Re: Nature is for who?

["Robert Morris" <bobmorris@rmci.net>]

Kandhy:

You stated: <<<.  I also have noticed that the bicycle riders are much more
organized and they put in many hours of trail maintenance not just riding
the trail...>>>

Have you noticed that the great majority of the Mt. Bike Riders are young
male in the 20 to 35 age group?

Here in Idaho our demographic study and incidentally supported by a
questionnaire by the AERC a few years ago, the average horse rider is a
woman, about 37 years old!! Don't see many women that age out working on
trail, even bike riders. Think about that comparison.

A point of interest, one of our local Mt. Bike Trail proponents stepped down
from his advocacy position as he said he was getting to old. My, my, he was
just ready for his 40th birthday.

My wife is 67 and I am 71 now and still putting in long hours fighting for
trails!!!
Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
-----Original Message-----
From: Kandhy Franklin <kfrankli@sdcoe.k12.ca.us>
To: Ridecamp <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Sunday, January 03, 1999 3:50 PM
Subject: Nature is for who?


>As a trail worker for the Cuyamaca Mountains here in San Diego, and
>working with developers and the Nature Conservancy with regard to 4,300
>acres in El Cajon, I have noticed that the NC is just a holding company
>until the Dept. of Fish & Game or whoever gets the title next. Even with
>high community interest in wanting to keep the area open for animal &
>man (even the gnatcatcher) we have not been successful in really
>communicating with the Nature Conservacy on a one-to-one basis.  Someone
>always seems to   be passing the buck.
>
>The San Diego County Trail Council has been helpful along with
>Backcountry Horseman to work with these issues, but belonging to a horse
>club of some type is a helpful way to show numbers of horse people out
>there.  I know that horse people aren't really joiners of clubs, but
>there needs to be a unifing voice that says horses do exhist, and we the
>riders are willing to help with land management and whatever else
>necessary to make open trails a success.  I also have noticed that the
>bicycle riders are much more  organized and they put in many hours of
>trail maintenance not just riding the trail...Something to think about.
>Kandhy Franklin-Collins
>
>