I live on the South Downs and it is famed as a National Park. Plenty of visitors and plenty of cycle tyres and hob nail boots get onto those trails. The ramblers society have plenty of members nationwide and they organise trips to walk certain parts of trails. Imagine 60 to 100 sets of boots walking one footpath 6ft wide on a wet day-- Even worse is imagine the same number walking a muddy Bridlepath in one day. They would not keep to the designated 10ft wide path as it is muddy so before long- the path is 20ft wide. History lesson This has been going on since the middle ages- 14th century- on these established trails as No roads other than hard packed soil and you have to get your horse and cart to market in the next town. Historical problem that solves itself every year when spring and summer arrive.

And on water bottles- Never seen them on your bikes but over here MTB bottles have a cap to cover the spout. But camelbacks are the way to go. For health and for ease of use.

And on the power hose- I do use it but rarely. I am lazy but we have a wonderfull product over here called Rain and plenty of it. Normally the mud is washed off the bikes on the way home. That is not a poor picture- it is rain blurring the Pic. Mud does not stay on bikes when it is this wet.