They did not discuss the fact that, until recently, a climb like this would have reduced them both to gasping wrecks. Or that their brisk pace would only have been possible for world-class athletes.

Their secret? Tiny electric motors tucked between the pedals that quietly quadrupled their leg power.

Across California, electric bikes are proliferating at an astonishing rate as overwhelmed public officials struggle to rewrite the rules of the road.

Nowhere is the tension more obvious than in once-tranquil parks and on remote mountain trails, where people go to escape the maddening march of technology.

The intrusion of e-bikes, with their faint but unmistakable electric whine, is sparking a fierce backlash from traditional trail users and forcing land managers into a confusing new debate over safety and fairness.

To many longtime riders, the whole thing feels like sacrilege.

Traditional mountain bikers are among the most hardcore of adventure athletes. Surfers and skiers land in water or snow when they wipe out; a mountain biker who loses control flying down a steep trail risks going head first into a tree or skidding across sharp, unforgiving rocks.

And going downhill is the fun part. The long, slow, excruciating climbs are what make so many quit the sport.

Which is why traditionalists get a little salty when lesser athletes on e-bikes blow past them ascending steep slopes — sometimes expending so little effort they could have a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other.

E-bikers are “soft, weak humans” who “disgrace the sport,” according to one recent post on a Facebook page devoted to mountain biking. Others have called for banning any bike with a motor from dirt trails altogether.

Suddenly, these fearless and intimidating souls who spent decades fighting for their right to ride on public land — regardless of what anyone else wanted — sound like so many gate-keeping trail Karens.

They’re not alone. Federal, state and local land regulators are struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing technology while managing the conflicts it creates.

Traditional mountain bikers resent e-bikers. Hikers, who already worry about bikes flying down narrow trails, now have to worry about e-bikes flying up from behind. People on horseback, or those out for a quiet stroll with their dogs, wish everyone on wheels would just stay home.

Meanwhile, the bikes themselves are changing faster than the rules that govern them.

Early e-mountain bike designs offer relatively modest “pedal assist,” boosting a rider’s effort until they reach about 20 miles per hour — more than enough power on narrow dirt trails.

Newer designs push speeds closer to 30 mph, enabling riders to keep pace with city traffic. Others have throttles and require no pedaling at all — they’re essentially electric motorcycles capable of hitting 60 mph.

The result is a baffling spectrum of machines so hard to tell apart that some public land regulators are drawing an equally hard line.

Rancho Palos Verdes allows traditional, “analog” bikes on its extensive trail network within a nature preserve overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but prohibits e-bikes entirely. In Los Angeles, city officials are considering an e-bike ban on all equestrian, hiking and recreational trails while allowing them on dedicated bike paths.

State parks are trying to find the middle ground with a more fragmented approach, allowing pedal-assisted e-bikes that provide a boost up to 20 mph almost everywhere in Chino Hills, for example, but restricting them to just a handful of trails at Crystal Cove.

The goal is to “proceed cautiously, with resource protection and visitor safety being paramount,” said Adrien Contreras, assistant deputy director of parks for the state of California. Officials want to let people enjoy themselves, but not at the expense of turning quiet trails into “full throttle” freeways.

Consistent enforcement is tricky, however.

“You never have enough staff to monitor every bit of the trails,” Contreras said.

Contreras understands both sides of the debate. He grew up riding BMX bikes and still likes to hop on an old-fashioned bike when he wants some exercise. But about a year ago, he bought an e-bike “that I love dearly,” he confessed.

He rides it on paved trails near his home in Sacramento.

“It’s great when you’re just trying to get somewhere and you don’t want to show up all sweaty,” he said. “And I absolutely understand if all you want to do is get out and explore — what a wonderful way to experience the parks.”

But he walks his dogs on the same paths he rides, and he worries about getting run over by groups of kids who “absolutely bomb down the trail” on powerful e-bikes.

“So it’s something I experience in my day-to-day life,” he said. “Something that I’m always navigating.”

Craig Lester, founder of Malibu Mountain Bikers, leads e-bike tours in the Southern California hills. Like so many others, he used to consider electric motors “cheating” — until his son turned 13 and he could no longer keep up.

“I didn’t really have an option other than to go get an e-bike,” Lester said.

He ticked through the familiar arguments in the new technology’s favor: E-bikes make the sport accessible regardless of age, injury or fitness. They encourage people to ride farther, faster and more often. And they benefit the environment if people use them for errands instead of hopping into gas-guzzling cars.

