Vote NOW for Mountain Biking Trail Access Across the Nation!

The Gallatin Crest Trail.
 This trail was closed due to legislation
in conjunction with this being
a recommend wilderness area.
Photo from MontanaMountainBikeAlliance.com

Apparently, there is a federal government website dedicated to understanding how the public wants to use public lands. A proposition has been posted on that site to protect the status of current mountain bike trails, and to allow mountain bikes access to additional trails in suitable wilderness areas.  The time to vote is coming to a close, but only 229 people have voted for it (pro-mountain biking) and 278 people have voted against it (anti-mountain biking). That means we are losing.

Update 8:52 11/12/10: I wrote this earlier in the day and posted it to several big forums (MTBR, Singletracks, Sorba) so it'd get some real publicity.  Now we're up 337 to 278.  Go mountain bikers!

Update 7:49 am 11/13/10: Currently 359 to 278: We're up by 81!

Update 7:50 am 11/15/2010 We are currently up by 156! Awesomeness!

Update Monday, November 22

This is the first I've heard of it, and maybe it's the first time you've heard of it too.  What we all need to do is GET ON THERE AND VOTE! There are hundreds of thousands of mountain bikers in this nation, and millions of cyclists, why have only 229 people said their piece?  We need to publicize this as much as we can so that our collective voice can be heard!  We could easily dominate this vote if people would just stand up and be counted... so get on there and vote for more trails!

Signing up literally takes 30 seconds, you can register and vote in next to no time.

Click here and vote for mountain biking now!

In addition to voting, I added a comment.  You can read it below:

I agree with the proposition above on all accounts. Mountain biking hadn't even been conceived of when the original Wilderness designation was created, and was still in it's infancy in '84.

The point that any trails which currently support equestrian traffic can definitely support mountain biking is especially true. Horses are much more detrimental to the trail than mountain bikes: I've seen the proof on my local trail system with my own eyes when comparing trails open to everyone and those only open to mountain bikes and hikers.

Finally, I exceedingly agree with the statement above about segregation. Segregated trails just make us all separate and unequal, and people that promote that agenda are bigots. Strong language, but oh-so-true, especially when the exceedingly small environmental impact of mountain bikes is considered!

I say protect our current singletrack, and continue to open more to mountain bikes!

Click here to read the follow up to this post on mountain bike advocacy.