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Why? Good Question!

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

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By Mark Langton

It was recently brought to our attention that newly elected president of Equestrian Trails, Inc. (ETI) Robert Foster, a retired law enforcement officer, donates his time as an emergency medical technician at So Cal High School Mountain Bike Racing League races. Mr. Foster is a staunch supporter of the league, and in his president’s message in ETI’s most recent newsletter he stated that it’s a new era in our public open space trail systems, and mountain bikers are part of the trail user community so we all should try to figure out ways to get along.

Now I’ve been doing this advocacy thing for over 25 years, and I’ve experienced a lot of encouraging progress in the areas of shared use, especially when it comes to opening more trails to bicycle use. To hear the president of an organization that has historically had some of its members rally against mountain bikes say that we need to get along is truly groundbreaking. But things like this come fewer and more far between than I’d like, and during these 25 years I have often asked myself “why am I doing this?” The answer is always “because it’s the right thing to do.” This might sound insane (insanity once being defined by Albert Einstein as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results), and in many ways this might be true. But then something like Robert Foster’s reasonable position comes along and I think to myself, maybe we have been doing the right thing after all.

Over the years we have heard many reasons people feel mountain bikes don’t mix on shared use trails, but only one is valid; people riding their bikes too fast at the wrong time and place (around other trail users) is just not a pleasant experience for the people being passed at an inappropriate speed. As I’ve said many times before, we all have within our power the ability to solve this issue: slow down. In other words, use caution when around others. Let me put it another way; your actions represent the entire mountain bike community. The smile you create through a pleasant trail encounter goes a long way.

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | 6 Comments »

Randy Rogers Had it Right

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

By Mark Langton

IMG_23141When I first met North Ranch Mountain Bike Club (nrmbc.org) founder Randy Rogers, he told me of his simple concept when encountering others on the trail. “You should slow down enough to have a brief conversation with them. Like, ‘How are you? Have a nice day.’” I told him I thought that this was overly courteous, and if you simply slowed down and said “hi” as you passed, it would be sufficient.

Now, 20 or so years later, I have to admit that Randy was right. Because in having that brief conversation, you not only slow down, you also show care and concern for the other trail user. And if we want to promote a backcountry that is harmonious and safe, then we all must act as if we are a family. Sure, like most families we may have our differences, but in the end our goal should be to care for, and be kind to, each other. After all, we’re out on the trails for the same reasons; to enjoy nature and to renew our spirit.

I challenge you to try this simple, easy experiment: When safely passing someone, including other cyclists, slow down to the point you’re almost going their speed (or stop if necessary), and ask “how are you doing?” (or the abbreviation “howdy!”). Pause just long enough to let them reply. If they don’t, at least you initiated the pleasantry. If they do reply, recognize the feeling you get from the exchange. They feel comforted and cared for, and you have done something nice. If that’s not a win/win, I don’t know what is. And at the risk of sounding cliché, you are paying good karma forward, which in most cases is contagious. And please drop me an email at mark@corbamtb.com or post a reply and let me know how it goes when you try this experiment. I’d really like to hear your experiences. Thanks!

(By the way, if you’re already using this method of trail courtesy, Thank You!)

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, Conejo Valley, Environment, Los Angeles, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Be The Solution

Monday, December 10th, 2012

By Mark Langton

I agree with hikers. I agree that when a mountain biker goes by me too close and too fast, it’s scary and unsettling. And they don’t have to be going fast, just too fast for the conditions. If a mountain biker goes by me at 15 mph on a fire road, no problem. If a mountain biker goes by me at 15 mph on a singletrack trail less than six inches from me, then I have a bit of a problem.

I agree with hikers right up to the point when they say all mountain bikers should be banned from trails because some of them go too fast around other users. You can’t tell me I’m banned from the trails because of someone else’s irresponsible behavior.

I believe there’s nothing wrong with going fast, as long as it’s being done safely (and within reason). If mountain bikers go so fast as to create a danger to themselves–such as crashing and having to utilize tax payer money to get medical treatment and evacuation from the backcountry–then people could point at the mountain bike community as creating an undue burden on the resource management agency. But as we’ve seen, crashes of this nature are relatively few. But the agency still takes notice when there’s an increase.

I know there are those out there, myself included, who are angry at the people who disregard common sense and speed past others with no regard for common courtesy. They’ve replied many times to our blog posts. They are angry because they know that the people who are acting irresponsibly know they are doing it, but continue to do it anyway in spite of the fact they are giving the mountain biking community a bad name; when all they have to do is very simple. Be The Solution. Just slow down around others.

