Pamestique 

As a docent for Irvine Ranch, I received the following message. It continues to be a serious problem of unauthorized access to both South and North county properties. There is a reason for limited access as both areas are very sensitive ecologically. Bottom line folks - trail closures if people continue to misbehave. If you know of folks who are doing this, on behalf of the entire biking community, please ask them to stop. Their photos (yes we have photos of you guys - good, clear, concise close up photos or you and your bikes) have been given to local law enforcement and if found, they risk heavy fines and jail time. Really not worth it for alittle fun when there is so much other property out there to destroy :

The message from Irvine Open Space and Irvine Ranch:

Several months ago the City of Irvine and the Irvine Ranch Conservancy suspended self guided mountain biking on monthly access days in the City of Irvine's Open Space Preserve. The reason, the level of unauthorized mountain biking was out of control in areas that were not open 7 days dawn to dusk.

The mountain bike community threw a fit. Mountain bike riders posted negative things on message boards, mountain bike clubs contacted us, mountain bike volunteers argued with us, but in the end the unauthorized mountain bike access declined. Once it declined self guided mountain biking was reinstated on the monthly self guided access days.

Within one week of reinstating self guided mountain biking to access days there was a spike in unauthorized mountain bike access and it still continues up to today This included:
Riders tearing down "closed for restoration" signs and riding through a restoration area. This area has been closed off for two years and is well on its way to being restored.
Illegal night riding Individual riders attending a docent led ride to then return on multiple occasions illegally. A rider scouting the reopening of a closed trail. Multiple riders riding past multiple "docent only area" signs.

The purpose of this e-mail is so all of you are aware of who these people are the next time the mountain biker user group is excluded from using an area. Do not blame the land owner or the land manager. Blame the these people, they are the one's responsible for much of the mountain biking problems in Orange County.

bretgross

It's a shame that a few 'outlaws' will end up ruining not only the sensitive areas, but the reputation of the entire MTB community.

A similar situation is taking place further to the south, this one involving roadies:

"Just want to bring this to your attention..there's a huge meeting on
base with senior personnel and some members of the military who are
cyclist and Military Police that will be meeting with the senior base
officials on Jan 26th to discuss cycling through Camp Pendleton numerous
complaints have been brought to their attention of cyclist not riding
single file (even in peleton size) the base regulations says single file
and would not change it to accomodate peloton size groups. On base we
are strict and we follow the rules. There are also complaints of cyclist
trashing the base as well. They are planning on shutting the base down
permanently to cyclist due to these concerns..you might want to let your
group know that on base is different from riding off base..."

We have met the enemy and it is us.

BoodBianchi

Thats BS. You should be able to ride whenever you want. Step it up!

azncarbos

I read and heard a lot about the Irvine Ranch problem before. For myself I actually mad at some of those mountain bikers becuase I actually work on restoring a lot of the plants and habitat for years.....

surfrider

What would be REALLY funny was if those MTB tresspassers were brought into court and charged under California Fish & Game regulations; F&G penalties are much more severe than simply tresspassing on private property! Bigger fines and more likely to get some jail time!

CritEastwood

Orange County "mountain bikers" are a joke, so the problems caused by them poaching is surprising?

Brandy

Hello sweeping generalization. How you doin'?

Why would you say that OC Mountain Bikers are a joke? That's like me witnessing a few roadies running lights on PCH or riding two or three abreast and saying that all lycra clad OC cyclists are A-holes.

There are some people that choose to follow the rules and unless you've personally met every OC mountain biker and can make that statement with some facts to back it up, I'd say that you're the joke. Or the A-hole. You choose.

Pamestique 

Not certain if this response was meant to be serious or a troll...

Like with road cyclists, there are good responsible mountain bikers and some bad. The responsible riders are involved in keeping the environment and trails in good shape. Many folks spend hours and hours restoring trails, habitate, volunteering etc. I can honestly say all the mountain bikers I know, obey the "rules" and ride responsibility. The sad thing is it that small group, like less than .5 percent of riders who ruin it for the rest of us. I am hoping to see bigger fines imposed if the guys are caught and arrested but frankly the best line of defense is the cycling community. When I see folks doing something wrong - I call them on it. Trust me... have gotten up in the face of roadies running red lights or stop signs and am not afraid to tell mountain bikers (hikers and equestrians) cutting trail is wrong. Somewhere along the line it became uncool to be responsible. How come?

This situation is really becoming a problem. It's not just in the Irvine/Bommer Canyon area but also up in Limestone and especially in Weir Canyon. Mountain lions are very active in that area. 1) illegal riders intrude on the lion's serenity and 2) lions are placed in danger when some silly rider gets themselve hurt and the lion has to be taken done because of it.

Sorry for my rant but I would like to see cyclists thought as "good humans" concerned about the natural resources around them.

BoodBianchi

What exactly is happening? Flowers are being destroyed, litter?

GP

Aren't they?

Jerome's from Colorado and you know those Colorado people. They think they're better bikers, skiers and drivers than Californians. Yet they move here.....

