July 16th, 2014

) and local mountain bikers and Sacred Rides. There has been a lot of misinformation spread, and unfortunately, a lot of us-versus-them mentality. Over the past week, there has been a significant public relations battle being waged (see here here and here for examples), between St. John’s area hikers (mainly via the East Coast Trail Association, or ECTA

As the owner/founder of Sacred Rides, and as someone who has helped to bring mountain biking to many areas around the world, I take pleasure in seeing the sport grow. I have a firm belief in mountain biking as a force for good in the world, and while promoting that growth, I try to do my best to ensure that we are operating in a manner that is respectful to local communities and stakeholders. As a key part of our operations, we have contributed (and continue to contribute) to mountain bike clubs, community projects, environmental organizations, and other stakeholder organizations around the world, in an effort to develop tourism that realizes benefits for all.

has engaged in a public relations war against Sacred Rides and against the local mountain bike community, and has drawn a firm ‘line in the sand’, stating that the East Coast Trail is for hikers only, and not to be enjoyed by mountain bikers. I find this stand very disappointing, as I firmly believe that the outdoors, and trails in particular, are there to be enjoyed by many different trail user groups, provided those users are prepared to enjoy the trails in a responsible manner and with respect for other user groups. With respect to our operations in the St. Johns, Newfoundland area , the ECTA

With that in mind, I would like to clarify a few things regarding our operations in the St. John’s area and along the East Coast trail:

a) Sacred Rides was invited to St. Johns’s in November of 2013 by local tour operator Ken Sooley of CapeRace Adventures, with the support of the Newfoundland Department of Tourism, to explore the suitability of the area as a destination for mountain bike tourism. I attended a 3-day exploratory FAM tour of the area and met with Tourism Newfoundland to discuss the area’s suitability as a mountain bike tourism destination (which I looked upon very favourably).

b) After that visit, Ken Sooley, as Sacred Rides’ local representative, reached out to the East Coast Trail Association in Feb. 2014 to discuss the potential for shared use along the East Coast Trail (ECT), with an eye towards designing and developing a shared use model, along with an offer to contribute to trail maintenance and funding. We were met with a firm no, and no offer or desire to engage and discuss how we might work together. Read the initial letter here , and follow up letters in March April and July

c) Our proposal was for shared use along 12km (out of over 265km total) of the ECT, with caps on yearly numbers of trips, total guests per trip, and total days on the ECT. We, and local mountain bikers, do not seek access to the entire trail. Local mountain bikers are seeking access to the coastline areas that are yet to be developed, and want to convert back one trail section that is 12km in length to accommodate many users - the section of trail that we seek to use on our tours.

A side note: there has been significant misinformation about our recent use of the trail, with some articles and people stating that on July 12-14 we had a large group using extensive sections of the ECT. In fact, we only had one client (plus guide), and only used approximately 8km of the ECT, and did not use the especially contentious Cape Spear portion of the trail.

d) The argument that ‘The East Coast Trail is for hikers only’, repeated by myriad ECTA members and in the media, bears no legal weight. The ECTA’s licence, schedule “C”, item 13 states “The License does not convey exclusive use of the trail and the License Holder must not restrict or prevent public use of the trail". In summary, the License governs only the East Coast Trail Association’s usage of the land, not public usage.

Additionally, most of the ECT lies on public (i.e. crown land), and there is no legislation barring mountain bikes from crown land.

f) Numerous locals have pointed out to us that many sections of trail on the ECT predated the existence of the ECTA, and that mountain bikers used many sections of this trail before it was converted to single use by the ECTA; it is our belief that it is patently unfair for the ECTA to express sole jurisdiction over trails that have existed for decades, and exclude other user groups.

g) We recognize and respect the ECTA’s claim that the maintenance and upkeep of the trail has occurred mainly through member volunteer hours, however it is our opinion that this does not give the ECTA the right to exclude other user groups from being able to use and contribute to the ongoing maintenance of those trails. The ECTA is an organization that is largely funded by taxpayer dollars, operating on (mostly) public land, whose funding has allowed them to develop a large member base, and subsequently a large volunteer base. We - and the local mountain bike community - would also like the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of the trail but are being prevented from doing so by sustained pressure from the ECTA.

i) We have received extensive support from St. John’s citizens (both mountain bikers and non-mountain-bikers), asking us to continue advocating for shared use of the ECT. Shared use is a model that has been successfully adopted by many jurisdictions and governance bodies, including Parks Canada, allowing for trail enjoyment by many different types of users.

j) The argument that mountain bikes destroy trails is not a sound one. Studies have shown that the impact of mountain bikes is no greater than that of foot traffic, especially when users follow IMBA guidelines for trail use (which we advocate to our clients).

k) Mountain bikers and hikers using the same trail do not automatically pose a safety risk, as many have claimed. Responsible trail use - something we advocate strongly for - means respecting other trail users: notifying others when we are approaching, dismounting when necessary, and maintaining low speeds. There are thousands of shared-use trails around the world where hikers and mountain bikers have coexisted peacefully for decades.

