Jan 21

Visit the Back Country of Henry Coe State Park in April

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Events

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For one spectacular weekend this spring, Henry W. Coe State Park will open the gate at Bell Station on Highway 152 east of Gilroy. The annual Coe Backcountry Weekend, held in the little- traveled east side of the 83,600 acre park is scheduled for April 26-27, 2003. This event, sponsored by the Pine Ridge Association and the Department of Parks and Recreation, allows visitors vehicle access to a remote and beautiful area. Hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians have a unique opportunity to see and enjoy an area isolated from the park’s Morgan Hill entrance by long distances and rugged terrain.

This area of the park puts on a spring extravaganza of colorful wildflowers in the oak woodland. Fishing for bass and sunfish is excellent in secluded ponds and reservoirs. The trails provide panoramic views of the Diablo Range. Visitors may come into the park for the day, camp overnight at Orestimba Corral or Pacheco Creek Crossing, or backpack to one of the seldom visited areas of the park. They may explore on their own, join a guided ride or hike, or participate in interpretive activities. Brochures, maps, information, activities, and volunteer assistance will be available.

Participants will travel 8.5 miles on an unpaved road from Bell Station to Pacheco Creek Crossing or an additional 3.8 miles to the Orestimba Corral. The road is in good condition and passable by two-wheel drive vehicles, although there are some narrow and steep sections requiring high clearance. Four-wheel drive is strongly recommended for towing horse trailers. Because of space limitations, steep hills, and creek crossings with sharp embankments, the road is not suitable for camp trailers or motor homes.

Entry for the weekend is by reservation only. Flyers announcing the event and providing an application form are available at the Coe Park web site (http://www.coepark.org); the REI stores in Berkeley, San Carlos, and Cupertino; Silacci�s Feed Barn in Gilroy; Gunther�s Feed Store in Morgan Hill; FISCO Farm and Home Store in Modesto; and at the Coe ParkVisitor Center. Written requests for applications (include a self-addressed stamped business envelope) should be addressed to Application Forms, Coe Sector Office, 5750 Obata Way, Suite A., Gilroy, CA 95020.

Applications and entry fees, $10.00 per vehicle for day use, $20.00 per vehicle for overnight, must be postmarked by SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2003. One vehicle per application, please. We strongly encourage car pooling. A random drawing will be held to meet the 350 vehicles per day space limitation. All unsuccessful application forms will be returned with their checks to the applicants. No dogs will be allowed. Camp stoves will be permitted, but no open fires, barbecues, or hibachis. A group campfire will be held on Saturday night.

Join us for an unforgettable experience. The backcountry of Henry W. Coe State Park on a spring weekend is not to be missed.

This article has been provided by the Pine Ridge Association.

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Jan 21

Lake Oroville Trail Access Threatened

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Advocacy, Take Action

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Cyclist at Lake Oroville California need your help.

Last year, in recognition of the true nature of cycling, the California Department of Parks and Recreation made the decision to allow bicycle use on trails at the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. Unfortunately, we have a group of equestrians here who refuse to accept the idea of sharing trails with bicyclist.

As the State Recreation Area at Lake Oroville is operated in co-operation with the California Department of Water Resources, it comes under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Some local equestrians, in an effort to ban bicycles from the trails, have asked FERC to intercede on their behalf. FERC has agreed that the process used to open the trails needs to be revised.

There will be a meeting to receive public input on the proposal to manage trails as shared use.

This meeting is scheduled for :

February 10, 2003

6:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

The State Theater

1489 Myers Street

Oroville, California

written comments can be submitted no later than March 3, 2003, by mail or facsimile transmittal to:

Eva Begley, Ph.D.

Dept. of Water Resources

1416 Ninth Street, Room 620

P.O. Box 942836

Sacramento, Ca. 94236-0001

FAX: (916) 653-8250

Please attend this meeting, or send written comments in support of shared use trails, we really do need your help.

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Jan 15

Camp Tamarancho Trail Passes

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News

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The Boy Scouts are selling Day Passes for riders who come from out of the area to ride Tamarancho, the privately owned camp above Fairfax, in Marin.

The Bicycle Trails Council of Marin has constructed an 8 mile loop of singletrack trails at Tamarancho, the privately owned Boy Scout Camp above Fairfax, in Marin. Bicyclists who use the trails are required to purchase a Friends of Tamarancho pass to ride the trails on this privately owned facility.

Annual passes cost $40 for individuals, and $55 for families(includes 2 adult passes and up to 3 children passes). All 2003 annual passes expire on

December 31, 2003. To purchase annual pass:

1. Online: www.boyscouts-marin.org/camps/fot.htm

2. Call the Scouts at 415/454-1081 and they will mail you an application.

For those people who live out of the area, or only going to Tamarancho a limited number of times during the year, an annual pass might

not be appropriate.

