Cycling enthusiast questions rationale of opening BWCAW to bikes

The name of the 1.1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness suggests three ideas: lakes, non-motorized watercraft and forests.

However, under a new bill moving through Congress, a new mode of transportation could enter into the equation: bicycling.

The bill, H.R. 1349, frequently referred to by some environmental groups and outdoor recreationists as the “Wheels Over Wilderness” bill, continues to be a talking point among elected officials. Introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), the bill would open America’s 110 million acres of wilderness areas to mountain bikes. This could include trails inside the BWCAW.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Jeremy Kershaw, a regional cycling enthusiast who competes and rides along the North Shore, about the proposed bill.