Mountain Cyclist – October 1999
Lead Stories
...by Rick Brusuelas
Mountain Bike Action asked the question, "Is it the best downhill (trail) of all?" Bike magazine has written of it in glowing terms. The area around Downieville, California is recognized as one of the world's greatest areas for mountain biking. Yet there is a chance many of those trails will be closed to mountain biking.
In 1979, the U. S. Forest Service identified much of this area north of the town of Downieville as a potential wilderness area. This area includes the most popular trails, such as the Chimney Rock Trail, Butcher Ranch (more popularly known as "the Downieville Downhill"), and the Parker Creek drainage area (which includes the popular Second Divide and Third Divide trails). The California Wilderness Coalition is currently tasked with re-inventorying California's public lands to determine the current extent for potential wilderness and the Downieville area is one such area under evaluation. Since Wilderness Areas do not allow mechanized transport of any type, including mountain bikes, this process is obviously a concern for all mountain bikers.
Representatives of the California Wilderness Coalition (CWC) have stated they fully support the use of mountain bikes on both roads and trails on public lands, and they point out that with over 44 million acres of public land in California, there are ample opportunities for mountain biking. At the same time, they fully believe that designated wilderness areas should remain free of mechanized transport, and they report that their inventory of the area near Downieville shows that the area still qualifies for designation as wilderness areas.
The CWC reports that they are initiating a process to determine how to best protect the natural qualities of the area. Over the next one to two years they hope to work with citizens to determine which areas should be designated as wilderness. They hope to work with local constituents, individuals and organized groups, and they hope to work with mountain bikers among these.
Certainly responsible mountain cyclists understand and respect the need for wilderness area protection. However, these are trails that have been used by many user groups (campers, hikers, snowmobilers, OHVers, and mountain bikers) for many years now. Roads and bridges are already in place. And most important to the local community, these users are a vital source of revenue to the business that make up Downieville and the surrounding community of Sierra City. Not surprising, local community members that recently met with CWC representatives were strongly opposed to closing access to these areas.
A local organization of concerned mountain cyclists has taken the lead in fighting the wilderness designation. Greg Williams, formerly of the now defunct Coyote Adventures and now a principal of Yuba Expeditions, is leading Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC). BONC will soon have a web site that will help educate people on the status of the CWC's efforts to close access to these areas. A follow-up article in this newsletter will provide the web site address as well as an update on the status.
What can we do now? First, you can write to government officials who will be involved in this process (addresses at the end of this article). Letters and messages directed to these officials should be concise and well reasoned. Secondly, since the local community of Downieville has been both supportive of and supported by mountain biking, I would also suggest directing letters to the editor of the largest local newspaper in the area, the Union. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you can become involved with the California Wilderness Coalition and work with them in their efforts to come up with the most acceptable process possible.
U. S. Senator Diane Feinstein
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
http://feinstein.senate.gov/
U. S. Senator Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
www.senate.gov/~boxer
U.S. Congressman Wally Herger
House of Representatives, CA Congressional District 2
2433 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington DC 20515-0001
Washington voice: 202-225-3076
Washington fax: 202-225-1740
California voice: 530-893-8363
www.house.gov/herger
Paul Spitler
Executive Director
California Wilderness Coalition
2655 Portage Bay East, Suite 5
Davis CA 95616
Voice: 503-758-0380
Fax: 503-758-0382
paul@calwild.org
The Union Newspaper
11464 Sutton Way
Grass Valley CA 95945
Voice: 530-273-9567
Fax (editorial): 530-477-4292
www.theunion.com
Bicyclists of Nevada County
Voice: 530-272-DIRT
Back to top
...by Ross Finlayson
On Monday, September 20th, another public meeting (which had not yet occurred as of press time) will be held to discuss the State Department of Parks and Recreation's General Plan for Castle Rock State Park. This General Plan does not specifically address mountain bike access, except to note that it will not be allowed in an area in the interior of the park that's being set aside for a "nature preserve". (Fortunately, most of this area would be much too rugged for bikes anyway.) A future trails plan, to be developed, will address specific trail use, including, we hope, mountain biking on some trails elsewhere in the park. However, development of this plan is contingent upon passage of the General Plan. Copies of the proposed General Plan are available at the main branches of local libraries.
Groups such as the Sierra Club have been critical of the General Plan and are trying to amend it or slow down its adoption. Some of the critics are even proposing to have the "nature preserve" or "wilderness" area extended to the entire park. Needless to say, this would cripple chances of getting any mountain bike access in the future.
If you are reading this before September 20, please consider attending this meeting. Critics of the general plan are sure to be heavily represented, so it's important that people supportive of the general plan also attend and voice support for adoption of the General Plan. In attendance will be Rusty Areias, the new California State Parks Director. The meeting will be held at 7 PM at Fisher Middle School, 17000 Roberts Road (near Blossom Hill Rd. and Los Gatos Blvd.), Los Gatos. An update will be provided next month.
Back to top
The Oakland Museum of California will host the exhibit Amazing Bikes: 2 Centuries on 2 Wheels from Sept. 11, 1999 through Jan. 30, 2000. Amazing Bikes: 2 Centuries on 2 Wheels is a colorful and comprehensive history of this revolutionary invention, tracing its evolution from European machines of the early 1800s to today's technically sophisticated models. Graceful designs ranging from early pedal-less "running machines" to French and English "velocipedes" and safety bicycles, from high-wheelers and balloon-tired bicycles to modern California mountain bikes, "lowrider" bicycles and experimental pedal-powered machines will be featured in the exhibition. Sixty bicycles, dating from 1819 to the present, will be selected for the exhibition from the Pryor Dodge and Leon Dixon collections and from California builders. Also on exhibit will be posters, prints, photographs and bicycle memorabilia. The art and beauty of these machines is the primary theme for the exhibition, which will also explore the social and economic impact of the bicycle beginning with the Industrial Revolution.
Of particular interest to mountain bikers, prototype mountain bikes developed by California innovators will be on display. Also, Joe Breeze, one of the creators of the original mountain bike in Marin County, will present a lecture titled "The Evolution of Bicycling". This lecture will trace the influence on bicycles and bicycling of technological developments and social and political movements throughout history. This lecture will be held on Friday, Nov. 5, 7-8:30 PM, in the museum's James Moore Theatre. The lecture is free with museum admission.
The Oakland Museum of California is located at Oak and 10th Streets in downtown Oakland, one block from the Lake Merritt BART station and four blocks from I-880. Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM; Sunday, noon to 5 PM; first Friday of the month, 10 AM to 9 PM. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 seniors and students with ID, free for children five and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. For more information, call 1-888-OAK-MUSE (625-6873) or visit the museum web site at www.museumca.org.
Back to top
|
