Wilderness Access Day - Black Star Canyon

I'll be out there assisting (tagging along) on a patrol from 12 to 3.
We'll be a group of four, I'll be on a red/black Specialized.
If you spot us, say hi.

Pam, will you be there?
Hope to see you tomorrow.

Rob

 

Awesome thank you for saying... its nice to get positive feedback.

After a program we docents get back surveys... some of them are not nice and the complaints are about things we have no control over - it breaks out hearts 'cause we really want the guests to enjoy themselves. I have to say the MTB docents are a great bunch of concerned riders... for us its all about the ride and just getting out. All that political stuff is out of our control so we just leave it there. And I know for a fact its a great way to meet other riders... in fact, my best friend (and my current group of ride buddies) and I met on an IRC ride years back. It's always nice to see the same faces come back time and again.

And yes Rob I will be out tomorrow from about 11a on but hiking not riding since I have an assigned duty...who are you riding with? I'll watch for you!

Like how many red/black Spec bikes do you think will be out there? Like every other one!!! I'll be wearing the navy and white "Rickie Ranger" shirt and IRC cap - try and find me! :lol:

 

Pam's a funny girl, she is.
I'll look for you tomorrow.
I'm riding with Ni.

 

OK guys, the thread was started by someone asking legitimate questions about riding in the area during the open access day. It quickly degenerate into criticism of the Nature Conservancy, city of Irvine, etc. Also, there seems to be some hostility towards a fellow bike rider, who I haven't met, but seems to have her heart in the right place, as she spends some of her free time volunteering in maintaining trails and other related issues.
We would all love to have more trails open to the public on a regular basis, but due to different issues such as bureaucracy, land owning rights, etc. there are some limits to what we can ride at the moment.
Since I always like to see the glass half full, I believe that mountain biking opportunities in OC are getting better every year. Some of you may be new to riding, but when I first started mountain biking over 12 years ago, I had to drive 20 minutes to the closest trail head. Now I can ride 15 minutes to the trails and spend many hours riding the dirt. I consider myself very fortunate, and I owe this to the many volunteers at different levels, who spent their free time working with the authorities, the city of Irvine, or the Nature Conservancy, as well as building and maintaining new trails.
Once again, you are all entitled to post criticism, but maybe you should try to get involved in expanding riding opportunities in the area. Taking positive action is always more productive than criticism. And instead of shooting the messenger (biknpam), maybe we should thank her for dedicating her spare time to the sport that we all love.
I hope you all have a great time in whatever trails you decide to ride this weekend.

 

I'll be there around 830/845 tomorrow morning on my Orange SC Blur. Hope to meet some of you tomorrow! :wave: It seems a few of my friends failed to register before the 4pm deadline today, so here's hoping they can reg at the gate!

Keep the rubber side down!

-Kevin

 

I can't speak for the others, but my criticism wasn't pointed at you and, in my opinion, you shouldn't take the negative comments from others personally as they didn't appear to be pointed at you personally. I have seen some threads turn ugly towards you and that was unfair, but this doesn't appear to be the case.

You're being rather presumptuous to assume that I and the others who posted comments about access restrictions aren't already doing the things you suggest we do, aren't you?

While I understand the point of staying on topic, I think some are being a bit ridiculous to state that people commenting about open access restrictions in a thread about open access day is off topic.

Pam, if you understand why access is controllled and limited, can you share that with the rest of us? Perhaps you can start a new thread.

 

I don't understand why criticism and negativity is needed at all. Supportive and positive people are much more fun to ride with. The others? Not so much. Stinky180 just wanted to go on a ride and needed a map. There's no reason to try to bring him down.

 

I was stating my opinion. I thought that's what this forum was for. I don't think my comments "brought the OP down." I think you and others are being ridiculous and overly sensitive.

 

No, they're not being overly sensitive. Access issues (especially IRC ones) have been discussed ad infinium here. This was not a thread debating access issues; this was a thread asking about an event, and the responses given were, for the most part, constructive. Opinions on land access were not asked for, nor needed, since it was not an issue regarding this event.

Just because you have an opinion doesn't mean that opinion is constructive at all times. Knowing when it is pertinent, and when it is not, goes a long way.

 

Ride Report here: http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/ride-reports/66570-black-star-canyon-open-access-day.html

If you REALLY want to discussed IRC access, feel free to start a new thread, but there are lots of threads about that already. This thread now closed. Thanks!