But the real appeal is simpler than all of that — they’re just so much fun.

In less than three hours, we covered nearly 14 miles and climbed almost 3,300 feet, with plenty of stops to chat and admire the scenery. We never broke more than a mild sweat.

Most of our mileage was on fire roads, but we also rode narrow trails, rolling over boulders and logs with the help of the wide tires, plush suspension and, of course, electric motors.

In places, the terrain was so steep and loose that it would have been hard to climb on foot, and hopeless on a regular bike. With the motor, one enhanced pedal stroke was all it took to realize that going up would be every bit as easy and addictive as coming down.

It felt like a superpower — like you had stolen something from the universe.

For Lester, the biggest challenge isn’t the terrain. It’s the maddening patchwork of regulations.

“In one ride, you might cross six or seven jurisdictions, and they all have different rules on e-bikes,” he said.

He tries to stick to federal land because it’s usually the simplest, he said. Managers typically allow low-power, pedal assist e-bikes wherever analog bikes are permitted.

E-bikes are becoming so common that he doesn’t worry about raised eyebrows from other trail users anymore. Almost everyone is friendly if you slow down and say hi, he said.

“And if you’re really exceeding the limits and flying around blind corners, they have a right to yell at you,” he said.

If only regulators were so easy to charm. Under pressure to ensure safety above all else, Lester worries they’ll decide it’s easier to ban everything than to sort through the nuances.

“All it would take is one serious injury,” he said. “One really bad case could ruin this for everyone.”

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With the full support of their families, the young winners proudly received certificates of recognition from the Mayor, who expressed his admiration for their accomplishments. “It is an honor to stand before these young individuals today,” the Mayor said. “They represent the bright future of our community, and their dedication to pursuing positive, healthy activities like this fishing tournament is something we should all celebrate. These kids are not only enjoying the outdoors, but they’re also showing us the power of persistence, teamwork, and a love for nature. They hold the future in their hands, and it’s up to all of us to support and nurture their growth.”

The event saw families arriving in full support, and the pride and joy in the air were palpable as each winner was acknowledged. Parents, siblings, and relatives filled the City Council chamber, sharing in the pride of seeing their children recognized for their achievements. The young anglers beamed with excitement as they were honored by the city, and many shared how meaningful the recognition was to them.

“We are so proud of our children and grateful to the City of San Jacinto for recognizing their hard work,” said one parent in attendance. “It’s great to see the city taking time to support these kinds of activities. It’s not just about the competition, but about fostering a healthy lifestyle and sense of accomplishment in our youth.”

The Fall Fishing Tournament, held at the picturesque Golden Era Golf Course, was part of a larger initiative to encourage outdoor recreation and community engagement. Many local Community groups contributed to this event with the Greater San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce. The Mayor emphasized that activities like these help to instill values that will benefit the young participants for years to come, both personally and within the community.

“Today’s recognition is more than just an award,” the Mayor added. “It’s about building community spirit and supporting our future leaders. By investing in the next generation, we are creating a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant San Jacinto.”

The City of San Jacinto in tandem with the Greater San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce looks forward to continuing to support youth initiatives that promote both personal growth and community well-being.

For more information about upcoming community events, please visit the Greater San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce official website at www.gsjvchamber.com

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The 2-day trout derby ultimately drew 491 anglers, which is even more impressive considering the fact the Big Trout Campout was up against the Eastern Sierra trout opener (April 27). Right out of the gates, every registered angler grabbed a giveaway bag containing PowerBait, Thomas Buoyant lures and Rooster Tails, then it was off to hit a heavily-stocked Hemet Lake for a shot at great sponsor prizes and cash. Like all WON family fishing events, catching the biggest or most fish was not the only way to get your hands on prizes at the Big Trout Campout. In fact, the biggest prize – an aluminum Marlon boat matched with a 9.9 hp Suzuki outboard – was among the raffles prize, and all registered anglers were automatically entered for that stuff. There were prizes awarded to the top 5 adults and juniors for the heaviest 2-day total weights, the overall big fish, and there were Blind Bogey cash payouts spread across both days.

Stephen Guerra stood as the overall winner with a 2-day total weight of 23.04 pounds, a bag anchored by an 8.53-pound rainbow caught on Day 1 which also stood as the overall Big Fish of the Big Trout Campout. He narrowly edged out second-place finisher Martin Diaz who weighed in 22.63 pounds of Lake Hemet trout. As for the spoils of victory. Guerra claimed the first place spoils and also the Sea Eagle FishSUP Deluxe inflatable fishing paddleboard that was earmarked for the overall big fish. Like most Campout anglers, Guerra did most of his damage on Day 1 (19.33 pounds) with only 3.71 pounds added to the total on Day 2 when fishing got tough. Those were the only two bags weighing over 20 pounds, but five tipped the scale at over 15 pounds and all the weights in the top 25 were in double digits.

