Thanks Doug - that's a great reminder that what we're talking about when it comes to bikes on trails in Lincoln in 2022 is mostly kids with some adults on errands and short casual trips. The serious mountain bikers aren't interested. I'm guessing, but this is probably why our neighboring towns have no problems; their trails aren't any more compelling to an adult than ours are.
On Wed, Jun 1, 2022 at 4:00 PM Doug Carson <dougcarso...@yahoo.com> wrote: > I think Margaret makes some great points here... > > Not only was Lincoln Guide Service attracting cyclists to Lincoln, but > mountain biking was a relatively new sport in the 90s. Boston folks were > coming to the Lincoln trails to *try* mountain biking. Those days are long > gone...not because bikes are banned from most of our trails (as Margaret > points out, Weston & Concord permit bikes on trails, yet they're not > overrun with riders)...but because the sport has grown up. And as lovely > as our trails are, they are not much of a mountain biking destination > anymore. There are far too many better destinations that attract Boston > mountain bikers. > As our town thinks about this issue, let's keep in mind that with > increasing traffic and gas prices, and of course the environmental issues, > the more cars off the road, the better. Now imagine you can avoid one more > drive to the post office, school, the library, Donelans, etc. because you > could now use a mix of roads AND trails to get around town...I believe that > would be a more desirable place to live. > There are growing pains with any change (and rude people wherever you > go). I recall visiting Amsterdam a few years ago with all the people > biking everywhere there; I almost got run over on several occasions! But > as a pedestrian there, I quickly figured out how to navigate. Point being > that even good change takes some time to get used to it! > > Doug Carson > > > On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 01:34:17 PM EDT, Margaret Olson < > marga...@margaretolson.com> wrote: > > > I'd like to remind everyone that bikes are permitted on the Weston and > Concord town trails with no adverse effects that this regular walker (24 > years) can detect. Nor have I heard that there are problems on those > trails. I am often on the Weston trails as I live near them. > > Twenty five years ago the Lincoln Guide Service did create a problem on > the trails - but it is long gone. > > On Wed, Jun 1, 2022 at 1:07 PM Barbara Peskin <bpeski...@gmail.com> wrote: > > *Correction - 8 miles to 19...* > > Hi Lincoln Talk, > I haven't had a chance to read all the comments but I know people have > mentioned that the Conservation Commission is meeting tonight and vote on > whether to enact proposed changes to trail use that include going from 8 to > 19 miles of trails for recreational bike use and giving permits to large > bike groups to use the trails and parking areas. > > As a 25+ year walker on Lincoln Trails and cherisher of nature on those > walks, my main concern with proposed changes is that it will invite metro > west bike groups to our trails and parking areas. I sent in a detailed > letter and attended both forums. I can't attend tonight but my hope is they > will postpone enacting changes and hear from more walkers and nature > cherishers. > > If you would like to get a copy of my letter which is in the public record > I'm happy to share it - it will give you more info. > > I've seen other wonderful arguments and letters asking to keep bike groups > off the trails for a variety of reasons as well. > > I'll close here with the thought that at the last forum one LIncoln biker > said he appreciates nature when biking on the trails alone - unfortunately > the proposed sweeping changes to the trail use all over town is going to > bring in bike groups - it's not about one or two Lincoln bike riders. > > Thanks for listening. Please contact me if you would like more thoughts on > this. > > Thanks, > Barbara > > -- > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Barbara Peskin > > *My Moments in Nature Photo Gallery: barbarapeskin.com > <http://barbarapeskin.com>* > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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