Support Moab Trails!
Hello MOAB lovers! If you've been riding Moab for years, you know that Moab has been increasing its offering of singletrack trails for mountain bikers with some incredible riding. If you've ridden Burro Pass, Hazard County, UPS and LPS above Porcupine Rim, you know what I mean. How would you like to see ANOTHER EPIC RIDE of that magnitude in the Moab area? YOU CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN!!! Write a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) now in support of the Moab Trail Foundation - our trail advocate friends in Moab.
The Magnificent 7 trail starts at the original drop for Gemini Bridges on Highway 313 (you may have heard of this section as the Green Dot). Instead of riding the Gemini jeep road, however, you would ride mostly singletrack from the top all the way to the bottom where the trail accesses the Gold Bar road. The singletrack consists of twisty and ledgy turns on rock, similar to a downhill version of Gooseberry Mesa and then turns into flowy dirt singletrack.
Send an email to the man in charge, Rock Smith (BLM Moab Field Office Manager) by emailing katie_stevens@blm.gov and carbon copy info@MoabTrailFoundation.com so they can keep track of your letters. Also, be sure to include your name and address even in an email. It lends credibility. Your friends all know who FordPrefect42@gmail.com is, but the BLM doesn't.
Here are some ideas for your letter, please modify and use your own words if you can.
* I've been visiting Moab for many years. I love riding my mountain bike there. Recent additions of singletrack so I don't have to ride with jeeps have really improved the recreation experience. But the trails are getting crowded. It makes sense to open the Magnificent 7 trail to disburse users and improve the recreation experience
* I hope you approve the Magnificent 7 trail. Moab has been a mountain biking destination for many years, but it faces tough competition with Fruita, Vernal, Crested Butte, and Durango all nearby. By approving the Mag 7 trail you are sending a strong signal that mountain bikers are important partners in finding an appropriate balance between environmental, recreation, and economic objectives in the Moab area. We want to be part of the solution.
* The new proposed Magnificent 7 trail would be an excellent addition to the trail offerings in the Moab area. I am particularly heartened that we have found a way to protect big horn sheep in the upper Bull Canyon migration zone by realigning the trail. I think it is a good sign that the public and BLM experts can come together and find solutions that work for everybody. Please approve the Magnificent 7 trail system.
Curious about the trail proposal? Want to see a map? Go to http://www.moabtrailfoundation.com for more information. But please WRITE, WRITE, WRITE! Letters are due by December 29. Lastly, forward this notice along to your friends who love Moab and great singletrack!