Like Lake Havasu Striper Derby and other family-fishing tournaments put on by WON, Suzuki had a huge presence at the Lake Hemet Big Trout Campout. Along with providing the outboard for the grand raffle prize boat, Suzuki once again powered the Suzuki Spin-to-Win prize wheel with $2,000 cash to be distributed based on whatever amount the wheel landed on (Yes there is a $2,000 spot, and yes, someone has landed on it before). Anglers who get their number called via the raffle come up to spin until the Suzuki money is all gone, and it always seems to be the most raucous portion of the award ceremony, whatever the venue. The funny thing is, the Suzuki Spin to Win Wheel was originally supposed to be a one-event deal, but it was so well received it has become a regular thing, literally by popular demand.

The winner of that Marlon/Suzuki boat-and-motor Grand Prize was Martin Diaz Jr. who had it quite a bit better than any other boat raffle winner in a WON event. While everyone has an equal shot at winning and it’s completely unaffected by how well you fished in the event, Diaz happened to be the second-place winner. That is the highest finish for an angler that was also the Grand Prize winner in the history of WON’s family events.

When the dust settled on the Big Trout Campout, all involved with producing and running the tournament were confident that everyone had a good time, stoked that there were no logistical headaches and fired up about the 2025 installment of the event. If you don’t want to wait that long for a trout derby with a similar vibe, mark your calendars for the long-running WON Big Bear Troutfest slated for October 5-6. A boat and motor is always up for grabs there, the Suzuki Spin-to-Win cash wheel will be there, and a legendary fishery in a spectacular setting will be packed with trout and ready to host another great time on the water.

Keep an eye on the TOURNAMENTS tab at WONews.com for these and all other events produced by WON.

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The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, in collaboration with local libraries, has launched the RivCoParks Library Pass program to provide county residents free day-use access to county parks, hiking trails, picnic areas, and nature preserves.

The program began as an effort to close the “nature gap” in communities that may not have access to outdoor recreational facilities due to economic and racial disparities, officials said last week.

“We are proud to introduce the RivCoParks Library Pass program, which is intended to close the nature gap. The program represents a significant step towards ensuring that all residents, regardless of background or income, have equal access to the recreational opportunities throughout Riverside County,” Parks Director Kyla Brown said Wednesday.

To obtain a pass, residents can check one out for the day at a participating library and enjoy numerous amenities including regional parks, lakes, educational programs, historic sites and open-space areas.

“Parks are for everyone. All Riverside County residents should be able to experience all that our RivCo parks system have to offer,” Board of Supervisors Chair Chuck Washington said. “These parks passes will allow residents to expand their knowledge of the world around them while exploring many of the natural spaces throughout our diverse county.”

The launch of the program coincides with Earth month, which aims for awareness of environmental causes and appreciation for nature in the month of April.

More information about a list of participating libraries can be found at www.Rivcoparks.org/library-park-pass, or by calling the RivCoParks guest services team at 800-834-7275.

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Research shows access to the outdoors may contribute significantly to better health and well-being and VA wants to learn how it can best integrate outdoor experiences into its Whole-Health approach to providing care to Veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors. 

“We want to use this opportunity to understand how VA can work closely with Veterans outdoor recreation groups that have been leading the way in using outdoor experiences to help their fellow Veterans heal and stay healthy,” said Deputy Assistant Undersecretary for Health for Patient Care Services Maria Llorente, M.D. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners in making outdoor recreation a foundational piece of VA’s world-class, Whole-Health-based care.”

As part of this request for information, VA is asking individuals, groups and entities involved in providing Veterans outdoor recreation to submit comments, from Feb. 23 to March 25, to help guide the work of strengthening the relationship between VA and managers of public lands, identifying barriers that may prevent Veteran access to public lands to augment delivery of health and wellness services, and making recommendations to address those barriers.

The notice of request for public comment is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register Wednesday, Feb. 23. However, an unofficial version of the document is available for viewing, Tuesday, Feb. 22, at Federal Register public-inspection 2022-03734 request for information on Veterans outdoor recreation. The official version of this document, supporting documents and additional information about this document is scheduled to publish the morning of Feb. 23.

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