Washington ATV Association and Tacoma Trail Cruisers,

I don't know who it was that was representing your organizations at the DNR user meeting last Thursday but an issue was mentioned that the DNR has come across. One of the old trail beds in the area was reopened in the past few months or year with some obstacles built on it. It is obvious that it was built by mountain bike riders and I wanted to assure you that those of use who take our part in the forest and it's responsible use seriously will be taking care of the issue. Mountain bike riders like any other outdoor sports enthusiast want things that challenge their skills but this was an inappropriate way someone took of doing that. If you come across any issues like this please feel free to let me or any board member of The Capital Bicycling Club or Friend of Capitol Forest know and we will take car of it. I have attached an email that I sent to the DNR about the matter. 

The decommissioning, stunt removal and repair work on that area will start tomorrow!

I would like to enlist your help in a project that I have started that hopefully will prevent pirate trails of this sort and channel the energy of those who enjoy such trails into something more constructive. I hope to be at the ORV summit to help spread the word about my efforts to other Capitol Forest users. Please feel free to visit my blog and subscribe to keep up on my progress.

http://olybikepark.blogspot.com/



Joseph (Jody) Ott
Mountain Bike Captain
Capital Bicycling Club
Olympia WA
soulbikes@...

from Joseph Jody Ott <soulbikes@...> to TOM.SHEDD@..., "OLSON, KEVIN (DNR)" <KEVIN.OLSON@...>, Dwight.Combs@..., "Cronquist, Nick (DNR)" <Nick.Cronquist@...>, brian.poehlein@..., randy.warnock@..., David Snyder <davidsride@...> date Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 12:03 AM subject Unauthorized Trail in the Rock Candy area. mailed-by gmail.com

hide details Jan 30 (2 days ago)

Reply

I wanted to first thank you all for the great work you do for all of us in the forest. I also want to apologize on behalf of the cycling community for that trail. I wish I had known that building was going on because I would have nipped it in the butt before it ever became a problem to deal with. In a previous life of the mountain bikers in Capitol Forest known as the Black Hills Mountain Bike Club 10 plus years ago we worked with Sarah Thirty Acres to eliminate something like this near trail #30. I'm sorry to see it return.

I had already set aside some time to do some debris clearing on Middle Waddell Loop this weekend, Tuesday and Thursday of next week. I will divert my attention to trying to rectify this issue instead.

 As I said I am working with the cities of Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater on working within the scope of city parks to create challenging obstacles and jumps where they can be safely built in a responsible manner keeping this sort of thing out of our forest. Horse riders keep the challenges such as eventing in an arena. Personal motorized users keep the jumping and excessive speed on the cross tracks. I am working to create a safe and responsible outlet for bikes that will avoid such issues as this trail.

I would like to use Capital Bicycling Club's resources to make a temporary sign that could be left up at the entrance's of this unauthorized trail after closing it to not only warn the builders to not do this but to try and turn them into an ally rather than a nuisance. I would like to guide the energy that went into the building of this to a more constructive effort that will benefit everyone.

I would like to make a sign to reads as follows if allowed.

This unauthorized trail and structures have been decommissioned. Please do not build or maintain any trails not authorized by Department of Natural Resources. Instead contact The Capital Bicycling Club (www.capitalbicyclingclub.org), Friends of Capitol Forest (www.capitolforest.com), or The Department of Natural Resources ( www.dnr.wa.gov) for information on how you can lobby for appropriate and responsible bicycle trails and challenges. The actions of few can have negative effects on many!

Trail decommissioning performed by The Capitol Bicycling Club.

Feel free to make suggestions. Having these signs up for a short period of time of maybe three weeks could have a greater impact to stop future building than simply closing off the trail.