The Fall 2009 Mountain Cyclist is available.
Sep 30
Environmentalists ramping up statewide ballot effort to save state parks
With the Schwarzenegger administration preparing to close up to 100 state parks, California’s top environmental groups are quietly putting together a ballot campaign they hope will turn the bad news into a renaissance for the state’s long-struggling park system.
The Nature Conservancy, National Audubon Society, Trust for Public Land, Save-the-Redwoods League and others have raised nearly $1 million and conducted months of polling toward a November 2010 ballot measure that would increase vehicle license fees by $15 a year to fund parks.
from Mercury newsIf voters approve the measure � which needs a simple majority to pass � it would raise roughly $400 million a year, doubling the parks’ budget and making it no longer dependent on the state’s fluctuating general fund.
In exchange, all California motorists would get free admission to all state parks, which now charge up to $14 for entrance fees.
“We’re in a moment where Californians can look at a pile of lemons or we can try to be bold and turn them into lemonade,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, executive director of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit group in San Francisco.
If the groups move ahead with the campaign, as expected, they would submit papers in the next few weeks and begin gathering signatures by January. They would have to gather the signatures of 433,000 registered voters by mid-April.
California has one of the oldest and most storied state parks systems
in the nation. Its 279 parks include towering redwood forests, “Baywatch” beaches in Southern California, historic missions and Gold Rush sites, and Lake Tahoe’s shoreline.
Earlier this summer, citing the state’s $24 billion budget deficit, the Schwarzenegger administration announced it would close up to 100 parks shortly after Labor Day. The closures would save roughly $14 million a year. Schwarzenegger would become the first governor in state history to close a park to save money.
Environmental groups are hoping that when people soon find favorite campsites and beach parking lots padlocked, public outrage will fuel new support for parks.
The ballot measure, which sources say is privately polling above 60 percent, is sure to meet opposition.
“I use state parks. I love them. But why should some working single mom in Compton who never goes to a state park subsidize my enjoyment of state parks? It doesn’t make any sense,” said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Coupal said state parks could save money by privatizing maintenance, and further increasing entrance fees.
John Rosica, a Morgan Hill scoutmaster, said parks could raise money if they allowed hunting, cattle grazing and dude ranch trips.
“The state has been too restrictive,” he said. “You have too many people who have squashed every good idea.”
Montana has a $4 DMV fee for parks, and Washington state has a $5 fee. Both are voluntary, but motorists must “opt out” or are automatically charged.
Previous proposals last year and this summer to raise DMV fees by $10 and $15 for parks were both defeated after Republican lawmakers and Schwarzenegger came out in opposition.
Supporters say that the public already pays for amenities including libraries, schools and highways that not everyone uses, but which enhance quality of life.
In addition to wildlife habitat, clean water, and tourism, parks also provide educational opportunities about California history for millions of schoolchildren, said Audrey Rust, president of the Peninsula Open Space Trust in Palo Alto.
“No one quite believed that they would actually, seriously close a state park, let alone 100 of them,” Rust said. “We were shocked. Then angry. We decided we had to mobilize because we don’t have a Legislature or a governor who is taking this seriously. We had to get involved.”
Rust said the coalition hopes to raise $9 million, to pay for collecting signatures, TV ads and other expenses. Many of the same groups raised $10 million in 2006 to pass Proposition 84, a $5.4 billion parks and water bond.
Those bonds provided $400 million to state parks. But bonds can only be used for upkeep and buying land, not paying rangers or other employees. A registration fee could pay for salaries.
A Mercury News review last year found the number of state park employees � 2,970 rangers, lifeguards, maintenance workers and others � has remained unchanged since 1988 even as state park visitation has grown by 5.3 million people. The maintenance backlog for state parks now totals $1.2 billion.
“For the last 20 years all we have seen is gradual and then increasing cuts. There is nothing left to cut,” Rust said. “Things we have come to expect, like campfire programs and even regular cleaning of restrooms, have been eliminated. This is a key moment to rejuvenate the system.”
Contact Paul Rogers at 408-920-5045.
Sep 15
Keep out: By closing its parks, California is killing an economic engine
From Santa Rosa Press Democrat: by Christa Jeremiason
From foggy Del Norte Coast Redwoods to sun-splashed South Carlsbad State Beach, nearly every state park (was packed Labor Day.)
For many families, the parks offer an affordable vacation in times of economic uncertainty. They’re safe, accessible outlets for recreation, repositories of history and culture, reflections of California’s grandeur. About 75 million people visit state parks annually, and they generate billions of dollars of economic activity.
And, inexplicably, they’re endangered.
