Phantom,
You and I agree on most any topic that comes up here. Even the sticky ones, but I definitely don't take the same position as you on trail permits. While we've never met, we have a few friends in common, and I know that you're a normal guy...at least as normal as anyone on a bike can be.
Help me see your position.
What gives?
Here's why I don't think it's an evil thing:
If you look anywhere else in the US, off roaders are losing trails at a spectacular rate. I'm looking to leave NY State very soon, and one of the things I've been looking for is another area that has a trail system like we do here. The only place close is West Virginia, and there are too many reasons to not live there. No other state on the East coast has any public riding. Period. If I knew that I could move to the Carolinas, pay $75.00 each year to be able to ride off road...as opposed to near 0 miles of riding there, I'd do it in a blink. But you can't. It doesn't exist there. Here in NY I can buy one permit, ride from Parish to Brantingham. Of course a lot of the riding on the Hill is not exactly off road, but the miles of trail are growing slowly, and this program is in it's infancy. Even so, today I can ride my dirt bike to a restaurant 100 miles away!! Legally!! Holy CRAP!!!
There are plenty of instances where we pay organizations to look out for us. The AMA, NRA, AARP, NYSSA, and even local clubs. For the cost of a nice meal these guys do TONS of work on my behalf. They get trails built, visit town meetings, get roads opened....essentially get a complete trail system built....and all I had to do was give them a registration fee. I think it is the best bargain for your money that you can find anywhere....if you ride. If you get out once a year it's less of a bargain, but still not much more than you'd pay for a day at many race tracks.
You're smart enough to know that once you start building any kind of organization that there are going to be flaws. It can't be helped. Losing some roads in Turin definitely sucks, but I don't see this as Lewis County's fault. They fought to keep them open. The permit system sucks for someone that rarely rides, but the best deal in town for ANYONE that rides off road in Northern NY. I don't mind paying my permit fees to anyone that is doing this amount of work in my behalf.
What am I missing that has you so fired up?
(I know how things can get lost in the translation when posting stuff online. You may not be reading this in the same tone I am typing it. I'm definitely not attacking you, or even standing in opposition to you, just trying to figure out why we have suck a big gap in our positions on trail permits.)
Joe
