Much as I hate to admit it, Cindy is right on! I
don't like dirt bikes on trails, but if we attempt to eliminate the ones we
don't like to share trails with, we will end up eliminating all users. "We
must all hang together or we'll all hang separately." (Quotation of some
famous historical person whose name I have long forgotten.)
The pity is, if wheeled vehicles are allowed where only
animals should be, the countryside will be torn up. Then the agencies will
throw us all out because they cannot be prejudiced against certain
users.
I know I've said this many times and people chose to ignore it,
but I am going to say it one more time.
There are people out there, lots of them, who think horses are extremely
damaging to trail and hate sharing trails with them. There are people
who have a stated goal of getting all horses off USFS and wilderness
trails. You can hide from it all you want and it will still be
true. So, when horse folks are done bashing all other multiple users and
getting them thrown off trails, there will be no one left to fight for horse
folks' rights to use public trails. In fact, they will be glad to see us
get our just due. Arrogance about our use of public trails does not
serve us well. You may personally hate hunters, four wheelers,
motorcyclists and bicyclists, but I've attended meetings where they defended
the rights of all users. I also know several rides that would not exist
if it were not for the support of motorcycle riders. Now, stop and think
of the most obnoxious horse owners/riders you know and how embarrassed you are
by their behavior. Then, realize that all other user groups have those
folks, too. They are not representative of all users.
Lunch is about over, so I'm going to go back to torturing 11 year old
boys who should be out in the woods on such a beautiful day and are stuck in
school :)
