Summarizing two important points:
Number 1: on a “statistical basis”, bicyclists make up1% of the activities taking place at Douthat State Park. This woefully incorrect data is based on the blue comment cards you get when you camp or stay in a cabin. Inaccurate data is likely impacting funding and planning at the Richmond level for Douthat. Fill out the dang cards every time you visit. Postage is free!
Number 2: Mountain bike access to all trails at Douthat is not a given right. On February 10th, club representatives picked up some negative vibes indicating access to Brushy Hollow (the sweet downhill on the east side) is in jeopardy due to repeat trail conflicts between downhill bikers and hikers.
Interested in the details? Read the fine print!
The Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) held a leadership meeting at Douthat on March 3 and 4th. Several mountain bike clubs from across Virginia were represented. While most local IMBA affiliate clubs do not have the resources or implied mission to tackle road related issues, several Virginia IMBA affiliates have joined VBF as affiliate clubs in order to show support for all cycling related advocacy issues in Virginia. In return for our support, local clubs have gained a voice in Richmond that goes well beyond several independent clubs. Several recent cycling law changes highlight the work VBF has been doing. Cyclist may legally signal with both right and left hands, ride two abreast, and wear the slow moving yellow vehicle yellow triangles in Virginia.
Moving along to trail related topics, VBF had Sharon Mohney with the Forest Service and Charles Conner, Douthat Park Manager, as guest speakers. Sharon provided details on the expansion of the Alleghany Highlands Trail. This expansion is funded by tax funds earmarked to create loop trails that will be shared use. The Equestrian’s created the momentum to do this by proposing a new trails system. The Forest Service would like mtb volunteer assistance, specifically from volunteers that are chainsaw certified. The trail improvements are currently underway in the GW National Forest and several upgrades are planned to make way for equestrians in Douthat, including trail improvements on the lower trails of the west side and campground B will become the equestrian specific campground. So horses are coming to Douthat and will have access to the lower half of the western trails. Equestrian access already exists on the Middle Mountain trail. The narrow upper portions such as Stoney Run, Blue Suck Falls, and Salt Stump have been determined to be too steep to improve with equestrian spec trail. The lower halves of these trails will receive needed improvements to make them more sustainable and mitigate erosion issues. These improvements will likely be made with grant and referendum funds as opposed to the paltry $2,000 budget Douthat has for trail maintenance.
The eastern slope trails at Douthat will remain open to hiking and biking…for now. Cyclists have 2 things working against us at Douthat. The first is a lack of statistical data in Richmond showing the level of cycling use at Douthat. The Park Manager says over 50% of the vehicles in the park have racks and bikes, but statistics are based on the blue “Your Comments Count…” cards you can get at the park. The stats show cyclist as 1% of the park users. Richmond does not base decisions on manager observations. We need cyclist to fill out these cards every time they visit Douthat. 2006 is done and the stats can not be changed. However if you’ve been to Douthat in 2007, your local club (CAMBC, SMBC, SVMBA) may have a blue comment card available for you to use send in. Be sure to mention how great the mountain biking is in the comment sections.
Also, we need volunteers to record trail work hours with park personnel. In 2006 the logged trail work hours by cyclist were about 250 by one individual and 250 from a group of 10 on one weekend. Volunteers at Douthat recorded more hours weeding flower beds. EVMA and MORE have pledged to do a small trail project during their club campouts that they have at Douthat every year.
The second item working against us is bikers failing to properly yield right of way to hikers on the trails. Specifically, the down hill section of Brushy Hollow has been a location of numerous complaints. Local clubs will need to come together in the future to solve this issue through education and also trail design. Trail features may need to be installed that will force riders to curb speed. If you see trail improvements pop up that are ruining your formerly buff decent, there’s a reason for them, so leave the features alone.
As a new user group is added to Douthat (horses might begin use by mid 2008), it will become more important to follow the established rules of the trail which require cyclists to yield to hikers and horses. Also, the park manager mentioned it is important to be mindful of who is around when you are standing around in the parking lot discussing your last downhill run. If there is a hiker or bird enthusiast nearby, chances are you are freaking them out if every other word is how fast you went and how close you came to crashing. Even though it’s fun to recount the adventure, hikers can have difficulty imaging the level of control cyclists really have on the trail. That kind of promotion is not going to help your access rights.
Lastly, Douthat’s trail budget is $2,000. That’s not even enough to run and maintain the new Ditch Witch they have. The idea of a Douthat friends fund was floated by IMBA affiliates at the VBF meeting. While raising the budget to $3,000 is not really helping the larger lack of funding, a $1,000 (50% of the budget) gift from VA IMBA affiliates would make an important statement and could be directed straight to the trails. The proposed gift level would be $100 for clubs under 50 members, $200 for clubs with 50 to 100 members, and $300 for clubs over 100 members.
Get out there and enjoy your ride while staying under control. Don’t forget to fill out the comment cards at Douthat (and other state parks), and log your trail work hours.
