FellsBiker.com Middlesex Fells Reservation
Stoneham Medford Winchester Melrose Malden, Massachusetts
DCR Gives Mountain Bikers The Shaft Despite Overwhelming Public Support
The DCR has sent out a letter to users and supporters of the Fells. They have also posted a summary of all of the comment letters they have received. And despite the overwhelming public support for increased fairness in the Fells, the DCR is siding with the anti-bike crowd and doing nothing for now. With the promise that when their Resource Management Plan comes out, then a few trails may be opened to bikers.

In my opinion, these two documents are a giant F-U to the mountain bike community. The DCR acknowledges that bikes have the same impact on the trails as hikers. But they are still going to side with the minority (primarily the Friends of the Fells) and keep mountain biking fully restricted now, with the hope that it will only be heavily restricted in the future.

This is a HUGE disappointment after the past year, where the DCR has always given the impression that they want to do right by the public. Apparently they mean only the public that doesn't ride a bicycle.

DCR Letter to Users and Supporters:
View PDF

DCR Summary of Comments Received:
View PDF
RMP Initial Public Meeting Coming Up
The DCR is beginning the RMP process in the Fells this Wednesday (26th), holding the first public meeting.

The Resource Management Plan is the process the Fof has insisted must be done before ANY changes can be made to mountain bike policy.

There will be several subsequent meetings as well.

It remains to be seen if the DCR is just stringing mountain bikers along with the promise of fairness, or if this really is just a small speed bump on the road to real, fair change in the Fells.

But we should all go to these meetings ANYWAY. Even if the deck is stacked: if only bike-hating tree-huggers show up to these meetings, it won't look like the deck is stacked, And it won't look like mountain bikers got fed up from 20+ years of getting shit on. It will just look like bike-haters care and mountain bikers don't. So go to the meetings!


Initial Resource Management Plan Public Meeting
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
McGlynn School Cafeteria
3001 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford
RMP Meeting Postponed
This Wednesday's RMP Planning Meeting has been postponed until Monday night, due to snow. Same time, same place, different date: January 31st, 2011.

Be there!