WASHINGTON POST • March 5, 2023
Who gets to use the trails on this country’s public land? And how should they do it? The latest debate is about e-bikes. With battery-assisted pedaling, e-bikes allow more people to enjoy nature, including those whose age or disability might otherwise make them unable to venture into these natural settings. On those terms, e-bikes should be celebrated and welcomed. But critics — and there are many in the backcountry — complain that the increasingly popular e-bikes physically degrade trails. It’s my duty, I suppose, to make nice with the upstart riders on the trails. But the increase in traffic makes me want to get away from the crowds. That presents a quandary. ~ Maddy Butcher