Watchung News 12/9/2016

I'll be there tomorrow night as an enthusiastic silent participant and look forward to meeting you folks. As to Shorepoints' comment above about the need for an overhaul of WR in general, I for one would be willing to do some TM on non-bike trails. Would it be worth offering up MTBers' willingness to do some non-bike trail TM to leverage our goodwill and advocacy for WR in general?
 
Junk Show said:
I'll be there tomorrow night as an enthusiastic silent participant and look forward to meeting you folks. As to Shorepoints' comment above about the need for an overhaul of WR in general, I for one would be willing to do some TM on non-bike trails. Would it be worth offering up MTBers' willingness to do some non-bike trail TM to leverage our goodwill and advocacy for WR in general?
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I did TM at all the sessions in the park this season. We built and fixed many hiking trails.
 
The Star Ledger printed a letter to the editor from Mr. Toth in Sundays (or maybe Saturday, it was recycled so I dont have it) paper. In the letter he is urging citizens to attend tomorrows meeting to oppose biking at W atchung.
 
That was the guy quoted in the article, the one who thinks we routinely cruise at 30mph.

Clearly doesn't know much about cycling offroad. Probably anyone listening to him is similarly misinformed. Maybe if he does encourage folk to show up they will actually learn something.

Stranger things have happened.
 
zip said:
The Star Ledger printed a letter to the editor from Mr. Toth in Sundays (or maybe Saturday, it was recycled so I dont have it) paper. In the letter he is urging citizens to attend tomorrows meeting to oppose biking at W atchung.
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here's the link from nj.com
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/03/free_press_is_vital_to_democracy_trump_has_merely.html

i saw a post on FB this morning from Hb about kids and riding that was really compelling (sorry, can't get FB from my work computer otherwise i would provide the link)...

my guess is Mr Roth and others who are opposing the trails are not thinking that many of the riders would look a lot more like this...(my kids at 6MR 7 years ago!)

IMG_2176.jpg
 
Junk Show said:
I'll be there tomorrow night as an enthusiastic silent participant and look forward to meeting you folks. As to Shorepoints' comment above about the need for an overhaul of WR in general, I for one would be willing to do some TM on non-bike trails. Would it be worth offering up MTBers' willingness to do some non-bike trail TM to leverage our goodwill and advocacy for WR in general?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, the small anti-biking cabal at WR told us at last year's Trailside Center meeting point blank to "not bother" trying to help with hiking trail TM at WR. I tried to engage them in a civil conversation with the same crew at a freeholder's meeting last year and was told "screw you." Civil engagement with them for the betterment of the Reservation seems like a lost cause to me. Better to stay focused and use our energy on the MTB trails.
 
320 minutes before the meeting. Let's try to get there early. Bring the kids, bring the significant other or wife. Bring your friends.

Pack the room.BLUE HERON ECHO BDU IMG_20170212_145514.jpg
 
Also left a message and will be at the meeting tonight to show support. Thanks for the hard work fellas.
 
I've had this on my schedule to go and just found out I've got a conflict. Left a comment on the site about mountain biking as a family activity, getting kids outdoors and about community.
 
Packed room. I would say 50-50 bikers and hikers. Hikers get to comment first. Lots of repeating of bad/wrong/incorrect information from them so far. Complaints about not giving 'notice' about meetings regarding MTB in Watchung.

<sort of live blogging this if you care to hear the debate>
 
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Summit residents who live on edge of park complaining that people are going to be using the portion of the park that borders their yard. "Not in my back yard" type arguments.
 
Mountain bikers are bad guys and shouldn't be allowed in the park. They tore up trails back in the 90's and caused lots of erosion. Nobody maintained the trails. Nobody is going the follow the rules and there is no way to enforce the trail map. Police must be on foot to enforce. County must take responsibility for maintenance.
 
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Summit resident wants a 200'-500' buffer between his property line and any trails in the park. Need to preserve open space in Union Co for future generations. We pay high property taxes and don't want to pay more for this development.
 
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