Get out and bike: Tips for starting to ride the trails, roads i...

Local cyclists agree that the region is home to some of the best mountain biking and road cycling on the East Coast, if not the country.

[nathan brown]

I find it enteresting that the Alexander bike park wasn't mentioned. Perhaps it is because after a race the area shops put on down there years ago they left all their trash and if people ride there they will see it. Although when I called to tell them they were litterbugs they seemed quite proud. Strange behaviour.

[prangdog]

Just keep the bikes off the streets and highways.

[Jake]

nathan brown wrote:

I find it enteresting that the Alexander bike park wasn't mentioned. Perhaps it is because after a race the area shops put on down there years ago they left all their trash and if people ride there they will see it. Although when I called to tell them they were litterbugs they seemed quite proud. Strange behaviour.

The Alexander bike park is a smelly wasteland that no right-minded biker ever visits. When in northern Buncombe Co, ride Colemans Boundary.

[nathan brown]

Jake wrote:

<quoted text>
The Alexander bike park is a smelly wasteland that no right-minded biker ever visits. When in northern Buncombe Co, ride Colemans Boundary.

It's the closest place to the place I'm staying and I usually have little time, ordinarily I'm only here for a month in the spring and a month and a half in the fall and I can see where it gets aweful, maybe the wind has always been blowingthe right direction. I basically grew up at Coleman Boundary. I'm more interested in getting the hypocrytical bike shops to clean up their mess. I have a more aggressive approackh than I've used in the past but have'n't had the time yet. Aiming for a public display at the outdoor convention they hold...Should be interesting. Thanks for the info though.

[Local Cyclist]

Alexander Park was left off for the simple reason that there are other, better options...

Bent Creek, Pisgah (Mill's River, Turkeypen), Dupont, Curtis Creek...the list is endless...

Alexander is a small resource that is fairly tough to get to unless you live north of town...and a small selection of fairly advanced trails...certainly not a place I would send a beginner...

Asheville and the surrounding towns are fortunate to have fantastic local shops full of info about the local trails and the gear and maps to have a blast. Biowheels, Liberty, Sycamore, Hearns, Chain Reaction...all are great shops.

And, Asheville is lucky to have activists like Mike and Claudia Nix at Liberty Bikes...2 folks that have spearheaded cycling development and safety in the area for decades...

Remember to Strive Not To Drive this week...If cycling isn't your thing?...try carpooling...just for one week...If for no other reason than it'll save you money.

[prangdog]

Car pooling;

Just how much freedom are you willing to give up, as in the freedom to go where you want when you want.

[ladder truck idiot]

if bike riders use this article and click on the link to blue ridge riding club and read rules there life would be more enjoyable for them and motorists.

[nathan brown]

Local Cyclist wrote:

Alexander Park was left off for the simple reason that there are other, better options...
Bent Creek, Pisgah (Mill's River, Turkeypen), Dupont, Curtis Creek...the list is endless...
Alexander is a small resource that is fairly tough to get to unless you live north of town...and a small selection of fairly advanced trails...certainly not a place I would send a beginner...
Asheville and the surrounding towns are fortunate to have fantastic local shops full of info about the local trails and the gear and maps to have a blast. Biowheels, Liberty, Sycamore, Hearns, Chain Reaction...all are great shops.
And, Asheville is lucky to have activists like Mike and Claudia Nix at Liberty Bikes...2 folks that have spearheaded cycling development and safety in the area for decades...
Remember to Strive Not To Drive this week...If cycling isn't your thing?...try carpooling...just for one week...If for no other reason than it'll save you money.

I suppose I should have just stated that there is a bunch of trash that is very speficically mtn bike race leftovers that they essentially threw in the creek when they were done. I cleaned a lot of it up but left some as an experiment. I'm fully aware the area is far from ideal. Makes one wonder why they spent money and resources building it in the first place when everyone shuns it so hard. I suspect that like the Riverlink's kayak course someone made money but that's just opinion. The dog walkers love it and I ride there because it is conveient. It is funny that they've added 3 more miles but are too lazy or, I suspect, too proud to pick their trash. I think it's pretty reflective though. I never really looked at whether it was a beginners area or not so good point. Not to argue but I refuse to do business with area shops. When I stumbled on the trash years ago I called all the area shops, they all claimed participation in the race and were indignant at my request for them to pick up their trash. 5, maybe 6 years later it is all still there. This is not acceptable behaviour. The picture to the side of my profile was taken there about a month ago.

