MMBA
I decided to scrape off the MMBA sticker from the rear window of my vehicle. Why? I don’t support the organization anymore. I don’t see the benefit. The membership renewal came in the mail back in July and it still sits on my office desk unpaid. I haven’t seen much bang for the buck to renew.
Several cases in point.
#1 No significantly new trails within Michigan have been created in the past calendar year. Aside from the couple of miles within Rouge Park (not a destination trail), the MMBA hasn’t done squat. I still can’t ride in Waterloo or Indepence Oaks. Why give money to an organization that isn’t doing anything with it?
#2 The Moratorium at PLRA with the DNR has been stagnant for the past 3+ years. It’s a great trail, but it gave up so much to the equestrian group without so much of a reach-around. I ride there and think “what a priviledge” – all the cool trails have been handed over to a group that do practically zero volunteer work. I hardly see an equestrian out there in the first place, and they get an entire trail system to themselves? Oooh, trail conflict - the bikers will scare the horses. Yeah. My sweat equity went into building the trenches, but nothing’s changed in 3 years. Anything new at Highland? Island Lake (aside from a re-route or two)? What is the MMBA doing with all their contributions?
#3 When was the last trail day? How many trail days created new rideable trail? They were primarily just maintaining trails we already have – I could have (and have done) that in my spare time. The reality is - I have enough trouble finding time to maintain the shrubs in my backyard. No announcements, no big to do’s about the new sections at Stony, Bloomer or Bald Mountain. Talk of a Stony Creek skills park has been nothing but talk for the past 2 years. Talk minus action equals nothing. Is this advocacy or is the MMBA in the business of just landscaping existing trails?
#4 Maybury. Like I give a rat’s ass about riding Maybury in the wintertime, but the DNR has decided the medical waste depository is sacred ground, and the soil is so sensitive that mountain bike tires would ruin it for years to come, even though it’s covered in a blanket of snow and ice.
The current MMBA committee has bent over backwards for the DNR, and smile their shit eating grins from being denied the right to ride on a trail that clearly wouldn’t be affected by a few dozen bikers riders riding a couple times in the winter over an ice field. WTF? I should pay money to an organization to have them represent me when they sit back and let the DNR spew crap about “precious glacier soil MIGHT get damaged to MTB’ers (but not necessarily hikers or other users)”
The MMBA’s supposed mission is to create new trails for MTB’ers to ride and maintain the ones they have. All I see is NO new trails in the past 3 years, and the MMBA begging for permission to fix the ones they have. It seems like they have their proverbial heads up their asses.
I’ll ride Maybury in the winter if I freaking feel like it and plead ignorance if I get caught. After all, there won’t be a MMBA sticker on my car to imply that I know better. The MMBA has become as beaucratic and useless as IMBA and NORBA. My $25 membership fee would be better spent on tires and chain lube.
Several cases in point.
#1 No significantly new trails within Michigan have been created in the past calendar year. Aside from the couple of miles within Rouge Park (not a destination trail), the MMBA hasn’t done squat. I still can’t ride in Waterloo or Indepence Oaks. Why give money to an organization that isn’t doing anything with it?
#2 The Moratorium at PLRA with the DNR has been stagnant for the past 3+ years. It’s a great trail, but it gave up so much to the equestrian group without so much of a reach-around. I ride there and think “what a priviledge” – all the cool trails have been handed over to a group that do practically zero volunteer work. I hardly see an equestrian out there in the first place, and they get an entire trail system to themselves? Oooh, trail conflict - the bikers will scare the horses. Yeah. My sweat equity went into building the trenches, but nothing’s changed in 3 years. Anything new at Highland? Island Lake (aside from a re-route or two)? What is the MMBA doing with all their contributions?
#3 When was the last trail day? How many trail days created new rideable trail? They were primarily just maintaining trails we already have – I could have (and have done) that in my spare time. The reality is - I have enough trouble finding time to maintain the shrubs in my backyard. No announcements, no big to do’s about the new sections at Stony, Bloomer or Bald Mountain. Talk of a Stony Creek skills park has been nothing but talk for the past 2 years. Talk minus action equals nothing. Is this advocacy or is the MMBA in the business of just landscaping existing trails?
#4 Maybury. Like I give a rat’s ass about riding Maybury in the wintertime, but the DNR has decided the medical waste depository is sacred ground, and the soil is so sensitive that mountain bike tires would ruin it for years to come, even though it’s covered in a blanket of snow and ice.
The current MMBA committee has bent over backwards for the DNR, and smile their shit eating grins from being denied the right to ride on a trail that clearly wouldn’t be affected by a few dozen bikers riders riding a couple times in the winter over an ice field. WTF? I should pay money to an organization to have them represent me when they sit back and let the DNR spew crap about “precious glacier soil MIGHT get damaged to MTB’ers (but not necessarily hikers or other users)”
The MMBA’s supposed mission is to create new trails for MTB’ers to ride and maintain the ones they have. All I see is NO new trails in the past 3 years, and the MMBA begging for permission to fix the ones they have. It seems like they have their proverbial heads up their asses.
I’ll ride Maybury in the winter if I freaking feel like it and plead ignorance if I get caught. After all, there won’t be a MMBA sticker on my car to imply that I know better. The MMBA has become as beaucratic and useless as IMBA and NORBA. My $25 membership fee would be better spent on tires and chain lube.
posted by Circus Freak at 12:56 AM
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