As an experiment today I stopped in the middle of a singletrack trail as a rider approached me coming downhill. Although he had plenty of room to see me, he ran into me, and nearly flew over the handlebar. He was apologetic, and the conversation we had was enlightening; because he was used to others getting out of his way, he just assumed I would, too.  I recounted an instance when I was riding along a trail and I came upon a hiker with her head down, and as I slowed to a stop she looked up, startled, and nearly fell over backward. Had I assumed she heard me and was going to get out of my way, I probably would have run into her.

It’s never going to be completely safe on the trails. There are always going to be accidents, but by slowing down around others (and maybe even slowing down for blind corners), we might be able to avoid a lot of very avoidable ones.

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Advocacy, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | 1 Comment »

Resolve to Solve in 2013

Monday, December 10th, 2012

How many of you have New Year’s Resolutions that you are hoping to keep? There is one you can make and keep, guaranteed. It will help you, the mountain bike community, and the trail community at large. Ready? Slow down when passing others!

How many things in life can you do that actually solve a problem? On our trails, the one justifiable complaint about mountain bikers is that they sometimes go too fast when passing others, which can be scary and upsetting,even to other cyclists. So all you have to do is slow down when passing, and you SOLVE THE PROBLEM!

Slowing down while passing others on our shared-use trails is a pure win-win proposition. The people who you pass feel good about mountain bikers. WIN! You feel good because you didn’t scare anyone, and everyone has a pleasant exchange. WIN!

Here’s a suggestion: Treat others you are passing on the trail as if you are holding the door open for them. That brief pause is a show of consideration, courtesy, and humanity that will come back to you and the mountain bike community in many positive ways.

It’s up to you. Would you rather finish your ride knowing you did something positive for mountain bikers and trails users, or that you made it worse for yourself and the mountain bike community? You CAN make a difference. And all it takes is slowing down when passing other users!

 

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Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Palos Verdes to open 15 additional trails to bicycles

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

After a long and drawn-out process, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council on Tuesday voted to approve most of a staff recommendation to open additional trails in the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve to bicycles.  With leadership and guidance from CORBA’s Palos Verdes contingent (CORBA PV), including Troy Braswell, the newly approved trail plan opens the following to bikes:

Source: Palos Verdes Patch:

Filiorum Reserve (Previously Undesignated):

  • 6 trails encompassing 3.1 miles designated multiuse (pedestrian, equestrian, bicycle).
  • 2 trails encompassing 0.5 miles designated pedestrian and equestrian only.

Abalone Cove Reserve

  • Via de Campo Trail: Changed from pedestrian only to pedestrian/bicycle.
  • Chapel View Trail: Changed from pedestrian/equestrian to multiuse.
  • Beach School Trail: Changed from pedestrian to pedestrian/bicycle.
  • Harden Trail: Trail closed completely due to erosion.
  • Portuguese Point Loop Trail: Changed from pedestrian only to pedestrian/bicycle.

Three Sisters Reserve

  • Trail plan changed to include multiuse connector trail between the Three Sisters and Filiorum Reserve.

Portuguese Bend Reserve

  • Burma Road Overlook: New multiuse trail added to lead to an overlook.
  • Pine Grove Trail: Trail to be closed due to a fire that burned the pine grove.
  • Landslide Scarp Trail: Will remain pedestrian/equestrian only.
  • Ishibashi Farm Trail: Eastern branch will remain pedestrian/equestrian only.

Ocean Trails Reserve

  • Sagebrush Walk Trail: Changed from pedestrian only to pedestrian/bicycle.

Some additional stipulations were made, including a few “walk your bike” zones on some “dangerous” sections of trail.  Two trails which had been recommended by City Staff to open to bikes were overturned by City Council, including the Landslide Scarp trail and the eastern Ishibashi Farm trail, due to safety concerns.

Throughout the process there were many setbacks, numerous delays, and much heated debate from both sides of the argument. CORBA and local advocates have been unwavering and diligent in their participation and resolve in the process, and it is thanks to them that we have this new trail plan. There were fears that the trail plan, years in the making, would be tossed out and the process begun anew with a committee. Thankfully, the years of work put in to this trail plan were kept.

There were some disappointments, however. Eucalyptus and Jack’s Brim trails in Filiorium Preserve were not considered, perhaps due to the Council’s unfamiliarity with them. Landslide in Portuguese Bend Preserve was also not considered, due to safety and sight-line issues. However, despite these losses, the net result is very positive for the mountain biking community.