Beginning in the next week or two, the state will begin closing as many as 100 parks because shortsighted, feckless officials are unwilling to save them. The closures could ultimately cover almost half of the state park system.
The savings: $14 million.That’s million with an “m,” less than 1 percent of the $26 billion with a “b” shortfall that was supposed to be solved with the budget revisions approved this summer.
The state’s meager savings will be more than offset by immense losses to the communities near the parks. According to a survey of nearly 10,000 visitors to 27 state parks by researchers from California State University, Sacramento, the average visitor spends $57 a day, including $33 outside the parks.
That adds up to $4.2 billion in economic activity annually, most of it benefiting nearby merchants and other businesses, while cycling sales tax dollars back into state and local treasuries.
These are hardly the sanguine thoughts of a three-day weekend. But state parks officials made Labor Day a turning point by declining to identify which parks would be closed …
A fee increase last month apparently didn’t dampen enthusiam for the parks, as most campsites were sold out in advance of Labor Day weekend. Meanwhile, park supporters have staged rallies across the state, and the nonprofit California Parks Foundation said it will try to raise $500 million to help keep the parks open.
On a recent Sunday morning, about two dozen people hit the trails at Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa. Costumed demonstrators gathered for a Hollywood-style protest at Will Rogers State Beach near Los Angeles. The Russian ambassador to the United States traveled to Fort Ross, a park commemorating a Russian trading post established in 1812.
Expect more rallies when the hit list is released, and don’t be surprised if some of the legislators who demanded deep budget cuts urge the governor to spare parks in their districts. Perhaps they should have supported a proposal to increase license plate fees by $15�enough to pay for the park system and give every California-licensed vehicle a free, year-round state park pass.
California residents are experiencing painful cuts in public programs. But padlocked gates at state parks still can�and should�be avoided.
Sep 15
Coe MTB patrol discussion
A couple of years ago we had the Lick Fire and I tried to make an MTB Fire Survey Patrol program so we could ride in the burn zone while it was still closed. We did manage to form up something and do some rides, discover new trails, and have fun, but the program was really a dud. I admit it. Still, it was a new thing to try.
Now we are facing a possible closure of the park. I doubt it will close. If it does close, it would be good to be part of a patrol program so you can be in there legitimately, and not run when you see Cameron coming around the bend. It is a fact, in my mind, that the mountain bikers of Coe know the park best, and visit the nooks and crannies more often and with better understanding, than the other user groups, as a whole. We’ve been patrolling the park for years.
You may know that I have been doing trailwork hodge-podge in park for a decade, leading groups in this and that, that I’ve been working with the trail committee, and now serve on the PRA board, and am now in training for the newly revamped uniformed volunteer program. I like Coe so much, I am willing to suffer all of that. And now more.
I’ve sent to most of you (let me know if you think you missed something) a list of the requirements for an MTB Patroller in Coe. This is not an IMBA program. It is not that I have anything against IMBA. From a practical stance, if we do the minimum that the park staff and volunteer committee expect from us, that that is more than enough. I do not wish to complicate this anymore than it already is. Capiche?
The park wants an mtb patrol for the practical reasons, and political ones too. It will help the cause of riding in the park to have an active mtb patrol. From a rider’s POV, you just ride where you would normally, and report on it, as briefly as possible. I would expect you to edit the proceedings for public and park staff consumption. Capiche?
There are some forms you will have to fill out (some of us have them from the Fire Survey Crew days on file still). These are the DPR forms such as the volunteer service agreement, release to allow your image in publications (in case of photo/video), statement of fitness, etc. I will send these to you in attachment on an email if you confirm that you are interested.
This paperwork is essential, and I really need to get it on file as soon as I can (before the park closes). So if you decide you really would like to participate let me know if I can take you seriously on this. I need committment.
The committment is for 50 hours. That would include every minute of ride-time in Coe that you log as a patroller plus every minute of trailwork, event support, and even at home planning or rehashing of patrol related activity. Plus the training day(s) time is part of it too.
I propose to have the MTB Patrol training/certification day on Saturday Dec. 12, 2009, at 9am. This is the next 2nd Saturday trail work. I have cancelled 2nd Saturday trailwork until then, because of the uniformed volunteer training I am currently doing that conflicts with 2nd Saturdays. I would do this day rain or shine, and will likely propose that we meet at the Kickham Ranch (location if you are not familiar will be explained later) so we can do the stuff indoors, and bike riding in an open barn (derby!) if the weather turns out to be atrocious.
You need to let me know of you can do Dec. 12.
A main point of training is the use of the radio and assigning IDs to operators. This needs to be done by either Verhoeven or the authorized volunteer who does radio training. I’ll need to get that person to come to the Dec. 12 yet.
