How do you STOP, a Trail Sanitizer?

Mikie

Mikie

Admin/iMTB Hooligan
Two weekends in a row some dude named Mike has been on Golden Eagle trimming up the trail. Good for him! I applaud that.

This weekend we were once again riding G.E. And Mike was once again trimming. I mean, REALLY trimming. And trimming, and sanitizing. I mean to the point of spraying Flourescent Orange paint on all the shrub stumps in the trail, removing rocks from our only chunk section, orange ribbon on trail branches he were to trim. I mean way overboard. He's taking out al the stuff I enjoy about G.E.

I prefer the tight foliage along some sections of the trail. He's making it a freeway.

So as we were on our return from our out and back is when I noticed all this horrid orange paint. I knew it had to be him doing this. As I 'm riding down with Voodoo Tom behind me, I'm getting mad. I mean, REALLY mad. Mad to the point I hope I see this guy somewhere on the trail. But also mad enough I hope I DON'T see this guy named Mike.

We come around a corner and there is a sign that says "CAUTION". Then another stating "TRAIL CREW AHEAD" . . . . . Trail crew? on G.E.? Then we meet Mike, alone with a hedge trimmer.

I was calm (at first, yes I totally lost my cool), "Hey Mike, what's with all the Orange Paint?"

"Those are all the shrub stumps I have marked to remove".
"Mike, I don't want you to remove the stumps, that's part of riding G.E."
"Yeah well, I have a buddy who got a flat tire on one so I am removing them".
"I wish you wouldn't."
"Well, I'm going to."
"Mike, along with that you are over sanitizing the trail".
"Says you."
"And others Mike, and others."
"Well I have friends that say it needs cleaning up, so I'm going to clean it up. I'm the only guy that works on G.E."
"I work on G.E. As well, Mike."
"I've never seen you."

And so this banter when on for quite some time with my amigos sitting behind me. I was so mad I was ready to get off my bike and at least attempt to beat his ass, but him holding a battery powered saws all slowed me from that.

We were getting nowhere...

Just as I was ready To lift a leg over an off my bike, I thought better of it...

I told him there were consequences coming, none of this phased him. I did at one point completely lose my cool and shouted, "I have been riding and maintains this trail for 20 years!" He claimed he had been for 40 years???

I'm not going to broadcast that I will do whatever it takes to stop him. I'm just trying to figure out some type of leverage to stop him without getting stupid and get into a punch, although tempting.

I need ideas.....
I'm really struggling to keep myself from doing something stupid.

What do you suggest?
Help?
 
.357 Magnum. Center of mass. Preferably on the really sketchy part where it's a couple hundred feet down if you blow it.

But back to reality..there's no stopping him. We are, after all, talking about a trail that is inimical to bicycles to start with, are we not? I saw a couple of signs last time I rode it - I won't say what those signs read.

So unless you're willing to remove him from our reality, and potentially pay the consequences of such an act, you ain't gonna be able to do diddly squat. If you sic the USFS on him, things may get out of hand.

No good answer, Mikie.
 
Runs with Scissors said:
.357 Magnum. Center of mass. Preferably on the really sketchy part where it's a couple hundred feet down if you blow it.

But back to reality..there's no stopping him. We are, after all, talking about a trail that is inimical to bicycles to start with, are we not? I saw a couple of signs last time I rode it - I won't say what those signs read.

So unless you're willing to remove him from our reality, and potentially pay the consequences of such an act, you ain't gonna be able to do diddly squat. If you sic the USFS on him, things may get out of hand.

No good answer, Mikie.
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I may be wrong, but the Barney was working on "GE Proper". I'm betting he doesn't venture much past that if a flat tire has him scared and ready to take down the forest.
 
Tough one, Mikie. Bringing the FS into it can have unintended consequences, and at the least makes us look like a user group that can't get along. (Insert joke here.) You did the best you could, and I thank you for not taking it farther in the heat of the moment.

Undoing the work he is doing is probably impossible, or at least, impractical. I don't have a good solution that's legal. I feel your pain; climbers have one of these myopic zombies in Yosemite. Be glad there are not more of them.
 
Put some chunk back into it.. Grab a few wheelbarrows and start moving some rocks in there after/during a big rain.

On a serious note, dude sounds like he isn't worth the time so hopefully he will be satisfied with his current "work" and will leave it alone for a bit. Now I really want to get up to ride GE soon before it is paved over.
 
Mother Nature will undo his handy work in time Mikie.
Obviously he has OCD or something because if you remember, he knew exactly how long our ride had taken when we first saw him.
Still, I wonder what his deal is. Is he really that desperate for a pat on the back and a attaboy?
 
Always a struggle between "what a trail should be", maybe a work day with the guy to persuade him to leave some ruggedness there for the sake of being an out-back trail? Brush will grow back, but if they are taking out stumps then there's gonna be some drainage/trailbed issues most likely.
I read another thread that an organized group with official approval is putting in pavers(!) on a fairly natural fall line trail in a wilderness park in OC. Heck, cut all the brush down but don't do pavers....
 