Since this process began, CORBA PV and local advocates have developed good relationships with City Council members and City staff. Recommendations were made to form a public trails committee, implement a bike patrol program, and to encourage the use of bike bells. CORBA PV expects to be working with them as the plan is implemented, and to sort out remaining issues, such as enforcement.

City staff were directed to develop a plan for enforcement within 90 days. The onus now falls on local mountain bikers to be good ambassadors for the sport and stewards of the trails, through their behavior while riding, by exercising good courtesy and respect for other trail users, and by riding on open trails only.

We thank the CORBA PV team for their continued efforts, and to the Palos Verdes City Council for working with cyclists on this process.

Posted in Advocacy, Palos Verdes, Trail Access | No Comments »

RPV Trail Plan Saved (Probably), Final Vote 10/2/12

Friday, September 7th, 2012

The article below is from the Easy Reader newspaper (Hermosa Beach). It details the struggles Rancho Palos Verdes mountain bikers (represented by CORBA Palos Verdes) have been having with access to local trails, dating back to 2008 (and even before that). The news is good, but it still remains to be seen until the next RPV City Council meeting on October 2. People in favor of bicycle access to Rancho Palos Verdes trails are encouraged to attend. For more information go to www.mtbpv.org/

RPV TO AMEND TRAILS USE PLAN

Mountain bikers could see more access to trails at the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve and Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and Ecological Preserve if, as expected, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council decides the matter Oct. 4. (Info incorrect, actual date is Oct. 2–CORBA)

The proposal drew lots of public input last May when it first came before the council after a series of public workshops earlier in the year that drew around 40 people each. Several speakers opposed the additional access for bikers, causing the council to reconsider the issue until after the summer.

The original trails use plan for most of the 1,400-acre nature preserve went into effect in 2009 after a nearly two-year process led by a committee of citizens and public officials. Now the non-profit Palos Verdes Peninsula Nature Conservancy, which oversees the property, wants to designate trails on a remaining 190-acre portion known as Filiorum.

The opportunity also opened the door to revise the existing trails plan on the rest of the preserve, said Danielle LeFer, conservation director. In all, mountain bikers will potentially regain access to two trails in the Portuguese Bend area and four trails in the Abalone Cove area.

“I know mountain bikers would like to see more trails open to bikes,” said LeFer. “We incorporated all the comments we received and responded to those. Based on all of those, and discussions with rangers and city staff, we came up with some recommended changes.”

When the issue comes back to the council next month, little will have changed from what was presented in May, said Ara Mihranian, deputy director of community development for RPV.

“There are other groups out there that have their own agendas who are asking the council to make changes, but that’s not what’s being recommended by staff,” Mihranian said.

Long-time mountain biker Troy Braswell said he’s concerned the council could reverse a lot of the hard work accomplished in 2009. But council member Susan Brooks said that’s not the case.

The council postponed its decision so it could become more familiar with the preserve, Brooks said.

“The community had been working on this, but I think a lot of us were not aware of just how intensely they have been,” Brooks said. “Now that I’ve come to see just how much work has been done in the ensuing years, it really gives me a new respect for the process that has already taken place and we need to respect that.”

Brooks said RPV bears the burden of managing all the parks on the peninsula with no additional funding aside from city coffers.

“We have over 40,000 residents and we’re the largest city on the hill, but we bear the responsibility for all the parks and all the recreational facilities,” Brooks said. “Is RPV supposed to be the playground for all of the LA basin?”

By designating the trails, conservationists hope to limit impacts to the natural terrain as well as conflicts with different users. Since June 18, a ranger hotline received 55 calls, mostly about off-leash dogs said Katie Howe, parks and recreation administrative assistant.

“It’s helping to keep us aware of what’s going on in the preserve,” Howe said.

So far no calls have come in with conflicts regarding horses or mountain bikers, Howe said.

Gordon Leon, who formerly chaired the city’s equestrian committee, said the trails plan has worked pretty well.

“The trails are integral to the semi rural nature of Rancho Palos Verdes,” Leon said. “We have enviably one of the best trail networks certainly in the South Bay and to a greater extent Los Angeles. I think we’ve come to a reasonably amicable solution.” ER

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Posted in Palos Verdes, Trail Access | No Comments »

Urgent Rancho Palos Verdes City Council Mtg May 15

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

On May 15th at 7:00 pm, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council will review and approve the final trails plan for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. This is mountain bikers’ last chance to ask for changes.

