Director Bomar Suggests Special "Parks Edition" Mountain Bike

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 21, 2008 - 5:21pm

National Park Service Director Mary Bomar not only sees a "special bond" between her agency and the International Mountain Bicycling Association, but can even picture a special "parks edition" mountain bike.

Director Bomar made the comments last week while delivering a keynote address to IMBA's World Summit, which was held in Park City, Utah.

According to an IMBA release, the director's address "followed one from Trek Bicycles president John Burke, and the NPS director earnestly suggested that Trek might one day design a special-edition mountain bike for use in national parks."

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Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 21, 2008 - 10:52pm.

It would probably have to be the color green to make the liberals happy.

Submitted by Rangertoo on June 22, 2008 - 8:28am.

Oh good grief. Some people see the whole world as a political divide. What does "liberal" have to do with mountain bikes?

Bicycles are prohibited in parks except on roads unless the park writes a special regulation allowing bikes on designated trails. The problem for many parks is that they allow bikes on trails but have not taken the time or effort to promulgate the special regulation. That means that the use of mountain bikes on park trails is technically illegal (Santa Monica Mountains and Grand Canyon for example). It also means that the necessary public notice and environmental compliance have not been done to assess the potential impacts of bikes on trails.

There are many parks where there are appropriate trails for bikes. Many are actually paved trails designed for multiple use. The key issue is that parks should comply with the regulations and not allow off-road cycliing without first conducting the necessary impact assesment and solicitation of public input.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 22, 2008 - 5:04pm.

What a hoot ! Even better would be to watch Director Bomar be the first one to try riding the "Special" bike on a backcountry trail! I can see it. Can you?

Would no doubt be the deepest she'd been in the backcountry, and under self-propulsion, too. How could anyone object to such a vision? It would unite all Americans of whatever political stripe. NPS could sell the video, and get some real leadership on closing the budget gap. . . .

Submitted by Roger (not verified) on June 23, 2008 - 9:30am.

"Rangertoo" said "compliance" and "regulation"...code for socialism...equals also reams of paper, which certainly is not very enviro-friendly!!

Submitted by Rangertoo on June 23, 2008 - 2:34pm.

I am perplexed by Roger's comment. Are you suggesting that the National Environmental Policy Act be repealed or that just the parts requiring public comment on government action be repealed? My thinking is that NEPA's requirements that the public get a chance to comment on government actions is the very opposite of socialism. It is democracy in action. The government cannot take action under NEPA without assessing what the environmental and social aspects will be, telling the public what these will be, and letting the public comment on them.

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