Pamestique 

Is this a serious question? Many of the areas that are being trespassed are sensitive wildlife areas. Unauthorized access not only interrupts normal animal activity but exposes them to hazards - for instance, someone is mauled by a lion - that lion will have to be killed. Riders are travelling down a corridor used by bobcats, keeping the bobcats from normal hunting activity etc. Then of course, is the illegal trail cutting and building. You probably don't think about this, but riding in a sensitive area (on any dirt trail actually) after a rain causes ruts, those ruts develop into deeper ruts and gulleys and eventually, especially with lots of rain, total trail erosion. And yes there is a litter issue. I have travelled down trails and licked up beer bottles, cigerette butts, toilet paper (the worse), empty paint balls and worse empty, shotgun shells. If we want out trails beautiful and pristine, last thing we want is beer bottle and butts! Not to mention the animals can eat said butts and get sick!

I would like to invite you on one of the rides and hikes through the area so you can get alittle education as to why we want to keep these areas safe...

BoodBianchi

I'm from Marin County, what do we know about mountain biking? Oh, we invented it. I'm used to pristine trails sorry. I'm asking because biking in socal has not been the same in both beauty and attitude. I would love to ride mountain down here and would love to help our cause....

Cam

Pamestique 

I started Mountain biking up north... I agree beautiful areas to ride. I actually rode Mt. Tam back in the days...

We are limited in So Cal - so it's much more important to try and preserve what little we have. There are beautiful places here to ride... different flavor than Nor Cal certainly but beautiful nonetheless and no less important environmentally.

If you ever come down this way I will hook you up for a ride... so you can see for yourself.

BoodBianchi

It would be nice to check out the beauty of socal. It seems to be more hidden in a sense and maybe I just don't know where to look? I am located in Chino and would take you up on your offer however I do not have a mtn bike, only road right now...

Rumpled

BoodBianchi
A ride down Santiago Canyon would give you views of some of what Pam is talking about. Carbon Canyon, closer to you is not too bad either.

Looking for some canyon hill climb? Head into Silverado Canyon and keep going. Past the USFS gate it's paved for 3 miles and steep. There is vehicle traffic usually, but not bad. There are some stream crossings, so wait a few days after big rains.

As far as IRC (or IRLR or IRLM or whatever the newest acronym is) look into the Hicks Haul Road time trial. A very unofficial time trial that goes up and over the Loma Ridge on a paved road. Not sure when the next one will be; check out the schedule.
Here are links to when I did it last year; check out the elevation as well
One way
Hicks Haul Road One Way
Round Trip
Hicks Haul Road Round Trip

There are plenty of great rides around here, keep your eyes out for suggestions.

CritEastwood

Limited is a fantastic word to describe the whole "scene" in Orange County. The trails are plagued with scenesters, the worst being the large and ecologically unsound group rides put on by schmendrick-laden online forums. I never knew how cool it was to call yourself a "mountain biker" before, only that it was fun to ride a bicycle on trails in the mountains and desert. The fact of the matter is that limited trail mileage and terrain limits just how much of a mountain biker one can be around OC. It's a joke.

JimmyNH

Wow! Beer, cigarettes, shotguns - these OC MTBikers know how to party! Maybe I must invest in a MTB. No, wait a minute - that explains why an old fart like me can pass these poor bastards on the road without even breaking sweat. Seriously Pam, you are a sweet heart, but do you really think all that litter is caused by the mountain bikers? Except for the toilet paper of course. I will probably shít myself too climbing these hills on a focken' MTB with knobby tyres and carrying that shotgun in my camelback.
Anyway, I'll take you up on that invitation if the beer is not Coors Light.

Rick@OCRR

Yes Jimmy,

You should get a mountain bike, an Orbea to match your road bike. Then you could join us on trail rides! I've ridden with Pam on the road, but never off - road, though I hope one day to ride one of her docent rides in Irvine.

I just hopes she makes you wear a helmet!

Rick / OCRR

Pamestique 

1) I never said the beer bottles were left by mountain bikers - if that was inferred I apologized. I know exactly who leaves the bottles - there are cameras everywhere on the ranch - it is mostly people who "hike" at night with guns looking for places to grow pot...

What the MTBikers do is cut illegal trail and scare off animals. That's bad enough.

And CritEastwood... I am doing Blackstar Saturday, why don't you come join me if you think there are no mountains to climb in Orange County. There is lots of great areas to ride. Between Laguna/El Moro/Aliso in the South, the whole Limestone/Fremont/Blind/Weir and bulk of the Santa Ana Mountains and then CHino Hills in the North. Orange County is blessed with good trails.

robertkat

It boggles my mind as to why these people insist on trespassing. If they see this as some sort of attack on the MTB people, then they are just jerks. I am pissed off at these people and say good job to the city for closing off the trails if they keep doing it. As for the Pendleton thing, well, it's a bit more involved than just litter and not riding single file. The heat was turned up a notch recently by an incident that involved a certain local club that I shall refrain from naming but I think we all know who it is.

JimmyNH

Hey Pam, did I sound that serious? There is noting to apologize for, I was just pulling your leg. Just don't mess around with Crit! He is a buddy of mine - you wanna fight him, you'll have to fight me too.
Rick, there are two things that will never happen in the cycling world - 1) me getting a MTB and 2) me riding a double century. The masochist in me is dead and buried!

Fat Boy

Let me guess. You personally invented the entire concept of mountain biking. Well thank you, Mr. Marin County, we all owe you a debt of gratitude. You know Marin County didn't invent self-righteous jerks, but they damn near have the market cornered.

Just curious, how old are you?

BoodBianchi

Cool.

Fat Boy

Lame.