[Eric at BioWheels]

I'm sorry Mr. Nathan Brown, but I'm quite sure that no one at BioWheels intentionally left trash at Alexander Park, and I'm even more certain that NO ONE at BioWheels would have acted "proud" or "indignant" to learn of its existence in a phone conversation.

I myself am shocked and embarrassed to learn that there is bike-race-specific trash that remains at Alexander. It makes me want to ride out there right now to pick it up. Very little upsets me more than the lack of respect that it takes for someone to litter.

Yes, there has been new trail work at Alexander this year, and knowing personally several of the kind & eco-conscious people who performed this volunteer work, I must say that no one must have noticed the trash or it would have been cleaned up.

Please post the exact location of your photo, and I'll personally make sure that it gets cleaned up.

-Eric

[joe]

nathan brown wrote:

<quoted text> I suppose I should have just stated that there is a bunch of trash that is very speficically mtn bike race leftovers that they essentially threw in the creek when they were done. I cleaned a lot of it up but left some as an experiment. I'm fully aware the area is far from ideal. Makes one wonder why they spent money and resources building it in the first place when everyone shuns it so hard. I suspect that like the Riverlink's kayak course someone made money but that's just opinion. The dog walkers love it and I ride there because it is conveient. It is funny that they've added 3 more miles but are too lazy or, I suspect, too proud to pick their trash. I think it's pretty reflective though. I never really looked at whether it was a beginners area or not so good point. Not to argue but I refuse to do business with area shops. When I stumbled on the trash years ago I called all the area shops, they all claimed participation in the race and were indignant at my request for them to pick up their trash. 5, maybe 6 years later it is all still there. This is not acceptable behaviour. The picture to the side of my profile was taken there about a month ago.

Ski Country is the giant dealer so the yellow tape most likely came from them.

I think you aer being a little unfair to the shops. What was their level of participation? Did they know what you were asking? There is a big difference between sponsorship of and event and being the promoter. The promoter is the one that has the responsibility to clean up an area. And then again a local shop might of had riders in the event and that is participation as well.

Also You have a photo of snow fencing which is a safty material. Was it in place or in a pile? It may have been left there for a future event. I seem to remember the promoter complaing that someone came as stole most of his snow fencing which was borrowed form a local ski resort. He had to reemburse the resort and it ended his ability to promote future events out at Alexander.

[nathan brown]

Eric at BioWheels wrote:

I'm sorry Mr. Nathan Brown, but I'm quite sure that no one at BioWheels intentionally left trash at Alexander Park, and I'm even more certain that NO ONE at BioWheels would have acted "proud" or "indignant" to learn of its existence in a phone conversation.
I myself am shocked and embarrassed to learn that there is bike-race-specific trash that remains at Alexander. It makes me want to ride out there right now to pick it up. Very little upsets me more than the lack of respect that it takes for someone to litter.
Yes, there has been new trail work at Alexander this year, and knowing personally several of the kind & eco-conscious people who performed this volunteer work, I must say that no one must have noticed the trash or it would have been cleaned up.
Please post the exact location of your photo, and I'll personally make sure that it gets cleaned up.
-Eric

Five or six years I came upon the trash and called every shop in the Asheville phone book. Every shop said they had participated in the downhill slalom in some form. All were told very explicitly about the trash, a week ago the trash is still there. Perhaps Biowheels was not in business or the yellowpages at that time. The trash is located at the bottom of a banked downhill course that is fairly easy to spot by the lack of vegetation. The trash you cannot miss.

