Wrong Way World News - Fall 1997 Issue
Twisted Spokes by Wes Taylor
  • Multi-Use Parks. Ever been to a “workshop” to discuss a park’s “Plan”? It is a great way to support your right to trail access. Everybody seems to have a unique slant on what the best use and development of a park should be. The things that everybody seems to agree on is that they want access to the park to enjoy it their way (hiking, camping, climbing, riding horses, astronomy, and, oh yeah, mountain biking) and to preserve the park so that it will be enjoyable to visit in the future as well. The big disagreements are usually about sharing (hikers, equestrians - vs. - mountain bikes for example). I guess they missed the lessons on sharing.

  • Trail Police? It has been said that mountain bikers can’t police themselves (not to say that it’s a true or false statement). Are these people unemployed policemen or victims of mountain biking criminals?

  • $40 bucks sucks. Well, I guess that this depends upon your perspective. If I were a NORBA race promoter counting all that green, I’d probably disagree. A group of students at Iowa State University Cycling Club think that $40 for race entry is a total scam. They have a web site complete with a format for protesting. If you want to check it out: you can't - it doesn't exist anymore. But yes, it does suck. $60 sucks more - right Mr. Tinley?

  • Worst race of the year award: This year’s worst race award has to go to the Marin Knobular. Although the course was great, the organizers really screwed things up. It had the “fend for yourself” feel written all over it. Race fees were $38 (unless you prereg’d). Parking at the race was another $10 - and extremely limited too. The parking in town was free, but the shuttles only ran once an hour and didn’t take bikes (they forgot to mention either point in their advertising). The registration process went OK, but the start line up was a joke. Last year they marked where everyone was staging - not this year. Everybody was stuck into one big crowd until start time (push, shove, wait listen, run!). The last shuttle departure coincided with the finish of beginner categories, so any beginners that needed to use the shuttle had to leave before their results were posted. With some minor changes, this could have been a great little race, but the organizers really missed the boat on this one. I will probably miss this one next year...

  • Help! My bike was stolen! I received an e-mail pleading for help to recover a stolen mountain bike. My question is, was it locked up at the time it was stolen? Protect yourself, man!

  • Trail propaganda: At the trail head to one of the local rides, a new poster was put on the bulletin board (by the park district). It warns you about all of the negative impacts of mountain biking. Among other things, it talks about trail erosion and damage to tree roots from chain sprockets. No mention is made of the impacts of other forms of trail use. My question is - does the park district understand the impacts on the trail from grading a 20’ wide fire road and cutting the brush for four feet on both sides, both environmentally and aesthetically? Makes mountain bike impact kind of insignificant....

    		• New Energy Bar Unveiled In a bold attempt to capture a larger market segment, Tower Bar, Inc. is unveiling a new energy bar - THE MEAT LOVER'S BAR. This bar will come in several flavors, including Baby Back Ribs, T-bone Steak, Fillet Mignon, Gristle, and for the connoisseur of fine meat by-products, SPAMALISCIOUS.

    "We wanted to expand our operations, however, seeing how cheap mountain bikers are, we needed to address a different customer base. Our market research showed that big meat eaters spend lots of money (unfortunately, they don't live as long). But if we can capture that market segment, we will be able to compete with the larger food companies such as Nabisco and Kelloggs. Unfortunately, we still will be behind that company with the bar who I wish would jump off their name." (statement by a TB, Inc. spokesperson on the condition of anonymity).

    Individual bars will retail for $1.99 each and a case of 24 for $60. Each bag is individually wrapped in a new space age material with the half life of uranium. This will ensure maximum freshness through your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren's lifetime. "NOTSO-EZ" opening device to ensure freshness is standard on all wrappers.

    The MEATLOVER'S BAR will be available in time for Christmas 1997. Look for them in finer food stores and co-generation plants near you.

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