In my mind there is an urgency to get this done now in case the park closes. If it closes it would close Jan 1, probably. Then if we have the patrol in place, we can roll. If it doesn’t close, we can still have fun patrolling.
For now, all I want to do is get some commitments, and move forward with these people.
I find myself responsible with the unenviable task to develop the “Coe MTB patrol handbook” of sorts by tomorrow evening. I haven’t started it yet, but I can tell you it will be brief. In truth, I believe (it or not!) that the less said the better. It will be mostly to satisfy the people who do not ride mountain bikes. Your suggestions if any will be seriously taken into consideration.
Some of you got the draft of the general patrol requirements that repeated 3 times that the patroller needs to know which trails bikes and horse are not allowed on and that bikes are not allowed in the wilderness. Don’t let that rile you up. Of course you know the score. Capiche?
Also, there will be no requirement to notify a week in advance for patrol activity. This notion has been repealed by popular vote. A patroller can spontaneously visit the park and log the observations.
There exists a website that patrollers will log their service hours into. This is a website that the Uniformed Coe volunteers use to log hours. That will also be a task and part of the training. I do not use this appliance yet myself, and still need to learn about it.
The original fire survey crew members are the genesis of this patrol. The Senior Ranger and Supervising Ranger want us grandfathered in. I want anyone honestly interested and really motivated to be included as well, and am going to make it work. With the furlough days and daily tasks the rangers have it is a lot to ask to have them process our applications, but ask, and demand I will.
There are some of the pre-existing volunteers from the uniformed program who might be bitter about having an influx of mountain bikers. They’ll get over it. But Verhoeven has conceded to them that the mtb patrollers will have to promise that they’ll put in 2 days of the uniformed training in Sept. 2010. That is exactly a year from now, and a part of what I am doing right now, these 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of the September. That is how the uniform is earned. I hope that you can concede those days. If not, well at least you were a patroller for most of a year.
There is no bike jersey yet, and frankly I need to find some help on that. It would be good to have ready for Dec. 12. There is some design help I’ve been pledged, but ideas and directions are very welcome from you, the wearer. There is also a competing idea that a “number plate” could be used on the bike to indicate a patroller status, but I am quite sure that the Superintendent is thinking that only an official bike jersey is something that the State will accept. Name tags would probably be requested as well I think.
I am interested in your critique, contributions, complaints, rants, and constructive ideas. It is not about what I want. For the most part we are the core of the usual Coe riding community and are ideal persons to form an MTB patrol for Coe.
Related to that is the probablitly of the developement of new events for Coe revolving around mountain biking such as a 2010 fall endurance mtb event, more xc racing, and 2 backcountry weekends per year, and a Spring MTB epic weekend in 2010, which will give ample opportunities to put in patrol hours. Even racing a race in Coe would count as patrol hours. There is a change in the wind.
Well, give me what is on your mind. If you say that you would be a patroller I will send you the applications by email.
Keep in mind the Dec 12 training/certification day. Let me know if you can’t make it. I will need to make another date that will work as a make up day if enough people demand one.
Sep 15
SC OSA Night Rides
The wet and cold season is right around the corner. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that our final two night rides of 2009 are coming up in October. The dates are Friday Oct. 16th and Friday Oct. 30th. Both are scheduled to run from 5:30pm to 10:00pm. It has been a great year having everyone come out to our preserve for the night. Hope all of you have enjoyed it. For those that have not yet experienced a night ride at our preserve please come out.
We will be scheduling more night rides starting in either March or April of 2010.
Sep 15
Celebrate the newly restored Giant Salamander Trail
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is hosting a trail
dedication event to officially celebrate the newly restored Giant
Salamander Trail at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve on
Saturday, October 3, 2009, and we are pleased to extend an invitation
to you.
The details of the event are as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time: 12:00 noon � 2:30 p.m.
(not including hike or ride to/from event site)
(allow 2 hours to hike to the event site and 30 minutes to ride* to
the event site; allow 2.5 hours for the return hike to the parking
location and 45 minutes for the return ride* to the parking location)
Location: Giant Salamander Trail/Timberview Trail Junction
El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve
Parking: Caltrans Skeggs Point parking area
(see directions below & attached map)
Sep 15
The Mirada Surf Coastal Trail is open!
Join us for the ribbon cutting for this beautiful new trail segment in
the midcoast!
Suggested parking is on Magellan Avenue, Miramar
Gather at the south end of the Trail
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Special Guest: Supervisor Rich Gordon
Please RSVP by September 24, 2009 to Brenda at (650) 599-1393 or
