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[RC] PA State Gameland Trail Closures - John TeeterPlease Note: This is a guest post - reply to ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx NOT johnt:) ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Ridecamp Guest <guest-source@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 14:39:10 GMT Diane Nelson safehavn@xxxxxxxx The following is an email I sent to the Director of the PA Equine Council regarding the wholesale closure of trails on SGL #205 in northern Lehigh County above Allentown, PA. The fact is this: we have *nowhere* left to ride, except on blacktop roads with no posted (or ignored) speed limits. Diane Nelson I live directly across from SGL #205 in Lehigh County, north of Allentown, PA. The PA State Game Commission has posted all but a 1/2 mile of trail closed to horses and cyclists. The only available route happens to go right next to the gun range, where semi-automatic weapons are frequently in use. Have you ever attempted to ride next to a gun range with semi-automatic firing? I would not recommend it. The trails that we have been riding for 10+ years consisted of dirt tractor lanes, mowed 3-4 ft wide strips around fields and virtually no woods or other types of trails with sensitive erosion issues. Farmers farm the fields during all but the winter months, with concomitant "intrusion" into wildlife habitat, packing down the dirt roads, and crossing streams with heavy equipment during hunting and fishing seasons. The closure effectively denies the residents in a large area access to any trail system at all. We have only blacktop roads left to ride on, at extreme risk to ourselves and our horses due to the high speeds and volume of traffic. The "no horses, no bicycles" restrictions apply even during Sundays. The ploy of purchasing a hunting license to allow legal access also will not work. No horses means exactly that...no horses. No alternative routes were considered or solicited, despite a large turn-out by local riders to the ONE open house to solicit comments prior to the advent of the new regulations. The PA Equine Council should have been alerted to the major "gotcha" in the catch-all term..."designated routes". There may be 1000 miles of trails, but they are many hours drive away from those of us who live in the NE and SE regions of PA. And when one peruses the allowed trails, one is struck by all of the 1.5-6.0 mile limits. Who in their right mind will trailer to ride a 1.5 mile trail? We are considering either moving from this area or selling our horses. This could mean a yearly loss of $2500 to the local farmer from whom we purchase hay, $1500 to the local feed mill, $300 to the local sawdust supplier, many hundreds of dollars to the veterinarians, tack shops and fuel suppliers with whom we have done business over the last 25 years - and this is for one family alone. I am disheartened at the virulent anti-horse sentiment in this state. NJ, NY, MD, VA all have active Horse Councils who have worked to provide hundreds of miles of protected trail systems, including equine camping facilities. Why isn't the PA Horse Council more proactive? Respectfully, Diane Nelson 4972 Lowhill Church Road New Tripoli, PA 18066 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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