"In short, I feel we should have access to all of our open spaces."



M

Mike Vandeman

Guest
Hmmm. You ALREADY have access to all your open spaces! You CAN walk,
can't you? Please explain how you don't have access to those trails
and parks....

Mike


From: "Lars Thomsen" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2006 17:22:06 -0800
Subject: Re: Sierra Azul Los Gatos meeting yesterday evening

Howdy,

It was great to see all those attending last night. I felt my
presense most
needed in the Bear Creek Redwoods (BCR) break-out session, and found
that I
was the only dedicated cyclist in the room of twenty. Most were
equestrian
members of the Bear Creek Stables, and a couple of residents off of
Bear
Creek. Had I not been in the room, cycling may not have even been a
topic!

I think it is astounding that all Alternatives for this area exclude
bikes.
There is a whole different experience to be found in BCR full of
redwoods
and fern that can not be found on the other side of Hwy 17. The area
is
very accessable, and will be a greatly desired extension to riders
comming
from the Los Gatos Creek Trail and St. Joseph's. In the summer, these
trails provide a cooler, shaded alternative to open and exposed wide
roads
up Sierra Azule and beyond. Residents in Los Gatos already ride up
Montevina Road to loop back into Los Gatos through the El Sereno Open
Space.
I think most residents will expect access to BCR. The Bay Area Ridge
Trail
was nowhere to be found on either Alternative Plans! If I'm not
mistaken,
this is exactly where the Ridge Trail Counsil hopes to get from Sierra
Azule
to Saratoga Gap.

The equestrians in the room all agreed that bikes should be allowed
access,
with a majority liking the idea of separating use of the preserve
east/west
by Bear Creek Rd. Bikes on the west only, for example. I also
encouraged
the use of narrower, more technical trails as multi-use so as to keep
the
speed down, including sections that require riders to dismount and
hike
through.

The reasons stated by MidPen why BCR and Rancho de Guadalupe should be
closed to bikes is just wrong. Saint Joseph's Hill is right in Los
Gatos'
neighborhood, yet it is open to cycling. The fact that equestrians
rent a
stable on MidPen land does not give reason to exclude tax payers of
riding
these open spaces. There are more stables near Almaden Quicksilver
Park,
yet Santa Clara Parks includes cycling there, and plans to increase
access.
Short loops are very popular with Los Gatos residents, especially
those
leaving their cars at home, riding up the LG Creek trail for a short
loop in
the mountains. Leaving the `foothils to the ridge top` access trail
possibility with Sanborn County Park is a cheap shot at passing the
buck.
Sanborn is adjacent to BCR by the way, and they are working on a
master plan
that could include cycling. However, right now primary access to
Sanborn is
from Saratoga Hwy 9, not Los Gatos. There is also access from Bear
Creek
Rd. Bear Creek Rd is extreemly dangerous to ride a bike on though.
For
those reasons, residents want a safer route to ride to and from Los
Gatos
and hopfully in the future, from Los Gatos into Sanborn. One resident
in
the break-out said he likes to ride his bike to the Bear Creek
Stables, and
noted how this is currently very dangerous.

In short, I feel we should have access to all of our open spaces.
Designating some trails no bikes can make sense, but closing entire
open
spaces makes no sense. I don't think MidPen realizes how strongly Los
Gatos
residents want bike access into BCR and Rancho de Guadalupe, so I am
putting
together a couple sign up forms indicating said interrest. If anybody
is
interrested in getting a copy to take to work, or wherever, just let
me know
and I can e-mail the file. Let's get organized and insist that
cycling is
included in all of our "Open Space".

Lars Thomsen
Owner
Trail Head Cyclery
14450 Union Ave.
San Jose, CA 95124
(408)369-9666 phone
(408)369-9630 fax
http://www.trailheadcyclery.com/

http://www.ridgetrail.org/trail/map.cfm

http://www.openspace.org/plans_projects/sierra_azul_bear_creek_mp.asp
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
 
"Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hmmm. You ALREADY have access to all your open spaces! You CAN walk,
> can't you? Please explain how you don't have access to those trails
> and parks....
>
> Mike
>
>

And since it has been determined by the NFS and other agencies that off-road
cycling and hiking have similar impacts, walking and cycling are synonymous
and interchangeable in the practical sense of outdoor recreation. Your
OPINION that walking is the only option is just fine - as long as you apply
it only to you. The rest of us may choose to ride - which is LEGAL,
ACCESSIBLE, and AVAILABLE.
 
0/10

yawn.........

"Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hmmm. You ALREADY have access to all your open spaces! You CAN walk,
> can't you? Please explain how you don't have access to those trails
> and parks....
>
> Mike
>
>
> From: "Lars Thomsen" <[email protected]>
> Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2006 17:22:06 -0800
> Subject: Re: Sierra Azul Los Gatos meeting yesterday evening
>
> Howdy,
>
> It was great to see all those attending last night. I felt my
> presense most
> needed in the Bear Creek Redwoods (BCR) break-out session, and found
> that I
> was the only dedicated cyclist in the room of twenty. Most were
> equestrian
> members of the Bear Creek Stables, and a couple of residents off of
> Bear
> Creek. Had I not been in the room, cycling may not have even been a
> topic!
>
> I think it is astounding that all Alternatives for this area exclude
> bikes.
> There is a whole different experience to be found in BCR full of
> redwoods
> and fern that can not be found on the other side of Hwy 17. The area
> is
> very accessable, and will be a greatly desired extension to riders
> comming
> from the Los Gatos Creek Trail and St. Joseph's. In the summer, these
> trails provide a cooler, shaded alternative to open and exposed wide
> roads
> up Sierra Azule and beyond. Residents in Los Gatos already ride up
> Montevina Road to loop back into Los Gatos through the El Sereno Open
> Space.
> I think most residents will expect access to BCR. The Bay Area Ridge
> Trail
> was nowhere to be found on either Alternative Plans! If I'm not
> mistaken,
> this is exactly where the Ridge Trail Counsil hopes to get from Sierra
> Azule
> to Saratoga Gap.
>
> The equestrians in the room all agreed that bikes should be allowed
> access,
> with a majority liking the idea of separating use of the preserve
> east/west
> by Bear Creek Rd. Bikes on the west only, for example. I also
> encouraged
> the use of narrower, more technical trails as multi-use so as to keep
> the
> speed down, including sections that require riders to dismount and
> hike
> through.
>
> The reasons stated by MidPen why BCR and Rancho de Guadalupe should be
> closed to bikes is just wrong. Saint Joseph's Hill is right in Los
> Gatos'
> neighborhood, yet it is open to cycling. The fact that equestrians
> rent a
> stable on MidPen land does not give reason to exclude tax payers of
> riding
> these open spaces. There are more stables near Almaden Quicksilver
> Park,
> yet Santa Clara Parks includes cycling there, and plans to increase
> access.
> Short loops are very popular with Los Gatos residents, especially
> those
> leaving their cars at home, riding up the LG Creek trail for a short
> loop in
> the mountains. Leaving the `foothils to the ridge top` access trail
> possibility with Sanborn County Park is a cheap shot at passing the
> buck.
> Sanborn is adjacent to BCR by the way, and they are working on a
> master plan
> that could include cycling. However, right now primary access to
> Sanborn is
> from Saratoga Hwy 9, not Los Gatos. There is also access from Bear
> Creek
> Rd. Bear Creek Rd is extreemly dangerous to ride a bike on though.
> For
> those reasons, residents want a safer route to ride to and from Los
> Gatos
> and hopfully in the future, from Los Gatos into Sanborn. One resident
> in
> the break-out said he likes to ride his bike to the Bear Creek
> Stables, and
> noted how this is currently very dangerous.
>
> In short, I feel we should have access to all of our open spaces.
> Designating some trails no bikes can make sense, but closing entire
> open
> spaces makes no sense. I don't think MidPen realizes how strongly Los
> Gatos
> residents want bike access into BCR and Rancho de Guadalupe, so I am
> putting
> together a couple sign up forms indicating said interrest. If anybody
> is
> interrested in getting a copy to take to work, or wherever, just let
> me know
> and I can e-mail the file. Let's get organized and insist that
> cycling is
> included in all of our "Open Space".
>
> Lars Thomsen
> Owner
> Trail Head Cyclery
> 14450 Union Ave.
> San Jose, CA 95124
> (408)369-9666 phone
> (408)369-9630 fax
> http://www.trailheadcyclery.com/
>
> http://www.ridgetrail.org/trail/map.cfm
>
> http://www.openspace.org/plans_projects/sierra_azul_bear_creek_mp.asp
> ===
> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
> humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
> years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are
> fond of!
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
 
S Curtiss wrote:
> "Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hmmm. You ALREADY have access to all your open spaces! You CAN walk,
>> can't you? Please explain how you don't have access to those trails
>> and parks....
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>

> And since it has been determined by the NFS and other agencies that off-road
> cycling and hiking have similar impacts, walking and cycling are synonymous
> and interchangeable in the practical sense of outdoor recreation. Your
> OPINION that walking is the only option is just fine - as long as you apply
> it only to you.




The rest of us may choose to ride - which is LEGAL,
> ACCESSIBLE, and AVAILABLE.
>


Bingo.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> JP wrote:
>> Sorry I can't walk.
>> Bad joints.

>
> Talk to Doc about that one.
>
> I heard that before Synanon he use to roll tight ones.


Ahhh, that could only help!

>
> R
>
 

Similar threads