Point of view from the land of many fences: Riding in circles behind fences on public land should not be a priority. Seems like a bad horse trade where we get fenced in and locked out from real trails. Most riders I know don't prefer to session like you would tend to do in a park, but rather go on long rides with long climbs and descents for fitness, thrills and the nature experience. Quite frankly, I am baffled at how that has become a priority for SDMBA recently. Maybe you could explain.

What happened to changing DFG regulations to allow bikes? Has that item even made it on the agenda of a commission meeting yet? Would that not positively effect many more riders not only here, but throughout the state? Paying a professional lobbyist to do that seems to have way more application and potential to positively effect the most riders quality of life than the kick the can down the road promise of a bike park from the city or county if you raise enough seed money.

Not hating on you Rod or the org, but you should listen to and respond in a productive way to what the folks here say regardless of what you really think of them, especially when you posted here to start.

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"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

SDMBA is made up of volunteers. I'm sure they would welcome the help to turn DFG, open more single track, promote bike only one way trails, etc.

Don't want to be part of SDMBA? You can still do work to make these things happen.

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If you are the big tree
We are the small axe

I agree with Kimba and RHS A bike skills park is not a bad thing but the money and effort would be better spent on new trails. Why not follow what IMBA is doing and pursue the Flow County Trail idea? It has been proven highly successful world wide and would give you the most bang for the buck for the most riders.

I've put in time on the DFG issue, as have others like Russell. The reality is DFG commission meetings are all over the state, several times a year making effective volunteerism virtually impossible, and nobody, me included, apparently has a clue how to get a proposed rule change on the agenda. When the talk turned to the piles of money and how to spend it, a professional lobbyist came to mind on the DFG issue.

This forum is good for the free exchange of ideas, and rides, and beer.

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"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

Thanks to all for posting your feedback about the bike skills park and the need for more singletrack trails. I personally want to see BOTH things happen here in SD. I know, typical woman: I WANT IT ALL!!

The board of SDMBA is trying to work for all mountain bikers in SD and we are making a difference, albeit the process of advocacy is painstakingly slow and it's about as exciting as watching paint dry.

We (the board) are meeting this month to discuss our goals and activities for the coming year(s) and your feedback above will help shape that discussion. Thank you for your honest and constructive ideas.

If anyone is feeling bored at home, we could always use more helping hands.

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss.

Look at a skills park as a "hearts and minds" project -- give kids a place to ride safely, have fun, and develop their skills at the same time and in the process you win over parents, grand-parents, and city/county officials as to the wholesomeness of the sport and the value of greater mountain bike access elsewhere.

It doesn't need to be either/or (trails or bike park) and to paraphrase John Lennon, SDMBA is the be-all/end-all only if you want it.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

If the skills park was located at that spot near OB that has been informally used for BMX jumps and such for years, that lot just off Nimitz and Famosa, I'd use it for sure, since it's a five minute pedal from my house. Otherwise, the idea is great, but IMO, SDMBA needs to pick up the ball regarding the closure of already existing trails....."unofficial" or otherwise. You know which trails I'm referring to.

It's hard for me to continue ponying up the yearly cash for SDMBA when I get the feeling that all its' efforts are going in just one narrow direction. The upcoming PCT use-review is more than worthy of a major effort on the part of SDMBA, representing as it does the interests of trail cyclists. It used to be my understanding that this was the MAJOR reason for SDMBA to be in existence.

It seems to me, though, that every year in San Diego the trail access issue seems to get a little bit worse. It's as if this town does not welcome MTB activity at all. So, I would be Thankful if I could honestly say I felt like SDMBA was looking out for my interests as a recreational mountain bike trail user. Judging from the other posts on this thread, I'd say I'm not alone in this.
That's something I can't really say as things stand. It makes cutting that yearly check for SDMBA more and more difficult, especially when I consider how much more I find myself, by necessity, and attrition, cycling on pavement these days.

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Scum on a Bike

i'm not a bike park person, although have to say haven't tried it and does look like fun. would be great for my son though.

but ya know, having one here might be a foot in the door for the big goodies.

here's how it goes- politicos love money. yup, even more than they do their huggable, crazy off the radar enviros. so here comes winter.... i hope i haven't lost anyone yet.... and with a bike park open in winter, here comes wisconsin cheese head vacation peeps. and everyone south of canada know wisconsin cheese head vacation peeps = $$$$.

i did say politicos love them some $$$$.

once they realize that mtn bikers from 95% of the country are closed out of their sport, and we can accommodate them and their $$$, my bet is that their greedy little eyes will light up faster than scrooge mcduck can do a backflip in a vault full o' money.

and $$$ is the root of all politicos looking favorably on greasing us some real trails.

......or so i hope.


-the lobbyist idea floated by kimba is, i think, excellent. and faster.



oh, and then there's this- it looks like we may finally get some ..... respect is too strong a word at this point, huh?

