Middlesex Fells article in June 13 Boston Globe

Hi all,

Ran across an interesting article about the Middlesex Fells north of Boston in today's Boston Globe. Seems that hikers, bikers and dog walkers are fighting for rights and/or exclusivity. Here is the link:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/06/13/hikers_bikers_dog_walkers_dispute_use_of_middlesex_fells_reservation/

Personally, I have never been bothered by dogs or mountain bikers sharing the trails with me in my hikes in the Fells.

Marty

Yes, feelings are running high here in the suburbs. Dog people (many are hikers too!) and bikers may need to align in self-defense against the Friends of the Fells who state flatly that we are harming the land, though evidence is in short supply.

I don't believe that the Skyline trail or the Cross Fells trail should be open for biking due to boulders, steepness, and wet areas: in addition, there's eternal incompatibility among those who go at different speeds. On the other hand, when we hikers/dog walkers invade the bike trails, 99% of the bikers don't try to run us over.

There's a lot less dog poop lying around, too, mostly in the first 100 feet or so out of the parking lots. Many of us are trying to educate and are also picking up other dogs' leavings, especially when the owner has bagged it and then leaves it behind.

The bottom line is, if a dog's always leashed, he can't possibly get the exercise he needs, especially if the owner's not also a hiker (I just thought of Lauky and the rest - exceptions).

audrey said:

Many of us are trying to educate and are also picking up other dogs' leavings, especially when the owner has bagged it and then leaves it behind.

Click to expand...

Speaking for myself only -

a) thank you
b) I do the "leave behind" on occasion with the intention that I'll pick the bag up again on our way out. (I bury Augie's poop if he goes well inside the fells. If we're near the lot I'll bag, but I don't want to carry a bag of poo with me for an hour so when he goes near an entrance)

I don't think there's any way the DCR can come up with a plan that everyone will like - it's just not possible. Each constituency has at least a small subset of people who have a "MINE!" view of the Fells, and each has a subset that don't care if their behavior has a negative impact on the people around them.

Sadly, I think some of those folks are the most vocal.

If they all only knew how close Lynn Woods is =)