ridecamp@endurance.net: Shareing the trails

Shareing the trails

JBagford@aol.com
Sat, 8 Feb 1997 03:30:05 -0500 (EST)

When we get right down to it, all of us out there on the trails are in this
together. If we begin fighting among ourselves, we may loose the use of our
trails. I ride on a trail that is extensively used by horses, bikers and
hikers. Yes there are some bikers who are loutish brutes, but guess what?
There are some horsemen out there who are every bit as bad! (The hikers move
to slow for me to see <g>). The majority of both are very polite. Mtn bikes
do some damage to trails if not properly managed, so do horses. Where I ride
it is the wildlife (buffalo) that do the most damage. Everyone of us has an
interest in keeping the trails open. If we work with the Mtn Bikers we more
than double our strength. Do you have any idea how many more bikers there are
than horsemen?

I don't mean to sound angry, I am not. But I do belive that we need to take
responsibility for preserving our right to use the trails. To me that means
bringing only certified weed free hay into any National Park (even where it
is not required, and other people are just brining any old thing), cleaning
up all the manure around the trailer (even if it wasn't my horse that
"dropped" it), being polite and friendly (even to the uncouth few), and
volanteering to help maintain/rebuild trails. Lets not start pointing
fingers, because there are quite a few that should be pointed right back at
us. Horsemen, hikers and bikers are all out on the trail for the same
reasons. We love it and we can't imagine living without the beauty and
freedom we find there.
Jane, UT

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