Originally Posted by
gauvins
I am not familiar with the history of hiker/biker dedicated camping sites, but it has the smell of a public policy initiative (i.e. provide an incentive to exercise) rather than a way to promote tourism (or to keep the ranger busy). The obesity crisis is real, and costly, and any tool that may be used to get people to burn calories and get fit is worth considering.
Back to the OP -- it might make sense to suggest that Canada Parks take some inspiration from the NPS. If I am not mistaken, the more visible initiative is the
Canada Trail project, which is essentially focused on getting the trail done. It WOULD make a difference for me if I knew that the trail was equipped with hike/bike sites at "reasonable" intervals.
YES!!! That's what my question about about 50km intervals was getting at. Particularly trails, although I think advocacy with regards to exercise and cycle touring is probably an easier sell for pavement and not-so-remote touring. But who knows?
I definitely think attracting people to bike touring can be in many forms. Exercise and combatting obesity, as you suggest, raising kids to be more independent and confident, having a smaller carbon footprint (already hearing messaging around limiting air travel to once per year rather than multiple times per year for the sake of the environment) and my main points (the ones I'm personally most connected to), budget and peace of mind.
I'm in the same boat... I'd probably change my tires and consider it, even though I prefer pavement to trails, if they had regular interval stop areas. I would like to see the same thing for those who want to ride the Green Belt in Southern Ontario. I'm trying to figure out where to put them, and make a proposal.