Oakridge - small business & mtn biking trail development (Eugene: 2014, camp)

[LeeKopp]

How Mountain Biking Is Saving Small-Town, USA

https://www.outsideonline.com/218449...small-town-usa

[Metlakatla]

Oh please. Those mountain bikers spend money at the pub and that's it.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Oh please. Those mountain bikers spend money at the pub and that's it.

Where do you think they are eating and sleeping? Bikes, not just mountain bikes, are a big business in Oregon.

[McFrostyJ]

We see an awful lot of them up here at the resorts and the local restaurants in the summer time. They have helped the Mt Hood area in a big way.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Where do you think they are eating and sleeping? Bikes, not just mountain bikes, are a big business in Oregon.

Most of the ones who come to Oakridge seem to camp out and bring their own food with them. They're sometimes seen in the craft beer section of Ray's Market. The only local restaurant they patronize in any significant number is Brewer's Union (the pub I mentioned in my previous post). My family is five generations into the area now, so I think I know a little more about that situation that someone who's probably only driven through, if that. Plenty of local business owners will back me up on how they don't make a dime off the mountain bikers and resent them being referred to as saviors

The article is a joke, btw. Let's look at this statement:

According to one 2014 study, mountain bike tourism generated $98.6 million in goods and services a year for the town.

The "study" the article referenced made no such claim. I believe that figure was given as the overall spending in town for the period of one year with mountain bikers estimated to be responsible for about five percent, and that going primarily to three business (the pub, Oregon Adventures, and a local bike shop). Furthermore, the study doesn't provide any hard data and the guy just seems to be playing guessing games with the figures he's giving out.

With a value of all goods and services totaling $98.6 million,
mountain bike tourism accounts for up to 5% of the Oakridge economy

It's rather a shame to see that Outside magazine has gone this low. They used to offer fairly responsible journalism.

Pretty much everyone I know in Oakridge is tired of the mountain biking community trying to position themselves as the town's saving grace.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by McFrostyJ

We see an awful lot of them up here at the resorts and the local restaurants in the summer time. They have helped the Mt Hood area in a big way.

I'm more likely to see them sitting at picnic tables eating granola bars they bought in Eugene than anywhere else.

BTW, I'm not so sure mountain biking is so healthy in Oakridge these days. There's only going to be one weekend of Mountain Bike Oregon instead of the usual two.

[Currygirl]

Mountain bikes cause gullys and extreme erosion on the trails.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Currygirl

Mountain bikes cause gullys and extreme erosion on the trails.

I agree. I have never really understood the appeal of mountain biking. When I was younger, I used to hike in the mountains a lot. There is nothing quite like having a nice stroll in nature interrupted, and having to jump out of the way of a group of mountain bikes coming down a narrow two foot wide trail at 40 mph. Horses are a problem too, but at least they are not traveling 40 mph, and cutting a rut, down the middle of the trail.

That said, mountain biking is a very popular activity that is not going away soon. It has potential to generate a lot of business for Oregon. Unfortunately Oregon is a very anti-tourism state. So the tourism industry never gets developed.

[Thom52]

well, that is a phenomenal amount of anti bicycle BS and bigotry tossed down here.
One of the reasons I moved away from Western WA was the self-centered, "not something I do, so go away" attitude pervading that area in the name of being "Natural".

Using a bunch of unsupported and proven-to-be-wrong arguments, which are really just knee-jerk reactions against anything "different" that is not something they happen to do. 40mph on mtn bikes? Serious exaggeration. Even a good specially groomed and restricted to downhiller mtn bikers would be lucky to see those kinds of speeds on the fast stretches. Heavier wear? Like boots don't wear on trails?

Apparently I chose the right spot in Bend OR, where hikers and equestrians and bicycles are getting along just fine without the world coming to an end. Are there occasional jerks on Mtn bikes? Sure. Same as with hiker, equestrian and ORV groups. Education is the key, common courtesy is the solution for all the groups.

I hike, I road and mtn bike, and I have been an equestrian, and kayak. Horses are by far the most damage per person on the trail, by a long shot. I have lived in a "horse town" and can state that by first hand experience.

We have guests that are mtn bikers, hikers and pretty much all the Etc sports. In my experience, the hikers are the most miserly bunch, eating their granola bar and then leaving. The mtn bikers burn a lot of calories and tend to spend a lot of time in the local restaurants and breweries stoaking up for their next adventure.

I have seen the bigotry against bicycles for too many decades, and I am tired of it. I am having a great time living in Bend, being friendly to alternate modes of enjoying the trails when I am out hiking or biking. It sure feels good to just get along, instead of spending your life being bitter and resentful.
Just sayin'

[Metlakatla]

Why do you think that bigotry against bicycles exists? This isn't a rhetorical question -- I'm seriously interested in your answer.

I do know that in Oakridge, there was a real push for all businesses to jump on the mountain bike bandwagon, and there was resulting animosity that had nothing to do with anything other than the fact that people don't like being told how to run their businesses and what type of visitor to cater to.

Do you honestly think that mountain bikers burn more calories than other types of outdoor recreation enthusiasts? That question may be a bit on the rhetorical side...I agree that they're well-represented in breweries or other places where alcohol is served, but it's possible that not everyone considers that a plus. I've seen my share of people weaving away from Brewer's Union ...

My point remains...mountain bikers don't offer a good enough ROI to seriously impact the financials of most small towns in Oregon, Oakridge included. I have no liking or disliking for them as people. The same thing could be said of horseback riders, kayakers, and other groups, but those groups aren't trying to position themselves as economic saviors of supposedly dying timber towns.

Do you have any insight as to why Mountain Bike Oregon is only doing one weekend this year? That was actually a good event that I would like to see succeed.