It truly is a wonderful gift to have a horse, a great place to ride, and to meet kindred spirits along the way. I ride odd hours and different sections, so you might bump into me anywhere.  I'll always introduce myself and ask for feedback. I've found this is the best way to improve the system.  If I'm putting up signs or working a difficult area, I may be afoot.  Folks generally don't like to ride with me. I average one mile per hour when working, slower than molasses flowing on a cold day . . .

We are a diverse group of riders.  The most accurate way to identify valid FETA riders on the trail is by the proper display of a membership tag.  FETA tags are numbered and color-coded and should be worn on the left side of your mount, clearly visible.  You are required to show your tag to anyone who asks to see it regardless of whether whomever is asking is mounted or afoot.  You are also required to have your tag with you every time you ride.  Recently, I went on a short ride. I met four riders along the way.  Two of the riders did not have their tags with them.  I realize this is a small sample of riders, but from my point of view, 50% of the people I met were in violation of the agreement they signed.  After July 1st, riders will be asked to leave the trails to retrieve their tag.  Their identity will be given to our Membership Committee for consideration of possible sanctions.  In simple terms, please obey the FETA rules. These rules are in place to protect the Landowners and the trails they so graciously permit us to ride.

Trees have been falling more often with the storms that have passed through. If you ride around an obstruction that is blocking a trail, you are in violation of your agreement with FETA. In so doing, you assume liability for any resulting action that might occur. No matter how many people have carved a well-worn path around a fallen tree, if you choose to ride around it and get caught, you will be held accountable.  Please choose to backtrack and go another route.  Report problems as quickly as possible. Choose to be a good steward of our trails!

Be safe and have a good ride!
Dave Smith 

This is what my horse Quinn thinks about the heat wave today.

THANK YOU to all the members who renewed on time!  Nearly everyone properly signed their releases and included their Coggins papers. Phenomenal!!  I only had a few who forgot their check or had late arriving Coggins.  Our dedicated trail riders have the right idea. They schedule their horse's shots and Coggins tests in the spring to be ready to reapply.

 
We are past the renewal cut off date of July 1st .  Snoozing members are loosing members! There is a $50 penalty fee for late renewals. This deadline is important for the volunteer membership person (me) to finish her job and get back to the real reason I do this - to ride these wonderful trails!

Once again I am blown away by the generous donations of our members.  I realize joining is not cheap, still so many of you have opened your hearts and wallets to help maintain and expand our trails.

 

See the following article for trail directions to Sheila's Playground.

 

Fields Edge (3,135 ft) - Fields Edge starts at the end of the fence on River Road near Morgan Chapel Bridge.  DO NOT ride in the field at any time.  The trail follows the Pacolet River.  Ride approximately 3,000 feet along the perimeter until you reach NOVICE TRAIL.  

 
Novice Trail (3,371 ft)  - Take Novice Trail, keeping to the left, until you pass through an open gate and reach River Road again.  Turn RIGHT on River Road for about 450 feet.
 
Shady Lane Trail (900 ft)  - On the left, between a power line and a pasture is Shady Lane Trail.  Please stay on the trail and take it across the powerline meadow, across a mud flat and into the woods.  The trail is well worn.  Stay on the trail.   The wooded trail is Poison Ivy.
 
Poison Ivy (830 ft)  -  Poison Ivy will take you gently to the left, through standing pines until you encounter a main trail.  Turn left.  This junction of trails is Poison Ivy, Peaceful Pines, and Old Horse Collar.
 
Old Horse Collar (2,500 ft)  - This is a main trail with many trails off to the right and left but for the purposes of this loop, STAY on Old Horse Collar.  It is a wide main trail and if you take side ventures, you could wind up anywhere.  You will cross a small stream not long after you turn left on Old Horse Collar.  This trail is fairly long and takes you eventually to another stream.  When the leaves are down, there is a nice waterfall to be seen upstream from the trail crossing.  Near the top of the hill, Old Horse Collar turns into Old Barn Trail.
 
Old Barn Trail (2,870 ft)  - This is the trickiest part of the ride for turns and opportunities to get lost, so pay attention.  Many nice trails can be found along both sides and if you take them, make sure you have the capability to back track to the main trail.  From the top of the waterfall hill, continue straight on Old Barn Trail.  You will be in the Stoneybrook Development area.  Go until you see what appears to be a drained lake/pond on your right.  Turn to the right and ride along the upper bank of the pond until you come to a driveway.  Turn left and ride beside the driveway.  You will go through an open gate on the left then follow the fence line on your right to the top of the hill.  The section from the driveway through the gate and up beside the fence is named Pia's Trail.
 
Pia's Trail (1,170 ft)  - This short segment is named Pia's Trail.  Look for Tommy's trail on the edge of the woods near a well that looks like one of those plastic rocks at the top of the fence.
 
Tommy's Trail  (585 ft)  - Take Tommy's Trail through the woods for a short distance until you reach a hard surface road called Golden Road.  Cross Golden Road.  Turn slightly to the right and then left into the woods onto Skips Trail.
 
Skip's Trail (3,455 ft)  - A wide main trail with many side trails to explore some other trip.  Ride Skip's Trail until you reach Pretty Bottom Trail.  At all times, stay on the main trail.  It is easy to recognize which one it is.
 
Pretty Bottom (3,900 ft) - YOU CANNOT USE THE JUMPS.  Take Pretty Bottom until you reach another stream crossing.  Walk in the stream for several feet.  Take the trail on the left bank of the stream until you come out into a meadow.  The trail is Sheila's Playground. 
 
Sheila's Playground (861 ft)  - YOU CANNOT USE THE JUMPS.  Take Sheila's Playground across the meadow until you pass through a gate, onto River Road.  Turn left.  Your trailer will be visible after you go 30 yards or so around the curve.

We are fortunate to have Jenn Patton holding the reins of trail maintenance.  Jenn is the only person FETA employs to keep the trails clear.  We ask your patience with the process. We have a reporting system which divides trail problems into two categories.  The categories are type and priority.  A main-artery type trail takes precedence over side trails.  When completely blocked, the trail is assigned a higher priority than for trimming only.  Following are recent trail problems. Some have been fixed, some need additional work, and some are on the schedule.

Reworking of River's Edge/Underpass/Wallace Way.

Still Hill is closed until a solution to the creek crossing can be determined.  Take Wallace Way to cross over Hunting County Road.

Scriven Trails and Scriven parking is now open. 

Coachman Trail has been rerouted due to the withdrawal of a property from the system.  Coming from the south, turn right.  Ride along the road for a 100 yards.  Turn left onto the new Coachman Trail.  Thank you Butch and Linda for being good FETA stewards!

The stream crossing on Wolf Creek at FENCE has been reworked with gravel instead of timber and is much improved.

FENCE has equine trails and hiking trails.  Some of the yokes to prevent riders from inadvertently taking a hiking trail are slated to be rebuilt.  Riders should stay on the marked trails and let hikers have their area.

The end of Hays Hollow Trail closest to South River Road will be improved once top priority trails are finished.  Riders can use this trail to go from the Cotton Patch area all the way to the Pete's Pond area at Chinquapin Farm.

So when you are enjoying the trail and it is a bit overgrown, let someone know.  We promise to get it cleaned up but it needs to be reported.  If you happen to see Jenn, let her know how much she is appreciated!  Go to our website http://www.fetatrails.org/home.htm and use the second link on the left of the page to send a ROOT report to schedule the job.  I appreciate each and everyone of you who send reports!
Dave

 

 

Dave