handicap access & a bad day

["Angela C. McGhee" <rides2far@juno.com>]

Well, I rode today and I'm in a FOUL mood.  I rode at the Pigeon Mtn. WMA
and here's the deal.  The mountain is very popular with horses, climbers,
cavers, hikers and hunters.  There have never been any improvements there
to speak of.  The horse people have cleared the trails, marked them and
bought signs, but other than that there's nothing.

Then last year somebody upstairs suddenly "cared" and the next thing we
know several miles of gorgeous wooded single track sand road has been
dozed, widened and had a few hundred tons of gravel dumped on it to make
the point at the end a "Handicapped hunter" spot or something like that. 
Today was the first day of Turkey season.  Hunters were everywhere but
that gate was locked.  If they were handicapped they must not have known
they were coming. Meanwhile we rode around the gate and tip toed along on
gravel in the glaring sun on a stretch that used to be the perfect shady
gallop.

Then, at the base of the mountain there was something totally new.  At a
remote gravel parkinglot there were suddenly BIG FANCY signs that said,
"Handicapped parking only" entering a large new parking area with trees
planted along the sides.  At the other end was a ramp leading up to about
150 yards of very nice deck type boardwalk that rambled around through
the woods with several little sitting areas.  Out front was a large stone
monument with a bronze plaque dedicating it to the Governor's wife.

During the 6 1/2 hours that we rode, we saw 7 horses, 2 hikers, 3
mountain bikes, 2 climbers, and a zillion turkeyless hunters.  No
handicapped people.  I'm bitter and livid.  The amount of money that they
dumped on that roadbed could have revamped the whole trail system.  It's
a bunch of beurocratic crap. I can't think of any volunteer project that
has been accomplished there that wasn't totally manned by
horsemen...including the fence that blocked horses from camping..(they
had the nerve to ask US to help them build it and we did!)  In
appreciation, they put their stupid handicapped hunting area dead center
on our most popular loop on top of the mountain.

HEY GLENDA, remember that the rangers told you they had money slated for
"road improvement" to the horse camp?  Isn't that the road that the race
is held on?  Do you want it covered with gravel or blacktop?  You'd
better catch them fast and see what sorts of "improvement" they have in
mind.

Off to sulk and stick pins in dolls
Angie

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