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Ottawa is North American “Urban Hot Spot”

Mountain bikers unite to smooth the trail ahead

By Vicki Thomas

WHAT COMES to mind when you think of mountain bikers?

How about outdoor enthusiasts working as a community to develop sustainable trails for all levels and types of cyclists?

Probably not. That could soon change, however, if the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and a handful of dedicated mountain bikers have their way

With the popularity of mountain biking in the National Capital Region, a serious image makeover is long overdue. The rubber really hit the dirt when the IMBA decided to lend its credibility and political voice to the cause.

All too often, mountain bikers clash with hikers, dog walkers, land owners and site managers. There is too much controversy over who is doing the most environmental damage, who should be using the trails, and who should have the right to use them.

The IMBA is helping to smooth the way in the National Capital Region, where the mountain bikers’ favorite playground is Gatineau Park. This past summer, the IMBA made its second visit to Ottawa in as many years. With the mandate to create, enhance and preserve trails for mountain bikers worldwide, the IMBA’s presence is strongly needed here. Established in California in 1988, the IMBA has been working to bring out the best in mountain biking by promoting low-impact riding, volunteer trailwork participation, co-operation among diverse trail user-groups, and innovative trail management solutions.

Several years ago, Dominique Larocque, owner and director of LaRocca XC Mountain Bike School in Ottawa, asked IMBA representatives to come to Ottawa. They did in 2003 and again in September 2004. Larocque organized the first visit because she was concerned with the trail situation at Camp Fortune. The second visit came with some additional fanfare and exposure. After a successful session with IMBA representatives Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner in 2003, Larocque decided to put Ottawa on the IMBA map. In 2004, Ottawa was designated as an “Urban Hot Spot,” one of just two in North America — the other is Indianapolis. As an Urban Hot Spot, Ottawa benefited from IMBA trailbuilding sessions.

Schmidt and Woolner are treating Ottawa as a priority because it’s Canada’s capital and huge numbers of mountain bikers are faced with dwindling access to urban trails. “In Ottawa, we really need to reach out to the community and let people know this is not a hopeless situation,” says Schmidt. “There are one million people in the area and not a lot of places to ride. The wide multi-user trails do not meet the needs of the users. We can promote the idea that single track trails can be built in a sustainable way.” Larocque says it’s essential for the growth of mountain biking in the area and for improving the image of mountain bikers: “We have a bad image here in Ottawa. Trails are being closed. At Camp Fortune, trails were being developed that were not manageable.”

The IMBA has a mandate to debunk the myth that mountain biking is harmful to the environment. Studies collected by IMBA and environmental scientists show that mountain biking is actually less harmful to the environment than hiking or horseback riding. A 1994 study conducted by John Wilson and Joseph Seney of Montana State University demonstrated that there was no significant difference in impact between hiking and bicycling.

Studies such as these support mountain bikers who feel they are locked in a constant battle with the National Capital Commission (NCC) over Gatineau Park trail use. Mountain bikers have seen trail access become more and more limited in recent years, especially at Camp Fortune.

Comments from cyclists on Ottawa’s most popular mountain biking web site — www.mtbkanata.com — show that conflict between mountain bikers and the NCC has been on-going. Surfing the web site also reveals that many mountain bikers believe that the NCC is not particularly interested in trail development and sustainability.

Michel Dallaire, Manager of Recreational Services Gatineau Park for the NCC, says that’s simply not true: “We’ve been promoting IMBA’s rules of the trail. This is the basis for mountain biking in the Gatineau Park.” He welcomes the presence of IMBA in the park and specifically at Camp Fortune. Dallaire sees the influence of IMBA representatives such as Schmidt and Woolner as a windfall for mountain biking.

“IMBA is a great thing. I like their code of ethics,” he explains. “We were surprised that IMBA was not here before. It is great for the community.”

These are the kind of words that Schmidt and Woolner like to hear coming from the NCC. While in Ottawa last September, the IMBA reps had an opportunity to meet with NCC reps to discuss trail advocacy and sustainability.

“Our members tell us that they would like to work more closely with the NCC,” says Woolner, “We, as IMBA representatives, can help with this. Also, the NCC really wants an organized group to work with. We can help to bring the small advocacy groups forward and get the leaders in the mountain biking community involved.”

Dallaire believes this kind of involvement and community representation is exactly what is needed in Ottawa. He says that the NCC likes to work with organized groups and clubs, but a big problem exists. “There are a lot of bikers,” says Dallaire, “but they don’t have a club that exists legally. As a result, mountain bikers miss out on opportunities to talk to land managers, sponsors, and race promoters. They just have no voice.”

“A club needs to legally exist,” he explains. “Without a club, I have lots of questions. Who do I deal with? Who talks on behalf of the mountain bike community on big issues? Take the Gatineau Park Master Plan for example. Who should I talk to from the mountain bike community about this? Who speaks for them on an advocacy front?”

Enter the newly created club called Repair, Protect and Maintain (RPM) – a group of volunteers that participated in IMBA’s trailbuilding school last September. RPM is comprised of about 15 trail users who are dedicated to spending time improving the existing trail infrastructure at Camp Fortune.

