OCR Text |
Show m'v a hM,inu!liAHl A ! ilfliViiliCA V 11 mT fArtf 2002 Tour of Canyonlands I A supplement to The M.Unw.l.nl Page 1 5 I .! Times-tndepend- raraSfB & E EAE) W H Many cyclists who visit Moab for the Tour of Canyonlands races will take the time to enjoy some of the areas other trails. Folks whove ridden these trails before may notice some new signs, posted by the Bureau of Land Management, which admonish motor vehicles and mountain bikes to stay on the trail. Two winters ago, a hot button d issue for the BLM was its Vehicle Management Strategy proposal. The document suggested that mountahi bikes should be addressed in the policy as vehicles, and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) rallied its membership to send in their comments opposing mountain bikings inclusion. While the BLM did promise to address bicycles separately, it Off-Roa- ! I I 1C1 ent UcIcgikq! r.!ocb Tear of Ds)A Canycnlcnda 2C32 When you reach the end of the trail, the top of Klondike or the Gemini Bridges cul de sac, for instance, the route doesnt branch off in all directions. Stop, lay your bike down at the edge of the trail, and walk to explore further. Except for the bottom of Porcupine Rim, the Portal Trail, and a couple of other short links, the desert around Moab has no single-tracIf you take off across the v. off fih raw ait oj Uiah's delicate desert soil following a bike trail, youre probably following some other jackass whos already left an unacceptable track. With all due respect to Robert Frost, the road less traveled probably isnt a road at all in the desert. Even open areas like Bartlett Wash or the Slickrock Trail have delicate zones. Unless you're on a marked trail in one of these areas, stay on the rock. If you cant about hasnt forgotten cyclists. make the drops at Bartlett withQuite the contrary since last out using the fragile pockets of year the BLM has issued interim vegetation to cushion your landrestrictions in the Moab area ing, then find some smaller ledges. which require that all vehicles, inAs the BLM develops the new d existcluding bicycles, remain on policy, all users will be ing routes. What that means is under greater scrutiny in the Moab both vague and controversial, but area. If bicycles continue to leave here are a few tips on staying on significant impacts in the desert the trail in this open landscape. ecosystem, cyclists will face If you have to ask yourself if greater restrictions w hen the BLM vehicle youre on the trail, youre prob- develops a ably not. Moabs trails are jeep policy. final uUclion, 0 OewELAy 0 SCULPTUA-0 Portmy k. fl E 0 Rao4(kias & Dolls 0 (Baskets & Porrow non-motoriz- ed 0 Sand Pa(Mtikios Vernon and his knowledgeable staff are happy to provide detailed Information on the gifts of your choice. i Packing and shipping available. first Ssstk I Nail 0 CS34IIS off-roa- CYCLE CYNDICATK they are quite distinct. k AfC YOUl HOSTS OF THE non-motoriz- ed routes cl TOUR OF CANYONLANDS would like to thank the following sponors for making this years event possible Minimum impact is a hands-o- n approach to caring for the desert lands. The goal for the individual should be to leave no trace of their presence. When camping, travel on more sterile terrain and avoid fertile islands of vegetation. Camp in sites with obvious signs of use. Keep your stay short and disperse your activities over a w'ide area. When camping you should also stay at least 200 feet from all water sources. Sanitation also requires extra effort to avoid water pollution. Sites with maximum sun exposure should be chosen and waste buried 4 inches deep or carried out when possible. is Cryptobiotic soil looks like tiny castles of dark mineral crust but it a of hundreds takes it crust" the biological unit If you crack years to regenerate. In sheet, if you stay on existing trail you minimize your impact,. By using these simple guidelines and common sense, the desert will remain beautiful and intact for future generations. self-sustaini- Milk Am Intel ffiiKil I BICYCLES li5iMTgT)i smmnno |