak for mountain bikers and take charge of what is going on in our area. The time has come.

I personally feel that we are at a junction, an apex. We can continue the way we have for the past couple of decades, fighting the BLM, feeling entitled to ride wherever and however we feel. Or we can stand up and change the way things are going by working in conjunction with land management, helping maintain our trails, educating other riders and in the end building an extensive, sustainable, well-built trail network for all of us to enjoy.

I often compare Fruita, Colorado and Moab. Moab’s trails are among the most celebrated, popular trails in the world. They are, however, poorly built, unsustainable, and more often than not illegal. I have watched and read as one trail after another is closed, opened, closed again. There is a constant battle between what can be ridden and what land managers are trying to close down. One side of a line. Jump across the border to Fruita and you will find endless miles of beautifully trimmed singletrack (not jeep trails/roads). Some of the most challenging trails, scenic routes and, in my opinion, best trails out there. All with complete maps, trailheads and constant access.

What’s the difference? One community has gone the route that we are currently on, fighting land managers, feeling entitled to ride wherever they want, and basically ignoring any and all ethical practice of our sport. One shop even has stickers that say, “The only good trails are illegal.” Then the contrast of the community that has embraced land management, used countless volunteers and has followed the creed of advocacy. The first community is Moab, the second is Fruita.

I may be wrong. Maybe we should let things just roll down a course and see where we end up, but I would rather take the time and organize with my fellow riders to enhance my local trails and to help maintain the amazing trail system we already have. The time is now that we must decide which path we are going to follow. The one where we end up with endless miles of beautifully trimmed, expertly technical singletrack or the one where we end up with all of our trails looking like the Bear Claw Poppy and trail closures are a regular occurrence.

I would like to choose the first. Anyone who would like to help steer our community in the right direction, please shoot me an email and lets get things going… lukas (at) mooseknuckleralliance.org

Ride more.