This is exactly what coordinator Dominique Larcoque was hoping to see come from the IMBA visit. “People are willing to give back if they are led,” she says. “We’re showing the NCC that we are willing to maintain the trails.”

Larocque and Dallaire are not alone in the quest for organization and involvement. Julian Hine was behind trail development at Camp Fortune in 2004 and led the trail initiative with Schmidt and Woolner in September. At 34, he has been mountain biking in Ottawa since 1992. “People should get involved and find out how they can help,” says Hine. “We do have trail days in spring and fall. Also, mountain bikers need to take time to review the IMBA rules of the trail, and ride respectfully. This is the main reason for trail closures — mountain bikers being careless in many aspects.”

Meanwhile, the NCC’s Dallaire reiterates: “Once organization occurs, we are ready to talk tomorrow.”

Only time will tell if area mountain bikers can take the initiative to use the resources available to them for improving their image and relationship with the community. If they take steps to improve mountain biking in the National Capital Region, they’re sure to experience happier trails ahead. – Vicki Thomas is an Ottawa freelance writer who spends a lot of time mountain biking and crosscountry skiing.

IMBA RULES OF THE TRAIL

These rules are recognized around the world as the standard code of conduct for mountain bikers:

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Ride on open trails only. Respect trail and road closures; avoid trespassing on private land; obtain permits or authorization as may be required. Leave no trace. Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Control your bicycle. Inattention for even a second can cause problems. Always yield trail. Let your fellow users know you are coming. Never scare animals. All animals are startled by a human’s unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. Plan ahead. Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in which you are riding – and prepare accordingly.

Q: How do I seam seal my tent?

A: The seams on most tents are factory taped or sealed. Even so, before using a tent it’s still a good idea to apply additional sealant to the corners, floor perimeter seam (where the sidewall meets the floor), and seams on the fly.

Over time, factory tape and sealant deteriorates, and tents will need seam sealing for moisture protection. According to Trent Gowan, operations manager at Bushtukah (www.bushtukah.com), before repairing the seams, you should look for ripped or crumbling sections and cut away the damaged tape. To apply sealant, pitch the tent in a clean, dry, well-ventilated area. Make sure the seams are taut to allow for even sealing. Apply sealant to the inner side of the fabric as the water resistant outer fabric repels sealant. Several thin coats of sealant work best.

Q: How do I teach my child to ride a bike?

A: Cycling is all about balance, confidence, awareness and street smarts. Training wheels provide children with confidence, but don’t actually teach them to balance or turn corners on two wheels. If you are weaning your child off training wheels by gradually raising them, your child is still not learning to turn corners correctly.

Peter McNichol, CanBike Instructor from Ottawa’s Citizens For Safe Cycling (www.cfsc.ottawa.on.ca), stands firm on the training wheel debate – don’t use them. Instead, McNichol recommends teaching balance and turning by removing the pedals. Once the young rider has mastered those skills, McNichol reattaches the pedals and works on stopping.

Before children are nine years old it is unlikely they will have the spatial awareness to accurately gauge the speed at which cars are approaching them. CFSC’s Kids CAN-BIKE courses for 9-13-year-olds teach children how to signal, steer, turn right and left, change gears and brake. The 10-hour course even teaches children basic bicycle maintenance. “We teach cyclists to be predictable and to use vehicle-style behaviour,” says McNichol. “Riding on the sidewalk is dangerous because cars pulling out of driveways and crossing intersections are expecting pedestrian traffic to move much slower than cyclists.”

Q: What is the safest way to tie a canoe to the roof of your car?

A: Gordon Baker, assistant general manager of Algonquin Outfitters (www.algonquinoutfitters.com), ties down hundreds of canoes every season. His tie-down systems always include four sets of straps or rope. Like many paddlers, I was using one ‘belly belt’ around the middle of my canoe. After speaking with Baker, I will now use two belly belts — at the front and back of a roof rack or by each set of foam blocks — particularly on trips longer than half an hour or involving highway travel. Tying your canoe’s bow and stern to your car’s front and rear bumpers (or to something else firmly attached at the front and rear of your car) prevents your canoe from twisting.

Straps are not cheap, but they are convenient and strong. In fact, it is so easy to tighten straps that you have to be careful not to over-tighten them and damage the roof of your car or your canoe. One drawback of straps is their tendency to vibrate, which is especially annoying at the front of your car. Baker solves this problem by putting several twists in the strap between the point where the strap touches the front bumper and where it is secured to the car.

If you prefer using ropes and you are adept at tie-down knots like the trucker’s hitch, Baker recommends using good quality rope without much stretch such as ¼ inch diameter braided nylon or climbing rope. Your rope should be strong and easy to tie.

Before securing any straps or ropes, Baker centres the canoe on the roof of the car so that it is balanced; your tiedown system should hold the canoe in place, not balance it. When everything is tied down and you want to make sure your canoe is fastened securely, grab your canoe and heave. If the car moves, great; if the canoe moves, something is wrong. If your trip lasts longer than half an hour or if it starts to rain (causing your rope to stretch), stop and recheck your system.

— Kathleen Wilker loves cycling, skiing, running, swimming, canoeing, hiking, camping, traveling, visiting with family and friends, drinking coffee and writing.