Under shared use agreements, there are myriad possibilities for addressing safety risks and other concerns, including limiting certain user groups (e.g. mountain bikers) to certain sections of trail, limiting hours/days of use, and/or enforcing usage guidelines (e.g. requiring mountain bikers to dismount when encountering hikers). Hikers’ concerns can be addressed in the spirit of respectful, open dialogue, and enforced by local authorities.

The vast majority of mountain bikers are respectful trail users - and many are also hikers who understand hikers’ concerns vis-a-vis mountain bikers. It is possible for mountain bikers and hikers to share trails without adversely impacting each others’ enjoyment of the trail, and thousands of examples around the world have shown how this is possible. We recognize that there is a population of mountain bikers - both in St. John's and around the world - that do not ride responsibly or respectfully. But there are also disrespectful hikers - and it is our hope that we can play a part in educating local mountain bikers on proper trail etiquette, especially vis-a-vis other users such as hikers.

l) ECTA members have pointed out that allowing mountain bikes to use the ECTA will shatter the tranquility of the trail and negatively affect their experience. Mountain biking is not an inherently noisy activity. Other than the sound of tires on dirt, the occasional chain slap against the frame, and the odd brake squeak, mountain biking is a relatively quiet activity.

m) The argument that opening the trail to mountain bikers then logically opens it up to motorized users does not hold water. One could then logically argue that opening up the areas of the East Coast Trail to foot traffic is now opening it up to mountain bikers.

Use of public land - in Canada at least - is a debate and discussion that occurs in the public realm, among our democratic institutions: municipal/regional/national governments, land use bodies, the media and other public realms.

Although imperfect, in the end the debate usually leads to a solution that works in some measure for everyone, rather than a model where one group benefits at the expense of all others. And in the end, the battle for the use of the ECT will take place in the press, among governing bodies, and among hearts and souls - precisely the way democracy is intended to work.

We are all outdoor lovers who wish to experience the beauty of this world using our preferred mode of transportation. Around the world there are countless instances where shared use models allow for responsible and enjoyable trail use by many different types of trail users. Contrary to popular perception, most mountain bikers (and certainly our clientele) are responsible adults, often in their 40s and 50s: people with jobs, families, kids, and a deep respect for the natural world. I’ll be the first to admit mountain biking has an image problem, but the stereotype of the mountain biker that members of the ECTA seem to want to perpetuate - young, brash, reckless - does not jibe with reality.

We have reached out repeatedly to try and engage with the ECTA to discuss a shared use model for the trail, one that would respect the ECTA’s concerns, provide funding for future development and maintenance, and respect all trail users. The ECTA has proved unwilling to engage or negotiate, leaving us little choice but to move ahead without the ECTA’s blessing.

We are not simply looking to, as many people claim, make massive profits off of the use of the ECT (anyone who believes that mountain bike tour companies are making massive profits clearly doesn't understand the mountain bike tourism industry) - at most we are looking for room to operate six 3-day trips per year, at a maximum of 8 clients each. We are prepared to devote a significant portion of that revenue to the ongoing upkeep and development of the ECT, a situation that we feel will be a win-win for everyone. The impact of our operations on the trail would be negligible, especially when compared to the numbers of mountain bikers that are already using the trail every year.

We will continue to reach out to the ECTA to negotiate and engage, with the hopes of developing a shared use model that can serve as a template for peaceful coexistence, and for other shared use agreements across the province and other jurisdictions. Should the court of public opinion and/or governing bodies demand overwhelmingly that we cease operations on the East Coast Trail, we are prepared to do so and will do so.

But it is my hope that in the end we can move past us-versus-them thinking, enjoy this beautiful resource together, and that the real winners will be the citizens and city of St. John’s and the province of Newfoundland.

Yours,

Mike Brcic, founder,

Sacred Rides