The environmentalists who want to close off everything to anyone except, well, themselves, are being unreasonable and a little weird. On the other hand, it is certainly true that a single motorcycle engine can puncture calm, natural silences for miles around.

There is a LOT of nature out there, and I see no problems with dividing the uses up on public land and separating the two. Hikers should make allowances for nonmotorized bicycles. And maybe some noise standards could be generated for motor vehicles allowed on public land.

I have long wondered why they can't make quieter engines, and looking at the technology I have come to the conclusion that they long ago had solutions for this, including scrapping two-stroke engines, but that bikers wouldn't BUY a quiet bike. The loud engine is part of the experience for many people, I guess. Cripes, the SUV down the street is almost totally silent as it pulls out, and it's got hundreds of horsepower.

Of course, like many other issues, this wouldn't even be an issue if the land was private, but that's another story.