Dirtbags at Otis

[RubbaBubba]

I spent the week of July 4th riding at Otis as I do every year. As anyone who has ridden there can attest, these are some of the best trails anywhere. (Props to CCNemba.) One afternoon midweek as I started out from the 151 trailhead I noticed rutted dirtbike tracks over the sand bank that's meant to impede vehicle traffic. These tracks continued through barking dog (including the newer section), halfpipe, star wars, mt. otis, etc. Basically every single trail. Then I heard the #$%#@ racing through the trails intentionally ripping the crap out of them. One pass-through caused years worth of damage. I tried to catch the bastid thought what I would have done besides go vice-presidential on him I can't say.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited on Bourne conservation land and these signs are conspicuously posted and routinely ignored. Does anybody out there have any ideas/connections/WMDs/ to stop this wanton trail destruction?

[mtbtom]

From what other people have written on this topic I understand that the trails around Otis are not on conservation land and thus there aren't any restrictions on type of usage - rather that the whole place is off limits to everyone.

I've pretty much written the place off as annihilated by motorized vehicles and will ride Trail of Tears when I head to the cape looking for good singletrack. Too bad because it was a great place to ride.

[RubbaBubba]

Don't right off Otis dude! The trails (and stunts) there are still awesome, even with the *&^% dirtbiker damage. In fact, one of the things that's probably needed is more MTB presence, not less.
I think that a good portion of the land is actually town of Bourne property and some is US military. CC locals would know this, but there are signs prohibiting motorized usage.

[Slider]

Well, RubbaBubba, with you and me not riding there much anymore, it'll take a while to pack those trails again!

But, since the sand is very packable, it'll happen. But lots of mountain bikes will help. And don't forget that it was the motos that first made the trails there. The Hound and Hare trail, that started it all, was part of a race course.

So, Rubba, have you left the Arkansas wilds for your annual Cape trip?

Slider

[CouchingTiger]

Yea, I wonder where all those twisty up/down trail at Otis came from anyhow?

-Couch

[RubbaBubba]

Hey Slidey, Otis could use one of your patented epidermal donations to fill in the dirtbike ruts! Unfortunately I am back in Bubbaville, having used up my one week of NE riding (plus a few days in VT and around Lake George). Got a good one in with ME at Womp, though GM was a no-show.
Couch, I agree w/ Scabber that Hare and Hounds was formed years and years ago by dirtbikes, but the rest of the mileage was laid out by and for MTBers, hundreds of hours of time, blood, sweat, vomit, tears, earwax, etc. SO, dirtbikers don't have a license to destroy the trails just because, decades ago, unrelated others might have forged a path in the wilderness.

[mtbtom]

From what I can tell the majority of trails as Otis have been "rebuilt" by mountain bikers - bench cuts have been installed on side hill trails that were eroding off the face of the earth and switchbacks were put in where there was once an unnavigable (for anything without a motor) eroding climb.

In addition there are a lot of new trails at Otis that were built by mountain bikers - most of these I would rank as the best trails in the area. I wonder if there's any chance dirt bikes can stop ruining these trails and stick to the trails they "built" ( or blazed as it may be ) in the 1970s ? ? ?

Basically, to say that the trails at Otis were built by dirt bikes in inaccurate.

The one positive thing I can say about dirt bikes: At least they aren't f^%cking QUADS.

[Slider]

Yes, the motos ruin carefully crafted trails, and we want them off. Absolutely.

My reminder was meant to paint a picture of the opposing perspective. They may think they "own" the place. As a former moto dude, I know that I was blissfully unaware of the trail damage I was doing. It was a point of pride to build up a good berm, and it meant I was hammering!

A good talking to is about all we can muster, though. We are all unofficial at Otis, so the glass house syndrome applies.

Slider

[iceman]

Just an idea, contact the envirolmental police and find out if it is actually conservation land and if it is report the buggers and allow the nature cops to make it costly to ride there. Again it's just a thought.

[vinnycactus]

I spent the week of July 4th riding at Otis as I do every year. As anyone who has ridden there can attest, these are some of the best trails anywhere. (Props to CCNemba.) One afternoon midweek as I started out from the 151 trailhead I noticed rutted dirtbike tracks over the sand bank that's meant to impede vehicle traffic. These tracks continued through barking dog (including the newer section), halfpipe, star wars, mt. otis, etc. Basically every single trail. Then I heard the #$%#@ racing through the trails intentionally ripping the crap out of them. One pass-through caused years worth of damage. I tried to catch the bastid thought what I would have done besides go vice-presidential on him I can't say.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited on Bourne conservation land and these signs are conspicuously posted and routinely ignored. Does anybody out there have any ideas/connections/WMDs/ to stop this wanton trail destruction?


I rode out there that week as well and did notice there had been more motorized use and that they put a rode in right down the middle of the power lines. Did I run into you out there? I was on a black Evil Imperial.

[RubbaBubba]

Hey Vinnycactus--Yeah, that was me. We talked for a bit about that burly looking Evil you were on. Man, pedaling that thing around Otis (or anywhere) ought to keep you in great shape. At least the dirtbikes haven't hit the bridges and ladders that you like so much.
Rubba

[vinnycactus]

You would be surprised how well a 40lb hardtail with a dual crown pedals. I actually ride it around Leominster State Forest alot too. Better to be over prepared than under prepared ;). But it is a total shame about the atv's out there. Vietnam was starting to have crazy atv issues as well to the point where you feared for your own safety but after the whole parking situation, that seems to have aliviated the problem. Thats a whole nother story.

Anytime you want to venture out and hit Leominster or Vietnam let me know. Where you at anyway?

[RubbaBubba]

I'd like nothing better than to ride 'Nam or Leominster, or Upton or Callahan for that matter. Unfortunately it's 1600 miles from here in Dixie to eastern Mass. I only get up that way a few times a year. And when I do, I sure hate to see dirtbike and ATV damage on the trails. That happens all the time down here.