Starting in 2003, the Scouts are selling DAY PASSES FOR $5. Passes are for sale at Sunshine Bike Store, 737 Center Blvd., downtown Fairfax. The store opens at 10 am every morning, and you can pay with either cash or check.

For more information: 415/459-3334 or www.sunshinebicycle.com

Or, if you prefer, you can purchase a day pass on-line, using a credit card, and print it out on your own computer. Just go to:

www.boyscouts-marin.org and click on FOT day pass.

Support bike legal singletrack in Marin. Always have a pass when riding Tamarancho.

Submitted by our friends at BTCM

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Jan 15

MTB Accident Victim needs Charity

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News

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A resident of Sunnyvale suffered a serious mountain bike accident while on vacation in Mexico a couple of weeks ago while on vacation. He remains hospitalized in Mexico City at this time. He was not wearing a helmet and has no insurance. A private fundraising event is being held for Luis Leon and his family in Washington Park, Sunnyvale this Saturday January 18th from 2pm to 8pm.

For more information please contact Jimmy Ruiz at (408) 499 -5151 or jmjruiz@yahoo.com

Contributions may also be made at Walt’s Cycle in Sunnyvale and at Calabazas Bike Shop in western San Jose.

ROMP advocates helmet use and insurance. Riding without protective gear and personal insurance is not responsible. This underlines the importance of peripheral practical topics that ROMP will be investigating this year: Health Insurance and dealing with injuries.

The fundraising event described above is not a ROMP event.

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Jan 14

Late Braking News

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News

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El Corte de Madera Open Space:

Erosion and siltation issues cloud access to trails.

Crystal Springs:

A critical link in the Bay Area Ridge Trail will open.

Sudden Oak Death:

The contagious arboreal pathogen silently stalks coastal woodlands.

Erosion & Siltation Issues in El Corte de

Madera Open Space:

A new study clouds the waters of mountain bike access in this local riding venue. According to the summary Draft Sediment Reduction Plan �..some trail segments may be deemed too

expensive to fix solely to maintain mutliple use acess, and use of those areas may be temporarily restricted until repairs are completed.� While

ROMP supports the environmental goals of the study it is concerned with the implications to trail access in the preserve for cyclists. MROSD Assistant General Manager, John Escobar will address ROMP at the January general meeting regarding this issue. ROMP will assist in mitigating problematic trail sections by helping design reroutes that respect trail users and eliminate erosional concerns. It will take enormous volunteer participation to save the trails of Skegg�s.

Crystal Springs Access Landmark:

To the west of Hwy 280 on the pristine ridgeline above Crystal Springs Reservoir, lies a critical link in the Bay Area Ridge Trail. On Dec. 18, 2002 the San Francisco Public Utilities

Commission unanimously voted to approve limited access to this ridge in a landmark decision. The plan approved is a compromise that will allow only

escorted access along the 11 mile fire road of Fifield/Cahill Ridge Trail nine times per week by trained guides. Bicyclists, equestrians and hikers will be able to periodically enjoy this previously off limits fire road perhaps as early as July 2003. Logistical planning and guide

training still needs to be done. If you are

interested in becoming a guide contact Trailwork Coordinator, Berry Stevens or National Mountain Bike Patrol Coordinator, Karen Morgan. The mountain cycling community owes thanks to Doug Kerseg and Michael Kelley, of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and many others for championing this cause and supporting bike access here and all along the projected 400 plus miles of the BART.

Sudden Oak Death Still Kills Trees:

The contagious arboreal fungus-like pathogen that silently stalks our coastal woodlands remains a serious threat. It could be hitching rides on muddy mountainbikes and clothing. A microbe called Phytophthora ramorum causes Sudden Oak Death. Phytophthora is Greek for “plant-destroyer.” Detailed scientific studies are underway. We recommend that cyclists avoid rides in muddy conditions, maintain clean equipment, not hike (and never ride) crosscountry in woodlands. The moist conditions of winter are conducive to the spread of this disease that kills manytrees. For more information see:

www.suddenoakdeath.org

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Jan 07

New Reservoirs Threaten Coe

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News

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New Dams and Reservoirs in Coe?

The Santa Clara County Water Department has plans to raise new dams in and around Henry Coe State Park.

These proposed reservoirs are alternatives in a study known as The Low Point Improvement Project. The problem is that when water levels in San

Luis Reservoir fall below a certain point algae blooms can propogate in the warm summer climate to the extent that they taint the water with metabolic by products and physically obstruct water delivery systems. To address growing water needs of the public and agriculture, this low point problem is a serious issue.

For more information see

http://www.coepark.org on the internet.

These reservoirs would seasonally drown

many pristine canyons, destroy habitats,

and eliminate recreational trails. To the

full extent possible, these reservoirs

would dwarf nearby Coyote and

Anderson reservoirs.

Is this a new issue? The water rights

were apparently obtained over 50 years

ago, and these dam sites had been scoped

long ago. What is new is that The Low

Point Improvement Project is seeking

solutions, and as bad as it sounds, new

huge reservoirs in Coe are on the table.

