I commend you, PUMP, and your persistence in working with the Friends of Forest Park. However, I\'m frustrated at the lack of communication and planning. I visit the PUMP site regularly and despite it\'s recent update, I am hard pressed to find a real set of goals outlined that will help get us there. The site says PUMP is commited to \"promote, protect and enhance mountain biking\" but I see very little planning to achieve these goals. I have voluteered, I have attended meetings, and I have initiated conversations. And everytime I am assured, \'we have a plan\', but I never see it. If you have a plan, why not post your big plans on your site? Why not communicate what exactly you plan to do and how you plan to get it done. I want to help, but until I see and understand a series of steps to get there, I can\'t do anything. I am guessing there are many others like me, frustrated at the current situation. Without leadership and guidance, we can\'t volunteer. Take a look at the WTF site, http://www.westsidetrailfederation.org/, they have a vision and it\'s up for all to see. I can see the next steps there, and I know my time will be well spent. Please PUMP, get more organized, PORTLAND NEEDS YOU.

I am critical because I care.
Coaster

IMBA and Portland United Mountain Pedalers wish to congratulate the city of Portland on achieving the League of American Bicyclists\' Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community award, the first large city in the country to be awarded this status. Portland is a community that values bicycles for transportation and recreation. From innovative bicycle facility designs to PedalPalooza, the city effervesces with a vibrant, two-wheeled, human-powered culture that is second to none.

Although the accolades are well deserved, the mountain bicycling community believes there is still work to be done in Portland. Specifically, we call for better access to city parks and recreation areas for off-road riding. While other large cities -- including Seattle, Philadelphia, Austin and even New York -- have quality mountain bicycling experiences right in the center of their cities, Portland does not. Nor does Portland currently have a comprehensive strategy to provide opportunities for off-road cyclists. Of the 40 miles of non-paved trails in the city\'s parks, there are less than 6.5 miles of singletrack. Only a quarter mile of trail in Portland has been built specifically for mountain biking.

Citizens Formulating Mountain Biking Action Plan
To address the lack of riding opportunities, a citizens\' group has teamed up with IMBA and Portland-based trail planning professionals Alta Planning + Design to analyze the potential for new trail opportunities in and around Portland. The group will consider diverse options, such as building \"daisy-chain\" greenway links to give access to singletrack trails, following the lead of Seattle\'s innovative model facility at Colonnade, and various public/private partnership projects. Connecting to Portland\'s bicycling transportation infrastructure will promote \"ride to ride\" cycling opportunities. These actions could produce substantial new mountain biking facilities for Portland in less than 4 years.

Portland loves finding unique solutions to its bicycle issues. This is the spirit that makes Portland a Platinum Community. But we\'re not going to rest on our laurels. How do we get more people on bikes? How do we grow as a cycling community? We fill the void in mountain biking opportunities, so that Portland continues to expand its potential as a fantastic cycling community.

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PUMP is ready to help the city through this new coalition with IMBA and Alta planning maintain the Platinum status it has earned by increasing mountain bike access in Portland.

Shane Gould
Board Member Portland United Mountain Pedalers

PUMP is making great strides in getting single track on track in Forest Park. It won\'t happen overnight because of the political, planning and permitting process, but it looks like it\'s going to happen in time. PUMP and Friends of Forest Park are already discussing where to incorporate new single track.

Come out tomorrow morning and join us in doing trail construction on Newton Road. We are going to be building some cool new improvements to the trail.

Come out and work with PUMP to help make single track a reality.

PUMP is starting things up with their trail in Forest Park, and more power to them, but I\'m not even interested in riding it because it is so short. Instead I\'m forced to drive a minimum of 1 hour to get to a trail of any real length.

I\'ve read from reputable sources before that Portland has the largest park area (Forest Park) of any other decent sized city in the country, and yet there is next to no single track for mountain bikes (again, I\'m very excited about what PUMP is doing, but it\'s just too small at this point through no fault of their own [read city government\'s fault].

If you haven\'t heard Chris Distefano’s speech then listen to it, it sums up things very well.

http://bikeportland.org/2007/05/09/committee-hears-case-for-mountain-biking-in-portland/

now maybe i don\'t have to move back to Florida to ride singletrack.

I am ready to help.

I too was surprised at the lack of MTB opportunities when I moved here. I\'ve also been surprised at the pace of accepting MTB\'s within Forest Park.

It\'s time for the bird-watchers to share OUR beautiful park with other trail users. We need \'built for MTB\' trails to prevent user conflict! We need new voluteer\'s to help build and maintain those trails! And we need an organized group with goals and planning to actively engage the \'powers that be\' in order to secure our rights to access!

Let\'s get started!

I guess I am not surprised that another contingency has emerged to take on the single track task with the popularity of freeride and urban riding. Think about how reserved everyone was 10 years ago when skateboarders wanted skate parks. Now every community wants one.

I have been very interested in single track within other areas of the city, specifically the west hills. There is great potential around OSHU, Terwilliger, etc.