Having trails closed when they're obviously ok to be biked on is lame...
Personal I love what MORC does but they tend to turn me off with all the gaining up they do when some one questions there style.
You all should be happy for these "trail poachers." Where you see trail damage I see job security for your volunteer base and a greater opportunity for trail beautification.
I'm I a poacher or am I just smart enough to make my own decision if it’s ok to ride a trail or not?
Go to the MORC board if you want to see more...
MORC = assimilate or be one of them.
17 comments:
This is why I'm riding road. Honestly, the only time I ride off-road really is at mtb races. Not to mention I tread lightly when I'm not racing. I probably average 3 training rides (on trails) during a given season. I suppose that's why I haven't got too invovled with morc.
Spot on, brotha. MORC isn't ever getting any of my money again until some leadership starts setting a better example around there. I'll send my check straight to IMBA instead....
Just so your readers have a better idea of where your post is coming from, tell them how many hours of "job security" you have with MORC; specifically repairing poached trails.
While I'm sure you're able to make your own decisions, I think that at times your urge to ride the dirt might be a little premature. Especially given all of your free time ;-)
wtf are you talking about, adam?
Adam I don’t have readers, haha
I have done nothing to help the trails except promote them and MORC.
I've ridding off rode once this whole year and it was ok. It’s not like I killed any baby ducks.
I've paid my dues without joining MORC.
Here’s a good question for you. How pist off do people get when we race on wet trails?
I remember being in a lot of races were it was really raining. Like, the last race of the season last year, that you raced. So you didn’t destroy anything? ;)
Don't get me wrong, MORC is cool if your into that thing.
It seems you're upset that someone else is dictating the rules as to when you can ride the trails - MORC says stay off cuz they're wet. But you feel you're smart enough to decide for yourself, so you "poach", only you don't see it as poaching, it's job security. For everyone else who cleans up after you. Without getting paid.
How can you expect a group to just sit back and say - "Cool! More paochers just rode the wet trails and now I get to spend x-number of hours fixing them and watching everyone else ride by me while I work. Thanks for the job security!!"
How have you paid your dues to MORC without joining?
While I agree that it probably took that St. Cloud trail weeks, if not months to recover, there was a staff on hand to assess the situation and make the call to cancel or not. What if they had cancelled, would you have decided that you can make up your own mind and ridden anyway.
For the record, which trail/s are you referring to that are closed when it's obviously okay to ride?
Before you all start killing each other I think it's safe to say that no one here is going muddin' on the trails. Sure, it doesn't take much and sure we all could spend more time maintaining trails (me being the worst). But the truth is not everyone is going to contribute--like they should. But if MORC is truely interested in keeping trails open for everyone to enjoy, they shouldn't keep tabs on who isn't helping. I think that's the issue.
If I'm wrong then I'll shut my mouth :x
Thats one of my problems Marc...
So if a trail is closed, but I have caused no damage I’m a poacher?
I don’t ride on wet trails. I hate cleaning my bike.
I’ve picked up garbage, down trees, fixed stunts… All without the help of MORC.
I just don’t like the mob tactics that is employed to make you volunteer through MORC. Like you can’t do all this stuff on you own.
For the record I’m referring to all trails.
Instead of taking down License plate numbers at trail heads at this time of year maybe there might be a better way to educate people instead of threats. Like the Claymore some one posted…
Just for fun I might park my car up a Leb and go for a road ride… What do you think would happen?
Can I come over tonight to watch the Office?
Are they keeping tabs? Or are people just upset that they get caught?
I'm not saying that I'm out giving 10 hours a week to MORC, let alone 10 hours in the last couple of years. I just find it strange to read Lalla ragging on an organization that is out to better trails.
Plus, it's fun to be devil's advocate :)
Adam you brought up another good point.
If your fixing trails your not riding and I like riding.
There is no doubt that we need MORC like we need our government but sometimes even our government doesn't do things right all the time.
We can't have two people being the devils advocate. It just doesn’t work. Haha
If the trail is closed and you're riding it, yes, you're a poacher.
If I tell a lie, but I believe it to be truth, is it still a lie?
Rules are rules dude. Don't be mad because of they don't fit you to a 'T' every time.
I don't get mad. Others get mad at me. ;)
Telling people to stay off wet trails would be ok if it were just that - the problem is. it's gone beyond that.
MORC DORC's (present company are NOT included in this group) have been caught posting license plate numbers on the MORC forum. That's wrong - straight up. Legal or not, it's a bad precedent to set and it's a bad face for an organization to have - that they go around picking on people publicly like that. There are FAR better ways to handle this.
But it goes beyond that. MORC, as an organization, advocates (and regularly engages in) ideological bashing of people who have MTB advocacy ideas that they don't agree with. I think this is primarily what Mike is getting at. There are people on the MORC board who have fucked up big time in dealing with "situations" that have arisen (primarily, situations fabricated by MORC zombies) and have stepped on other groups' toes. A LOT. Depending on whether you buy into their Holy Trail Crusade, it's either A.) "justified to save the trails for the good of all" (note my sarcasm laid on thick here) or B.) Pissing people off, with good/honorable intentions. People who they should be trying to get along with.
MORC started as an association of iconoclasts, and has since become a league of the non-thinkers and their leaders. Immaturity abounds in their ranks and their leadership and I refuse to be involved with it.
I'll also add that I will continue riding MORC-built (and non-MORC built and non-IMBA standard) trails, and continue to NOT help build or maintain them.
I don't ride wet trails, I'm not doing anything wrong and no one has any right to tell me I owe anyone anything.
Wow, that took some time to write!
Well said sickboy.
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