[nathan brown]

joe wrote:

<quoted text>
Ski Country is the giant dealer so the yellow tape most likely came from them.
I think you aer being a little unfair to the shops. What was their level of participation? Did they know what you were asking? There is a big difference between sponsorship of and event and being the promoter. The promoter is the one that has the responsibility to clean up an area. And then again a local shop might of had riders in the event and that is participation as well.
Also You have a photo of snow fencing which is a safty material. Was it in place or in a pile? It may have been left there for a future event. I seem to remember the promoter complaing that someone came as stole most of his snow fencing which was borrowed form a local ski resort. He had to reemburse the resort and it ended his ability to promote future events out at Alexander.

I called every shop in the book at the time and told thenm very specifically about the trash at that time. Perhaps the snowfence was left for a future event but in the 5 or 6 years since, it is still laying there. I'm not too concerned about being fair, all were told. It was their decision to ignore it. I tend to hold everyone who had anything to with the race responsible. A litterbug is a litterbug with not much gray area. I think it's kind of excessive and a little unbelievable that after building a course, burning diesel,(I assume bfrom the scope that machinery was used) and creating an erosion source that no one ever returned.

[Cyclist]

The last downhill event at Alexander was exclusively promoted and run by Ski Country Sports...I'm sure the fencing was left in place for future events...and, because of lack of use and upkeep, it has ended up where it is now.

Ski Country is not a locally owned business...I think they are based out of Boone...but, I can bet the guys at Biowheels will have it cleaned up promptly...they are currently the most active shop in mountain bike trail maintenance in the area...Liberty is the most active in cyclist commuting and road safety issues.

Unfortunately, Alexander Park has suffered from neglect...what was a great idea...turning a portion of a landfill into a mountain biking venue...has not been met with much positive response. The popularity of Lance Armstrong and the explosion of road biking right at the time this park was developed was partly to blame...Mountain Biking simply fell a little out of the limelight for a while...It became an out of sight, out of mind situation.

Thanks for calling attention to this...I'm sure it will be dealt with quickly by the folks in the cycling community...Maybe the Biowheels guys will even post when a park clean-up is organized so you can attend and help...

[Jake]

It is ironic that Alexander Park, one of the worst places to mtn bike is right next to Route 251, one of the best places to road bike.

[bicyclists are idiots]

there will be someone videotaping all stop signs on fletcher flyer courses sunday.bikers are rude.

[joe]

nathan brown wrote:

<quoted text> I called every shop in the book at the time and told thenm very specifically about the trash at that time. Perhaps the snowfence was left for a future event but in the 5 or 6 years since, it is still laying there. I'm not too concerned about being fair, all were told. It was their decision to ignore it. I tend to hold everyone who had anything to with the race responsible. A litterbug is a litterbug with not much gray area. I think it's kind of excessive and a little unbelievable that after building a course, burning diesel,(I assume bfrom the scope that machinery was used) and creating an erosion source that no one ever returned.

The promoter is the one you should have gotten a hold of to clean up his site.

Snowfence is not trash the same way candy bar wrappers are. It is safety material. It does not belong in a land fill. It sounds like this is sitting in a pile not affecting anything.

Every shop was involved but being a $100 dollar sponsor or giving some prizes is vey small involvement. I think you should relax a little instead of being bitter and complaining clean the rest up. Since you are the one it seems to be affecting the most.

[joe]

bicyclists are idiots wrote:

there will be someone videotaping all stop signs on fletcher flyer courses sunday.bikers are rude.

What does alexander park have to do with the fletcher flyer?

Really you are going to viedo all the stop signs. I did not see you at any stop sign. Why would you video the stop signs?

[Asheville_Native]

Jake wrote:

It is ironic that Alexander Park, one of the worst places to mtn bike is right next to Route 251, one of the best places to road bike.

251 with a constant stream of trucks going to the landfill and NO shoulders, limited visibility is a perfect place for bikers with a death wish. It is beyond stupid to get on that road on a bicycle on week-days.

[Mtnbred]

LOL..right next to Route 251...
Ya ain't from around here, are ya?

[Jake]

Mtnbred wrote:

LOL..right next to Route 251...
Ya ain't from around here, are ya?

I lived in these mountains all my life and can tell you that 251 is one of the most scenic and popular spots for weekend and weekday evening road biking. Most bikers do not ride it during weekdays during the day.