Re: [Fwd: No hands bridge thoughts]

[Nat & Richard <trailride@foothill.net>]

Thanks, Ed, for the cc:

> Well, the bridge is in the middle of being retrofitted/repaired with
> taxpayer's money.  So what are everyone's thoughts as regards the money
> left over from the donation drive to fix the bridge privately?  I suppose
> we could use it in a variety of helpful ways to benefit the western states
> trail.
> Some questions I have:
> Where is the money?
> How much is it?
> Should the people who donated it have a say in how it is used?
> Should it be refunded?
> 
> Comments are appreciated!
> Ted Moore

Nat and I contributed at least once, but have no idea how much and would rather
see it put to appropriate use in any case.  Our priorities are these:

1. We do not wish to see NHB (and much of the Tevis/WS100 trails) buried under
hundreds of feet of water, permanently or seasonally, by the building of any
kind of dam at Auburn.

2. We would like to see NHB listed as a National Historical Site.  Historical
designation is long overdue, completely justifiable, and would work directly in
favor of priority #1, above.

3. We would like to keep the historical value of NHB and the American River
trails in the public eye.  A bronze plaque that outlines key events in the
"life" of NHB would be a start.

Other than the plaque, none of the above involves spending much money (yet.)  We
suggest that excess funds be held and managed, possibly by WSTF, on behalf of
all NHB users and devoted to costs related to its long term preservation,
political or otherwise.

On a somewhat related issue, there is currently a fair amount of controversy
concerning planned multi-use enhancements to the rail bed between NHB and
Auburn, including construction of a new trestle across one of the small creeks
along the way.  If/when funded by CA Parks & Rec, NHB and some amount of the
rail bed would become wheelchair and bicycle accessible.  

Although some of our riding friends are fearful that this will be "the camel's
nose under the tent," meaning that the next step would be to disallow horses, we
are of the opinion that "more users is better."  Perhaps what is missing is a
single forum where current and potential NHB users can resolve these kinds of
concerns.  As it is, some who worked hard to Save No Hands are now circling the
wagons and saying, "WE saved the bridge. It's ours, not the mountain bikers!"  

If there is any way for the left-over money to help promote the *community* of
NHB users, we vote for that.

Richard Goodwin and Natalie Arnold

-- 
    Natalie's Barn & Breakfast -- a B&B for Horses ...and their Riders
http://www.foothill.net/natalies  530-637-4644 or Toll Free: 1-877-NATBARN
   Also, visit the Official Tevis Cup Site, http://www.foothill.net/tevis