Barbara, I appreciate that you have taken the time to read and process the many messages about these trail use policies, but I believe the fear of change you are describing is a bit out of scope. I believe the language of "drastic change" is misplaced.
For example, bike groups can already ride in Lincoln, but most choose not to do so because there are other locations that offer more diverse and challenging trails. Many of these locations are located in state parks or other reservations. The group permit concept is simply to give the town visibility to if/when a group would like to ride. I believe the proposed changes are in such modest scope that they will exert little to no gravitational pull from non-Lincoln riders. We won't see hordes of bikers descending on our town. To be honest, if you're going to drive to ride, it's not worth coming to Lincoln to do so. But these changes can encourage some Lincoln families and residents to spend more time outside enjoying a ride together. Considering how people have been cooped up with remote learning, remote working and isolation I think the overall benefits of having more diverse outdoor activities is better for the overall welfare of our town. I also surmise the overall volume of any increased activity will actually be inconsequential to the majority of people. I know some argue that any change, especially incremental change, is verboten. If that is your belief system then it's hard to make a rational, logical argument to persuade, but it certainly doesn't seem fair considering that 80% of the town's trails will remain off limits. Others have advocated that we must pause this process and follow the "Lincoln Way" to find consensus. One of the acute challenges in this regard is that it’s most likely that no consensus will be formed. In that regard, the “Lincoln Way” implies no changes, which once again doesn't seem fair or appropriate. I think it’s also important to note that the Lincoln Conservation Commission, staff and LLCT have studied our trail use policies for over a year and have held repeated public hearings so I think the deliberative process has been followed carefully. In my honest opinion, with my full pro-bike biases on display, after these proposals are put in place nothing will really change for the vast majority of people - walkers and bikers alike. bob On Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 9:39 AM Barbara Peskin <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Lincoln, > I am trying to go through all the comments on bikes and trails. It is a > lot to go through. I had hoped to reach out to some of you to ask that you > send your comments to the Conservation Commission which is > voting tomorrow (I don't know the LLCT time line). I would not count on > them reading it here in Lincoln Talk. > > Last week I read a post that was so important about the history of Lincoln > holding back on incremental change - that holding back is what makes the > nature here phenomenal and appreciated by us all. Please send that note to > the Commission. > > I also appreciate the note from a biker who likes lone biking on the > trails. Truth be told that happens now with the maps as is. > > As a dog walker here for over 25 years I have been through the off leash > dog discussions, etiquette discussions and my observation and understanding > is that we are in an okay place. Always etiquette and understanding can be > improved. > > What is about to change* drastically* for the lone biker, walker and > horse back rider does not need to change if we could work together. Please > encourage the Commission to hold off on the current proposal to > *officially* expand the bike trail map. > > Please be aware that the new proposal about expanding the bike trail > map is about, includes, giving permits to large bike groups from out of > town. Once you open all these trails you can't later say oops, we actually > care about our wildlife and close them again. This is a change that they > shouldn't make. It will be detrimental to nature and it will have a > negative impact on those of us walking, walking dogs off leash, horse back > riding, and it will be detrimental to the wildlife that is accustomed to > the current use of trails. > > It will mean those of us who need to drive to Mt. Misery to walk will at > times show up and see a bike group filling the parking lot and unloading > instead. > > It means, at times, when you walk with two other people from Weston and > Maynard and their dogs at the end of the day, you might also have 10-15 > bikes (or more) pushing you off the trails or having you look around > figuring out where to go. > > This current proposal, which should be off the table, or put on hold for > now, please, would open half the trails at Mt. Misery (November all the > trails at Mt. Misery were proposed - then in May they adjusted it to 1/2 > the trails, split down the middle) to bike groups. The proposal includes a > process to give permits to large bike groups for the trails. > > There has not been any strong reason I've read in Lincoln Talk or at the > forums to bring these bike groups in. It seems the only way to not have > this happen is to not change the current trail use map. > > Hold off on any official changes for now, revisit the requests for > transportation trails. > > > > > > > -- > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Barbara Peskin > > *My Moments in Nature Photo Gallery: barbarapeskin.com > <http://barbarapeskin.com>* > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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