the soft wet area, when the new trail got soft and wet someone went around in yet another direction. The result is a 12 to 15 foot wide area of the forest that is damaged rather than one clean single track. This also highlights the importance of proper trail building and trail maintenance. It takes a lot of work to build and maintain proper mountain bike trails. The area in the photo is from an unmaintained trail system that continues to degrade as more users cut additional lines to avoid wet areas rather than build a proper trail. (In defence of the area, it is slated to be demolished in favour of housing construction.) The forest is an ever changing
and evolving place; so even in trail systems that are properly built and maintained, wet areas do open up. When you encounter such an area, stay
on the trail, ride slowly through the wet area or walk your bike through it, but whatever you do don’t ride around it. The same goes for technical areas and features. Riding around the area creates additional trails that unnecessarily damage the forest and are also unsightly. When other user groups talk
about Mountain Biking being a sport that causes too much damage to a forest, they are often talking about an area such as in the attached photo where trails are not properly built and maintained, and trail braiding has become rampant. And in a case like that, they are completely justified. Properly built and maintained trails have little overall impact on the forest. Respect the trails and the work that goes into them. Stay on the trail and don’t be afraid to walk your bike and you’ll be
Road, Mountain, Kids and Fitness Bikes for the Whole Family
helping to maintain a healthy trail system, the reputation of Mountain Biking, and the continued success of the sport in the Ottawa area. – For more information on this topic, please see the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Rules of the Trail -
http://www.imba.com/ about/
trail_rules.html. The Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) maintains the trail system in the South March Highlands (near Kanata) and is an affiliate of the International Mountain Bicycling Association. OMBA also hosts weekly rides in the highlands that are a great way to meet new riders and learn the trails. The weekly rides are open to all skill levels and all are welcome. For more information, please visit us at www.
ottawamba.org. We look forward to seeing you on the trails!
Bushtukah, your destination this spring
for Running, Triathlon, Cycling, Camping, and Hiking . . . as well as a complete
range of Athletic, Cycling, Adventure and Casual Clothing and Footwear!
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www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
Mon-Fri 9am-9pm • Sat 9am-6pm • Sun 10am-5pm 203 RICHMOND ROAD, WESTBORO 613-792-1170 •
www.bushtukah.com
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