CORBA Palos Verdes has proposed allowing bike access on more trails.
For information go to: www.mtbpv.org or email info@mtbpv.org

We need your support. Attend the meeting even if you don’t want to speak. Write the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council, CC@rpv.com. Please make the letters positive.

When:
May 15th 7:00 PM

Where:
Fred Hesse Community Center
29301 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Posted in Advocacy, Palos Verdes, Trail Access | No Comments »

Urgent Meeting Regarding MTB Access in Palos Verdes

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Palos Verdes Nature Preserve State Of The Preserve Workshop
Saturday, April 30, 2011 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes will be collecting public input at this workshop to prepare recommendations for amendments to the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve Trails Plan. This will include trail use changes and the Filiorum Reserve. The City Council will then consider the recommendations later this summer.

In the past, opponents of off-road bicycling have turned out in large numbers, so it is crucial for lots of cyclists to attend. This is a great opportunity for those who otherwise feel intimidated by public speaking to voice their opinions. Typically, small groups sit at table to discuss topics. No public speaking is needed. See below for more information.

Do you want more trails to ride? Do you want to ride trails in the newly created Filiorum Reserve? CORBA PV will be posting recommendations and suggestions soon.

Please join our mailing list to keep posted on the latest information. info@mtbpv.org.

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Posted in Advocacy, Palos Verdes, Trail Access | No Comments »

LA County Draft Trails Manual Public Hearing

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

LA County Draft Trails ManualOn February 28, 2011, about 50 people gathered in the beautiful Birch Room at Descanso Gardens in La Canada. We were there to review and comment upon the most recent draft of the Los Angeles County Trails Manual. But let’s back up a bit…

Last July, CORBA board members met with LA County Planning and Sapphos Environmental (the contractor developing the Trails Manual for the County), in a Mountain Biker only public forum. At that meeting only three CORBA board members attended, the County representatives, and nobody else. The Equestrian-only meeting had many more participants, as did the Hiker-only meeting. Since this document will not set any policy regarding trail designations, Sapphos deemed it more productive to hold separate meetings with each user group. Each group gave their input on what they’d like to see covered in the trails manual, and their special concerns.

At that time in July 2010 there was only one section of the trails manual available for review: the section concerning trail design standards. Most of the standards in that preliminary section were adapted from IMBA’s Trail Solutions book, and other reputable multi-use trail construction texts. It was to be a technical document on building and designing trails, with no influence on the contentious issues around trail user groups and trail designations.

The County’s stated policy and goal is to accommodate all user groups on all trails possible. It is a multi-use, bike-friendly policy that works. We were informed at that time that there would be another round of public hearings as the manual was developed, based on the input from user groups at these meetings. The Manual is being developed with a grant from Supervisor Antonovich’s 5th district, in which the vast majority of the County’s trails can be found. The County has never had any offical trail standards, and many of the older trails are not really sustainable by today’s standards. However, this document would NOT be applied retroactively to existing trails, but will serve as the reference for all new trails that come before the County. It is likely that many of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County will also adopt this manual for their own standards once it is ratified by the County Board of Supervisors.

Fast forward to the February 28, 2011 public hearing. Steve Messer, and CORBA member/local cycling promotor and activist Dorothy Wong attended the meeting, along with about 40 local equestrians and hikers. For a welcome change from other meetings in which CORBA has been involved, the biggest issues raised were not contentious user conflicts, but rather, design standards pertaining to potentially flawed trail designs and citations from outdated Equestrian studies and facility designs.

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Posted in Los Angeles, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Trail Access | No Comments »

Rim of the Valley Study Comments

Friday, October 29th, 2010

As we reported back in August, the National Park Service has been holding public hearings on the Rim of the Valley Special Resource Study.  The public meetings have provided an opportunity for many to voice their support and/or concerns for the concept study.  Until midnight tonight, you can email your comments to the National Park Service.

Rim of the Valley Study Area Map

Rim of the Valley Study Area

The Rim of the Valley is comprised of the open spaces that surround the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi and Conejo valleys. This area spans both Los Angeles and Ventury County, and a bevy of land managers from different agencies. CORBA fully supports the prospect of having these various land managers come together under the direction of the National Park Service, with the goal of permanently protecting this vital ecological and recreational resource.

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Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, Conejo Valley, Default, Environment, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

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