Re: RC: Highjacking Trails / Funding the Good Fight]

[Justgrassmower@netscape.net]

Thanks for the tips; as soon as possible, I am going to look into
 historically designating the trail.  Does anybody have any 
directional pointers on that?  
I would appreciate it if you could email the format for a submission to
 Trail Blazer (which I let expire years ago and would LOVE to win a
 new subsciption too!).  The main problem here is that without all the
 details, this appears to be rather insignificant - after much digging,
 we came up with literally thousands of missing grant and taxpayor
 dollars, and a desparate need by the "spenders" to cover that up 
with funding for this and other projects, along with (in writing),
 a plan to switch the entire section over to a priority-first bike
 area.  The animosity towards the equestrian concerns raised the 
first red flagg for me. I certainly have no more time for this mess
 than anybody else, and love to bike, in fact grew up in a family who
 toured on bikes and backpacked the highcountry on a regular basis.  
Soooo, an article may be the best way to present the whole picture, 
at least that is what I hope, when you consider that at this point 
we have banker's boxes full of documentation from the different 
agencies involved.  That's another  thing that I want to add later
 on during a swap information type of forum - did you know that you
 have legal access to review all public records from these agencies?  
The local grant-chasers apparently didn't! 
Well, I will keep on answering questions and typing as many tidbits
 as can be absorded at any one time.  Please also do not hesitate to
 call 1-800-307-3151 (Bob or Nancy).  They will also network you to
 either myself  or another one of the worker-bees.
Happy (preserved) Trails, Laurie AERC#6889


tblazer2000@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> First of all, don't panic. The best thing to do in these situations is what 
> you're doing...get the word out and organize, organize, organize. After all, 
> the "other side" tends to be organized by its very nature.
> Try to draw on all horse groups that are interested in and use that trail. 
> Endurance riders comprise just a small (albeit excellent!) piece of the pie 
> when it comes to recreational riding.
> Find prominent members of the community who ride and draw them in to be your 
> front people. Elected officials who are equestrians are a godsend.
> Get as much media exposure as possible—the historic value of the trail is a 
> great angle.
> Network with other horse groups and trail organizations up an down the state 
> to get input on what measures they have taken. Get people to send letter, 
> emails and faxes in support of keeping the trail open to equestrian groups.
> I can't stress enough the need to see it through the adversary's eyes and 
> broaden your support. If they can writer you off as another elitist group, 
> they will.
> Attend every public meeting on the trail's fate—in droves. Nothing unnerves 
> public officials like a mob of well-behaved, focused, well-organized 
> citizens who exercise their rights and won't go away.
> I'll put an action alert in the current issue of Trail Savers (Trail Blazer 
> Magazine) if you'll send me all the info you currently have.
> 
> May I just say that we build value in our trail systems by sharing them with 
> other equestrians. If anyone has a great equestrian trail in their area that 
> they'd like to submit to our Trailhead column, they'll be helping to 
> strengthen that trail's status. (You'll also get a free one-year 
> subscription to Trail Blazer if we use your submission.) Email me for a 
> sample if you're not familiar with the format.
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> Bonnie Jackson, Editor
> TB
> 
> 
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: Justgrassmower@netscape.net
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: RC:   Highjacking Trails / Funding the Good Fight]
> Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 08:24:57 EDT
> 
> We are in the midst of shocking attempts by local agencies (attempting to 
> get "free" grant money so that they can play), to turn the public against 
> equestrians, and create trail changes which will eventually run the horses 
> out.  Their ploy is, that "the only reason anyone is against unsafe trail 
> changes (i.e., paving, turning narrow/sharpcornered trails into multi-use, 
> etc.) is that the equestrians are selfish".  The trails proposed for paving 
> are already multi-use, and gladly shared by the equestrians.  Originally, 
> they were gold-miner trails.  (I am checking into historical designation, if 
> anyone has any tips.)
> 
> Anyway, this has turned into a taxpayors' rights issue, based on the misuse 
> of the grant money.  The local taxpayors have been forced to hire legal 
> counsel, which appears so far to be successful in saving our trails.  We are 
> talking about trails that are used for endurance training, AND an endurance 
> ride.  While the parties protecting the trails appear to be gaining ground, 
> the monetary and time cost has been high.  At this point, we are reduced to 
> begging for anybody who can help, either monetarily or with helpful 
> pointers.  These trails are used by all, the last endurance ride even had 
> entrants from three States away.  If you can be of any help, no matter how 
> small, please respond to Justgrassmower@netscape.net, for further details. 
>  PLEASE, PLEASE - we are begging for whatever help you may feel generous 
> enough to provide.  I have been in contact with the former head of the AERC 
> Trails Committee, and will be in contact with Mr. Firth of the AERC Trails 
> Committee, should you wish to legitimize this message, hopefully either 
> tonight or tomorrow.   AGAIN, we are fighting a battle based upon principal, 
> and gaining the grudged respect of these agencies for equestrian rights. 
>  Help us to win the battle.  I plan on posting an entire page on this issue 
> when the "dust" has settled, to hopefully provide and share pointers for 
> others across the States.  THANK YOU for your time!  
> 
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