California to Take Major Step Forward in Opening Trails to Bikes in State Parks

California State Parks (CSP) recently released a report detailing the new process for adding mountain bikes to existing state park trails. The key feature of the report is that it will allow for the addition of mountain bikes on specific trails without the need for additional and often prohibitively expensive environmental analysis. The process is a major step forward for CSP and will positively affect mountain bike access. CSP is accepting public comments on its report until Dec. 4. IMBA created a simple form that allows you to easily and quickly voice your support.

+ Please add your support for MTBing in CA State Parks

here's the link. they even give choices of what to say. easy peasy.

http://www.imba.com/form/submit-your-co ... tate-parks

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Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. ~Milan Kundera

^^^After you provide input to the State Parks survey, please go check out this MTBR thread and weigh in on the PCT:

Pacific Crest Trail – Tell us where you would ride…

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"Those skilled at the unorthodox are infinite as heaven and earth, inexhaustible as the great rivers."
— Tzun Tzu

While SDMBA supports and is working towards a bike park, I think too much focus on this board was diverted from all the trail work opportunities that they continually offer. The belief that all they want is a bike park is a bit much.

You want more trails, get involved. The above links are a great start for all the keyboard jockeys. As I have discovered, the whole advocacy process moves at glacial speed. Don't let the lack of success or the recent city and military decisions stop you from helping. If you give up or wait for others to do the job for you, it is going to be a long and disappointing wait.

Here is an opportunity where mountain bikers are welcome that is easy to be involved.

TRAIL WORK – INDIAN CREEK TRAIL, 12\1 AT 9:00 A.M.

Join SDMBA on Indian Creek Trail in the Laguna Mountains where we will cut back the heavy brush on approx 1/8 mile of trail East of Champagne Pass.

Meet 9:00 a.m. at Pioneer Mail Picnic area. Sturdy shoes, gloves, long sleeves, long pants & a hat are highly recommended, eye protection is required. Be prepared for cooler weather. Please bring your own food and water. All tools and training will be provided.

Conditions permitting we will be running gas powered brush saws, so we should make quick work of this and be able to go for a ride afterward. After trail work swag courtesy of http://www.calcoastbicycles.

Please R.S.V.P. to mark@sdmba.com so we know how many tools are needed.

Directions: I-8 East past Pine Valley to left on Sunrise Highway to Pioneer Mail Picnic Area at Mile Marker 29.3.

A Forest Adventure Pass is required.

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The world does not revolve around you but your actions impact us all!

You been offending me for some time so welcome to the club.

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The world does not revolve around you but your actions impact us all!

SDMBA PRO was formed last year due to the ground swell demand for attention to be paid to progressive riding opportunities that many in the public thought SDMBA was giving insufficient attention to.

As a result of that, yes, there's been additional focus on achieving a bike park. Mostly through the addition of new blood into the volunteer stream.

Has attention on trails advocacy slackened? No not really. I'm still waiting on the Black Mountain plan to make it thru the channels of bureaucracy been meanwhile I'm now engaged as liaison with San Dieguito River Park. I also met privately with the Escondido Creek Conservancy folks on a couple of occasions. My workload hasn't gotten lighter. If anything, it's gone the other way. Most Saturdays will be double booked with trailwork days. We have both Elfin and Laguna Mountains on tap Saturday morning plus the annual photo contest in the afternoon/evening.

We cannot BUY trails. Bribing dirty officials or civil servants is NOT a policy that will be chased while I'm president of SDMBA. All trails advocacy has to be engineered via the stipulations of the Multiple Species Conservation Plan. The anti-bikers interpret the plan to fit their agenda and we interpret to fit ours. We happen to think our interpretations are common sense, real world interpretations that match public use needs to best management practices for conserving habitat. Building fences around open spaces with keep out signs is a well documented management failure. We constantly remind land managers of this (with a smile of course).

Validation and partnerships: SDMBA is well aligned with EDI (Crestridge) SDRP and Outdoor Outreach. We're also an IMBA affiliate and have enjoyed increased support from IMBA of late via Patrick Kell the new SW region director for IMBA. In terms of CDFG, the relationship with IMBA and their lobbying savvy at state and federal (think USFW) level is vital for our needs here in San Diego. Any trails plan in a local resource management plan requires buyoff from the wildlife agencies. If government officials think you are insignificant they can opt to ignore you. If they intuit you have real clout they cannot. Sierra Club is an example of the latter. Ask yourself what the demographics of trail users you encounter are. Are mountain bikers garnering the respect from resource managers our numbers warrant? Yes it’s a goal for us to raise cash to build a bike park but the prize is to wield the clout that is our due.

I wouldn't consider it bribing, but fundraising on behalf of the land managers. Ever wonder why Racers and Chasers can get away with what they do to the local trails for just a small cut of the entry fees?

I think we all recognize that many of the local agencies are hurting for money. And whereas it's nice to have "volunteers" provide free trail maintenance, I think money goes a long way.

This was really the nature of my question.