Something different

I understand what you're saying, but it's also becoming clear that we as riders, are being forced to up our advocacy activities at the moment, lest we lose everything.

Putting our heads in the sand won't make this issue go away.

I've got some spare...PM me if you want some.

Suitable for bike and car. Guaranteed to earn a smile when stopped on the trail.

Come on blondie... the best way to avoid talking about something is to... erm... not talk about it

As for fun... without campaigns for trails where do you think things are going to end up? And what fun would that be?

@DS: yes, this has been said before.

There are people about who do indeed blame this site (and others I'm sure) for speaking about trails so openly.

To be frank though - I find this (wanting to keep trails private) to benefit the 'privileged' few that know where they are selfish.

We all enjoy the trails we ride, and should share this information with others. It never was the aim of this site to be so political or contentious, but now that has happened don't you think it's better to fight for the public's right to enjoy public land?

Or would you rather stick with secret deals and dodgy handshakes to find new places to ride?

sounds like it has been a little while since people have been over the bars, so to speak.

Lets just get out and ride, save the inhouse bitching and bickering for the Fed Lib front bench

Given that DS brought it up - here's something else to think about...

Hugh Flower's little booklet about riding in Sydney was available at many bike stores long before we came onto the scene. Not that I have anything against Hugh and think he's a top bloke who works tirelessly for the riding community. But given how long this book has been around, I don't see how the whole, "NPWS have only cracked down since it came onto the 'net" argument can fly.

Here's a little excerpt from AMB Oct/Nov '08 trying to argue just that (they could be talking about any one of several MTB based sites BTW)...

Think about the potential ramifications of your actions before you charge ahead, for example: Is it really a good idea to post illegal trails on the Internet? Recently in Sydney this very action led to the blanket closure of trails that have been ridden for over a decade thanks to the good grace of the land manager. With the advertising of the trails online however, the land manager had no choice but to close off the area.

I read this as, "It's OK for us selfish pr!cks to ride someplace illegal - after all, we've been doing it for over a decade - but everyone else should just p!ss off!"

Both hypocritical and selfish as the author is asking the general public to not discuss illegal tracks (presumably with the aim of them staying away) while he goes and enjoys them at his leisure!

For the record - when I asked the NPWS regional manager why they closed certain parts of Oxford Falls for example, the answer came it was due to the volume of riders now using the trails there and that erosion of said trails was becoming an issue (not that there is any scientific link between the two). Forgive me, but shouldn't increased park visitation be welcomed by NPWS and isn't erosion manageable?

Sorry to hear that John, although it comes as little surprise, Mitchell is a fearless rider
I'm sure he's be getting right on that bike as soon as he can.

Wish him a speedy recovery for me.

The Ashes.

Please discuss.

"Would NPWS had decided to blanket ban ALL trails due to what seems to me the trail becoming to populat in NPWS eyes?"

The blanket bans have been in place sine the parks have...
Back in the day when it was a tiny fringe sport many activities may have slid under the radar but NP have been cracking down on illegal riding and trail construction for at least 10 years and the sport has only grown exponentially since then.

As for the site playing a roll. Well maybe publishing illegal trail has drawn a closer scrutteny from NPs personel but it's nieve to believe these issues weren't coming to a head anyway. Just look at the Nashio, it went through all this years ago without websites promoting the trails

I think a lot more people know about the trails than know about this site. Certainly lots of people were riding those trail before nobmob ever came about. It's just given people, on both sides, a point of reference.

As for Huws booklet, there was also a... you know one of those big tape thingies they had before DVD... VDOs or something they we called, called Sydney Off Road put out in 99 or 2000.

Now for something completely non NPWS. Just got back from a lap of Lidsdale. any one know who to get an edge 305 to upload the course to the new garmin connect using Ubuntu?

Try this: http://nobmob.com/node/10051

and for trying - thank you to the rest of you (except groover) for completely ignoring my request and making it extremely clear that your favourite topic of conversation is endlessly NWPS - and Rob, please could you consider making a Non-NWPS section on nobmob since it seems all you guys want to talk about? I asked earlier for a NWPS section but it seems that is already here!

ps john - i hope mitchell is ok...hes a cool kid

That's my old avitar, don't laugh at me

i agree - talking (or whinging) but no action isn't good, but honestly, looking at nobmob lately you would think that that was the ONLY topic - go back a couple of years - or even to just the beginning of this one and you will see how fun nobmob used to be...

either way - i still advocate an amnesty on NWPS for 24hrs - sadly you lot cant seem to come up with anything else...YES!! read that as a challenge...