Well, if you can't ride something.....change it so it meets you skill level.

Unfortunately dude is a tool...not using a tool. We all saw how slow he was, and how geared up he was for descending a pretty smooth trail.

Be a skidiot in the area he is working, it will quickly turn the work back to normal....or let mother nature take care of it.
 
I don't know the Golden Eagle trail. However, it sounds like it is a USFS trail. What ranger district?

Just curious. Does this guy have a USFS Volunteer Agreement and is authorized by the USFS to do trail work?

Obviously, complaining to the USFS can have other consequences, but they do tend to take complaints seriously so maybe that is the route you should take. But I would be very cautious about doing so. If its mainly overzealous brushing you are upset about, it will grow back quickly.
 
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Public multi use trails, don't see how much can be done if parties are unreasonable and not having a dialog. Issue is fixed in Laguna by just build new outlaw trails. I find a new trail a couple times a year here in town. Love them or hate them but Laguna Rads build some sweet trails.

Don't get the land managers involved that will not go the way you would like it.
 
Erik H - MWBA said:
I don't know the Golden Eagle trail. However, it sounds like it is a USFS trail. What ranger district?

Just curious. Does this guy have a USFS Volunteer Agreement and is authorized by the USFS to do trail work?

Obviously, complaining to the USFS can have other consequences, but they do tend to take complaints seriously so maybe that is the route you should take.
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Thanks Erik, but it's not. It's not a sanctioned trail. I'm confident he is NOT a USFS Volunteer. In fact Mikie and Robin McG were with us on today's ride.
I know his car, I'm tempted to call Forestry everytime I see his car at the trailhead, but concerned with the consequences of a non sanctioned trail.

We have his picture holding the sawzall, Rossage took it, and we got a picture of his car's license.
Naturally his license plate is, MAVREKK.

I'm just not a violent guy but I would much rather beat his ass. Yeah, I said ass. I'm still pissed but calming down. I think I came unglued in front of Robin, and I'm upset about that as well.
:oops:Sorry guys!
 
Here is some of his handiwork. My cell phone camera was screwing up today and I only actually ended up with this photo and one or two more. The perps photo is lost in the cloud.....
2016-02-27 18.10.29.jpg
 
Mikie said:
Thanks Erik, but it's not. It's not a sanctioned trail. I'm confident he is NOT a USFS Volunteer. In fact Mikie and Robin McG were with us on today's ride.
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Well @Mikie , I would take whatever advice @Mikie robin mcguire has for you about the situation. (not sure why, but I can't seem to User tag Mikie Robin). There is no one else that I know with as much internal USFS knowledge as the McGuires. Cookie bribes do go a long ways.
 
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I tried to follow him home to see where he lived. But once he went around the first corner he punched it in his POS Prius. I know he turned right at the house on the corner, so he lives out Three Points/Lake Hughes way...

Edit: Thanks Erik! Multi name usernames struggle with that feature...
 
Mikie said:
I tried to follow him home to see where he lived. But once he went around the first corner he punched it in his POS Prius. I know he turned right at the house on the corner, so he lives out Three Points/Lake Hughes way...

Edit: Thanks Erik! Multi name usernames struggle with that feature...
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Too bad ridinrox wasn't there. No mere mortal could shake that stalker! She would probably have beaten him to his own house!
 
First off Mikie DO NOT be ashamed for somewhat loosing your cool over something you are so passionate about. The fact that Golden Eagle is getting any kind of negative press just isn't right and those here that have ridden it I'm sure would agree. Anyone that can't get along with Mikie Watson has issues.

I agree 1000% that GE does not need sanitizing and it is just perfect the way it is. The little bit of overgrowth and chunk is what gives the trail its character.

It takes all types to make the world go round and this guy Mike (not Mikie or Mikie McG) was a real piece of work. Rolling down the trail and seeing all the orange paint and taped limbs I kept trying to throw out reasons for it but realistically I knew it was our pal Mike from last week.

Killing him with kindness and reasoning didn't work. Doing time in his honor wouldn't be worth it. Turning him in to whatever authorities could have a negative outcome for everyone that enjoys the trail.

I have heard a few ideas that I like though. Shaming him into going away by plastering his picture everywhere sounds good but he'd probably enjoy the recognition. Getting him to snap and try something would be the most realistic and have the best outcome. The most enjoyable though would be to see Rox tear him a new one. Been thinking about this all afternoon and wish I had some other brilliant ideas but I just don't.
 
Wow Mikie! I am soooo glad I wasn't there! I can't think of anything worse than this! One thing is for sure, if we get the weather we should be praying for, than nature will take it back. I can't see how one guy can keep up with that trail unless that's all he has to do. Unfortunatly the more popular a trail gets the more it all changes. Feels like a death of something so good.
 
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