ROMP will be engaged, and fighting for

the defense of the trails, and more

importantly the natural beauty and

irreplaceable wildlife habitats threatened.

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Jan 07

Help open the Presidio Trails!

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Take Action

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ACTION ALERT: Mountain Biking in the Presidio

The future of legal mountain biking in the Presidio is NOW!! Any possibility of legal off-road mountain biking in the Presidio is in jeopardy unless the mountain biking community becomes involved NOW!!

It’s not too late!! If mountain bikers become involved now, legal off-road mountain biking may have a future in the Presidio. We have talked to the Presidio Trust Planning Department about mountain biking in the park and they are very friendly, accessible, open to new ideas and willing to consider alterations to the Plan if there is a demonstrated public demand for it. Background

Although the Presidio has many existing and outstanding off-road trails that are suitable for mountain biking (Presidio mountain biking map), none of them are currently open to bikes. The Presidio Trust, the organization which has been entrusted to manage the park’s resources and its future development, has initiated a project with its Planning Department to reevaluate the Presidio’s bikeways and trails.

On November 12, 2002, the Planning Department of the Presidio Trust released a first draft of the “Presidio Trails and Bikeways: Master Plan & Environmental Assessment” for a 3 month public comment and review period. The plan is comprehensive and well thought-out and provides four good plan alternatives and trailway configurations. The plan is intended to shape the next 20 years of biking and trail use within the park. However…..

NONE OF THE PLAN ALTERNATIVES ALLOW FOR ANY OFF-ROAD MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS WITHIN THE PRESIDIO.

To learn more about or request a copy of the Bikeways Master Plan, visit this link:

http://www.presidiotrust.org/whatsnew/whatsnew79.asp

How You Can Help Bring Mountain Biking to the Presidio

It’s not too late!! If mountain bikers become involved now, legal off-road mountain biking may have a future in the Presidio. We have talked to the Presidio Trust Planning Department about mountain biking in the park and they are very friendly, accessible, open to new ideas and willing to consider alterations to the Plan if there is a demonstrated public demand for it. There are a few main reasons consistently cited as to why off-road mountain biking has been excluded from the proposed Bikeway and Trail Plan:

1. No interest has been shown by the mountain biking community in making the Presidio a mountain biking destination.

2. Mountain biking is already available across the Golden Gate Bridge in the Marin Headlands; there’s no need for it here.

3. Non-paved multi-use trails are not feasible, i.e.hikers and bikers cannot coexist on off-road trails.

4. Mountain biking is destructive to the trails and the environment.

If we, the mountain biking community, can demonstrate our tremendous interest in off-mountain biking in the Presidio, we can put objections #1 and #2 to rest. If we can intelligently and persuasively show the planning department the realities of mountain biking and of sustainably built multi-use trails, we can eliminate objections #3 and #4.

IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, YOU MUST CONTRIBUTE BY DOING THREE IMPORTANT THINGS:

1. Write a letter or e-mail to the Planning Department to tell them your viewpoints on mountain biking in the Presidio. See contact info below. In your letter, please BE RESPECTFUL, indicate why off-road mountain biking in the Presidio is important to you, intelligently explain how and why multi-use off-road biking is safe and feasible, how mountain biking can improve the recreational experience in the Presidio, how sustainable trail building techniques make mountain biking no more damaging to the trail than any other use, etc. Please write about your background, volunteer and trail building experience, how the mountain biking community is instramental in improving public trails, etc, to help support your comments.

2. Attend the January 28, 2003, Presidio Trust meeting (details below) which is open to public comment on the Master Bikeways Plan. Making a big impact at this meeting is crucial!

3. Pass this information onto all of your friends, colleagues and organizations who support the expansion of sustainable, safe and responsible mountain biking on our public lands.

Written comments may be sent to:

Christine Ottaway, Project Co-Manager

The Presidio Trust

34 Graham Street

P.O. Box 29052

San Francisco, CA 94129-0052

Fax: (415) 561-2790

E-mail: planning@presidiotrust.gov

There are two important dates coming up regarding the Presidio Trails and Bikeways Master Plan:

Tuesday, January 28, 2003, 7:30 p.m. at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) Park Headquarters, Building 201, Fort Mason. We must make a HUGE showing at this meeting!! Anyone who wants to see off-road mountain biking become a reality in the Presidio MUST attend this meeting and voice an opinion.

February 12, 2003 – The end of the public review period regarding the Presidio Trails and Bikeways Master Plan. If you want the Presidio Planning Department to consider your opinions, you must send your comments to them before this date! Following the close of the public review period, the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust will consider and respond to any written or oral comments. These responses and any revisions to the Trails Plan and EA will form the complete and final Trails Plan and EA. Completion of the process and adoption of a final Trails Plan is expected in Spring 2003.

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