Bottelary Hills MTB Trails

[Dicky DQ]

If you have an annual permit (bike board) then display it

 

Myself and many others have permits and bike boards, but the issue is the bikes are becoming Christmas trees and space is limited. So some of us carry the boards with us in our pockets, and others piggyback the boards on top of each other. So there is a chance that the wrong boaud is in front depending on where we are riding. I understand the issue and also reprimand non permit holders if we see them or if there are new riders in the group.

 

However the issue of being stopped is no biggie, I I would rather appreciate it if it is done more often, this will stop the rouge riders and keep the trails open for us all.

 

My 2c's

[Big J-WP]

I remember on Saturaday when we were riding stopped and read one of the boards along the route that said even though that you had previous permission to ride there from the farm owners that this does not stand anymore. I agree with this aswell. Its only R270 come on some off us spend more than that a week on energy drinks and GU's.

 

Just a question if you are riding a MTB tandem do you have to have two permits or one for the bike?

 

thanks and keep up the great work that route is wonderfull. An the scenes are spectacular.

[Hellwarp]

Tandem with 1 person = 1 permit

 

Tandem with 2 people = 2 permits.

 

Permits are per person, not per bike.

[Big J-WP]

Thanks, that lot are not going to be happy. But rules are rules. I cant wait till Saturday to do the whole red loop again. Its a great ride from my place and back of 65Km. Hard on the body.

[guidodg]

It would be really easy and useful to add downloadable .gpx files of all the routes on the website...

[dirtman]

 

Just a question if you are riding a MTB tandem do you have to have two permits or one for the bike?

 

 

If you do a funride, Cape Epic or any other race - you pay per rider and not per bike, so why would tandem riders expect to buy only one permit to ride the trails?

[dirtman]

 

 

What is disheartening though is the amount of people riding without permits. The rules are clear, no permit no ride and ride on the marked trails only. The excuses are endless but if people know about the trails then surely they also know that you require a permit to ride.

 

We even have groups riding where some have permits and others don't? So how could they not have known?

 

 

I had the same experience on Wednesday morning (yesterday). 25% of all riders I stopped, did not have permits - which is about the same percentage as on other weekends. If you take a minimum of 100 riders over a weekend @ R30 each, an amount of R750 (25 permits @ R30) is lost per weekend. I am trying to persuade the farmers to make funds available to allow me to start building more single track (we have done the sections on the green loop), but with riders showing this kind of attitude it is not going to happen.

 

Also - I have now found the same group of 4 riders two weeks in a row riding without permits - each time full of excuses and promising to buy permits the next time. How the hell do you live with yourself freeloading on other riders?

 

Lastly, I could not believe that riders with annual permits will bring groups of their buddies to come and ride the trails without getting them to buy permits. If you did buy an annual permit, it means that you think the trails are worth the fee that you paid - why then invite your buddies for a group ride and not let them pay? (and then they are all on R25000 + bikes??)

[Seepglad]

Name and shame...there's a lot of Stellenboschers who tend to disregard fee structures, permissions, lack thereof, etc.

 

They should then defend their rights somewhere over here, if they're keen.

 

 

CL

[Eddy Gordo]

Bra' it is the attitude of the people, You get it every where, I encountered some guys in tokai who were chatting about why should they pay to ride their mountain?? Seriously!! This mentality sucks and it is everywhere. But just let someone get hurt then these are the same guys that will have alot to say and complain about

[mountain_lion]

The trail can be policed by ALL legal users of the trail.

Just inform people politely that a permit is required and where to obtain a permit from.

 

In the ideal world all riders will soon get with the program and buy permits.

 

Unfortunately there are always some selfish people who disregard all rules. It has almost become a way of life in RSA...

 

The problem is how to deal with these "repeat offenders"?

Nobody wants their ride spoilt by getting into an argument; plus what can you actually do?

Best I can think of is to carry a camera or phone with camera and try to take a photo of the culprit and email it to the trail managers.

This should help to identify repeat offenders.

 

But even if you know who they are, how do you stop them from free-loading?

Name and shame might help a bit...

[Musashi]

Maybe we can make use of that guy with the rifle...

 

[mountain_lion]

I am trying to persuade the farmers to make funds available to allow me to start building more single track

<snip>

 

Before building new single track, make use of what is already there.

You know which one I am talking about

The hard work has been done.

Only the entrance that needs to be cut open and a little bit of pruning along the trail. Wheels will do the rest.

 

Yes it is on a farm which has not joined the trail system (yet).

However they did give us permission to build the trail there and use it for an annual fun ride, on condition that we do not go any lower down than the contour road onto which the single track exits.

I am sure that the landowner can be convinced to allow it to be added to the official trail system.

It is easy to join into the existing trails too; you have track logs of all my suggestions, including this one...

[Hellwarp]

The farm with the singletrack you referring to, they are friends of mine, I contacted them when we initially started planning the trails. I know the singletrack that's why I tried to get them involved. They weren't interested and they had their reasons, I'm certainly not going to go back to "try" and convince them. There's a difference between a once a year funride and riders on your property every day.

 

Remember as I've said before, the farms are private property and landowners have the right to allow or disallow riders. This is something that doesn't seem to "sink-in" to the minds of some riders as they are abusing the system. If you haven't got a permit then you are trespassing, you don't have a right to be on the trails. Guys must realise that its a priveledge offered by private landowners who don't get a cent from it.

 

Believe me when I say that there are a number of farmers who wont hesitate to load riders and their bikes on a bakkie and remove them from their farm once he has got the police to take a statement.

 

Bear in mind what will happen if riders abuse the system. The trails were started to get the riding taking place illegally (becoming a problem) organised as an alternative to banning riding completely. So if the trails don't have the desired result then the Bottelary Conservancy will be forced to close the trails and ban all riding in the area. In other words all farmers in the area will co-operate to keep riders out, this has been discussed as an alternative solution to the problem in the past by the landowners.

 

Personally I find it hard to understand why I need to be explaining this in the first place.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Hellwarp

[mountain_lion]

Hellwarp

 

I trust your rant is not directed at me.

I have an annual permit and play by the rules, staying only on the marked trails since they opened.

 

I understand your frustration. The fee-loading need to stop.

You know I support your work and the principal of having marked trails to ensure continued public access.

 

However if what I suggested is not practical, then just say so.

 

It is sad that the track in question is lost and the effort building it wasted, but if that is the price to pay to ensure access to the other farms, so be it.

[Hellwarp]

Mountain Lion I sent you a pm.

[Hellwarp]

Just finished Red Route from Only One Restuarant. Total time 2 hrs, riding time 1h45 mins. Distance 24.2 km.