M
Mike Vandeman
Guest
So what else is new?!
From: [email protected]
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 23:55:48 EST
Subject: Big Finn Hill King County Park (Vandalism)
Hi,
We at BBTC have been working with King County parks for as long as BBTC has
been an organization. Myself, I Have been working with them for over 10 years.
In 1994-96 many members of BBTC fought off a very serious complete trail
closure of all the trails at Big Finnhill. We spent much of our free time to
prevent the closure. We went to a lot of lame meetings. We moved a mountain of
gravel dug a lot of trench etc..
All this so that we could still ride on the existing trails.
We won. The trails wer saved so you could ride them.
But as time went by the sport changed. Downhill racing became hi tech. Soon
bikes were able to drop 3' no problem. the North shore craze took off and soon
a lot of folks wanted to do the same.
Just this year at Big Bear Ski resort in California they have closed all
their property to downhill/freeride ie 35lb bikes and over. Big Bear is now
cross
country bikes only!
Big Bear has long been a regular stop on the NORBA/worldcup tour. It has
always been a haven for downhillers/freeriders . Not anymore.
Downhillers/'freeriders weren't satisfied without the existing trails so they
chose to build there own without permission. The forest service tried to
manage the problem, the ski area tried to managed the problem. They closed the
unauthorized trails only to see them re appear. They got tried of wasting their
time and money so they closed the Mt to freeriders forever.
So now at bigfinnhill parks the same thing is happening, at a place many
fought to keep open.
Today I talked to Mike Crandell who I've been working with for the last few
years. He is the current park manager for King County Parks. He is very
supportive and he sees a need.
But he's getting tired of having to spent time and money on unauthorized
trails and stunts.
I have sent of numerous e mails to this list telling you that they will rip
out any new unauthorized trails, any stunts, any wood structures, any new
jumps.
Last summer KC paid a contractor to flatten at the huge jumps that were
built, it went to the darn King County Council.
This has to stop, it's going to stop.
Mike had the boy scouts re plant all the damage that the jumps had left. He
told me today that someone had pulled out the plants they had planted! so they
could do jumps.
That really pisses me off. Isn't there enough jumps to hit. the problems is
the they are never satisfied, when a dirt jump is built without permission they
dig a deep hole on the side so the jump trail is double wide, native plants
are killed and what's left is a huge barren dirt are that looks like a vacant
lot. Big finnhill park is a park not a vacant dirt lot. King County parks is
going to keep it that way.
But we will try again. I have just spent a $100 bucks on native plants, with
ESTA trail funds and BBTC volunteers we will work with King County and re
build a nice twisty trail with a couple of small drops (fake waterbars) We hope
to
add banked corners.
* I am meeting with Mike this Thursday to propose the new twisty fun trail
section. We will meet at This Thursday March 3rd at 3:45 by the big finnhill
info board. All are welcome to attend Hope to see you.
We need you to spread the word that any unauthorized new stunts will be
ripped out. We don't like to do it it's a royal pain in the ass. We would
rather
be adding new features like the new plank bridge we built on the ti trails on
Bastuyr property this winter.
Thanks
Hope to see you on the trail !
And at the trail rebuilder work party's at big finnhill park.
Craig Mckinnon Kirkland, WA
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
From: [email protected]
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 23:55:48 EST
Subject: Big Finn Hill King County Park (Vandalism)
Hi,
We at BBTC have been working with King County parks for as long as BBTC has
been an organization. Myself, I Have been working with them for over 10 years.
In 1994-96 many members of BBTC fought off a very serious complete trail
closure of all the trails at Big Finnhill. We spent much of our free time to
prevent the closure. We went to a lot of lame meetings. We moved a mountain of
gravel dug a lot of trench etc..
All this so that we could still ride on the existing trails.
We won. The trails wer saved so you could ride them.
But as time went by the sport changed. Downhill racing became hi tech. Soon
bikes were able to drop 3' no problem. the North shore craze took off and soon
a lot of folks wanted to do the same.
Just this year at Big Bear Ski resort in California they have closed all
their property to downhill/freeride ie 35lb bikes and over. Big Bear is now
cross
country bikes only!
Big Bear has long been a regular stop on the NORBA/worldcup tour. It has
always been a haven for downhillers/freeriders . Not anymore.
Downhillers/'freeriders weren't satisfied without the existing trails so they
chose to build there own without permission. The forest service tried to
manage the problem, the ski area tried to managed the problem. They closed the
unauthorized trails only to see them re appear. They got tried of wasting their
time and money so they closed the Mt to freeriders forever.
So now at bigfinnhill parks the same thing is happening, at a place many
fought to keep open.
Today I talked to Mike Crandell who I've been working with for the last few
years. He is the current park manager for King County Parks. He is very
supportive and he sees a need.
But he's getting tired of having to spent time and money on unauthorized
trails and stunts.
I have sent of numerous e mails to this list telling you that they will rip
out any new unauthorized trails, any stunts, any wood structures, any new
jumps.
Last summer KC paid a contractor to flatten at the huge jumps that were
built, it went to the darn King County Council.
This has to stop, it's going to stop.
Mike had the boy scouts re plant all the damage that the jumps had left. He
told me today that someone had pulled out the plants they had planted! so they
could do jumps.
That really pisses me off. Isn't there enough jumps to hit. the problems is
the they are never satisfied, when a dirt jump is built without permission they
dig a deep hole on the side so the jump trail is double wide, native plants
are killed and what's left is a huge barren dirt are that looks like a vacant
lot. Big finnhill park is a park not a vacant dirt lot. King County parks is
going to keep it that way.
But we will try again. I have just spent a $100 bucks on native plants, with
ESTA trail funds and BBTC volunteers we will work with King County and re
build a nice twisty trail with a couple of small drops (fake waterbars) We hope
to
add banked corners.
* I am meeting with Mike this Thursday to propose the new twisty fun trail
section. We will meet at This Thursday March 3rd at 3:45 by the big finnhill
info board. All are welcome to attend Hope to see you.
We need you to spread the word that any unauthorized new stunts will be
ripped out. We don't like to do it it's a royal pain in the ass. We would
rather
be adding new features like the new plank bridge we built on the ti trails on
Bastuyr property this winter.
Thanks
Hope to see you on the trail !
And at the trail rebuilder work party's at big finnhill park.
Craig Mckinnon Kirkland, WA
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
