You have expressed an opinion based on your experiences and I have expressed my views based on my experiences. You are no more qualified to discredit my experience than I am to discredit yours. I can tell you the people we ride with ride legitimate trails and do so responsibly.
There are many user groups out there. Mountain bikers, hikers, equestrian, moto, campers etc. Not only do the people I know respect the trails and the surroundings they are very vocal if someone fails to do so. Again, I can't speak to your experiences in your area, but here they work very hard to minimize impact too wildlife and vegetation. They spend tens of thousands of dollars on impact studies before any work is done and many trails are closed seasonally because of migration patterns.
I do find it interesting that your impression of the MTB community is that they are not friendly to the environment around them. I tend to be..... slightly right of center politically speaking and I find most of my biking friends are relatively left of center and the environment (as it should be) is very very high on their list of priorities.
I hope you'll find a productive way to utilize your..... passion for kids.... and the environment. I can't imagine having the energy.to hang out all day and heckle people. I'd prefer to ride bikes. And you know what. That's where I am headed.
A friend of mine shared this article with me as I have a son with ADHD. I started mountain biking in 2014 as a way of dealing with the loss of a loved one. By 2015 my son was riding an old BMX bike, no gears, on weekends. That winter for Christmas we got him a Diamondback with gears and most recently we borrowed a very nice bike from a great friend.
When he rides he rides with proper equipment. In fact, more than most. Helmet, Knee Pads, Elbow bads and for the most part a full face mask. Not only has he been taught to ride ONLY on approved trails, but he has also been taught to respect those trails, other bikers and the other user groups we share them with. If he sees trash, he picks it up. He always yields the trail and has learned to communicate well with those who are older than him. He has learned how to overcome obstacles, how to train and how to be a good steward.
He is responsible for packing his own gear and taking care of his bike. It is somewhat amazing what an ADHD child can do with some motivation. While riding a bike has not been a silver bullet to all things ADHD, it serves as a constant reminder to himself and to me of what he is capable of.
One additional, perhaps odd, comment. the sport has taught us to be more accepting of others and their views. I think perhaps we have left some folks with things to think about too. Mountain biking transcends politics and builds bridges where one may not have existed.
Life is full of risk. Mountain biking is a sport with a lot of inherent risks. We have seen so much good come from our experiences on the bike and off -- hanging out with people. In a world of video games, smartphones, and 24/7 entertainment, we'll continue to take our chances with mountain biking.
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There are many user groups out there. Mountain bikers, hikers, equestrian, moto, campers etc. Not only do the people I know respect the trails and the surroundings they are very vocal if someone fails to do so. Again, I can't speak to your experiences in your area, but here they work very hard to minimize impact too wildlife and vegetation. They spend tens of thousands of dollars on impact studies before any work is done and many trails are closed seasonally because of migration patterns.
I do find it interesting that your impression of the MTB community is that they are not friendly to the environment around them. I tend to be..... slightly right of center politically speaking and I find most of my biking friends are relatively left of center and the environment (as it should be) is very very high on their list of priorities.
I hope you'll find a productive way to utilize your..... passion for kids.... and the environment. I can't imagine having the energy.to hang out all day and heckle people. I'd prefer to ride bikes. And you know what. That's where I am headed.
When he rides he rides with proper equipment. In fact, more than most. Helmet, Knee Pads, Elbow bads and for the most part a full face mask. Not only has he been taught to ride ONLY on approved trails, but he has also been taught to respect those trails, other bikers and the other user groups we share them with. If he sees trash, he picks it up. He always yields the trail and has learned to communicate well with those who are older than him. He has learned how to overcome obstacles, how to train and how to be a good steward.
He is responsible for packing his own gear and taking care of his bike. It is somewhat amazing what an ADHD child can do with some motivation. While riding a bike has not been a silver bullet to all things ADHD, it serves as a constant reminder to himself and to me of what he is capable of.
One additional, perhaps odd, comment. the sport has taught us to be more accepting of others and their views. I think perhaps we have left some folks with things to think about too. Mountain biking transcends politics and builds bridges where one may not have existed.
Life is full of risk. Mountain biking is a sport with a lot of inherent risks. We have seen so much good come from our experiences on the bike and off -- hanging out with people. In a world of video games, smartphones, and 24/7 entertainment, we'll continue to take our chances with mountain biking.