[NMCycling] 9/19 TNCX trail concerns.

[hawke morgan via Bike-racers]

Crossers:

Unbeknownst to me the Forest Service ratified a proposed forest plan that bans bicycles from doing any riding off approved system trails in the Cedro/Otero/Oak Flat area.  I remember writing a letter to them expressing my concerns about the proposed change, but i did not know that it ever got enacted.  
Most of what we rode on Tuesday was on system trails.  The new little downhill and runup was not.  The USFS trails manager guy Kerry Wood and called me today and said that he was not happy with how that area looked post ride.  

I explained that I did not know that they had changed the rules, and we finished the phone call on good terms.  Actually even under the old system, where we could ride off trails, he would have considered this section “building a new unapproved trail.”
  
So, I need to ask you guys/ladies, if you go out there to train, not to ride the new little downhill we used (on 9/19) to get to the runup.  I do not think that many of you all train much out there anyway.  I am going to try to smooth that area back out some and put some logs over it to keep it from becoming a “trail.”  As much as I hate to see them go, we should probably avoid the usual trail to get to the runup and the runup itself, and we will do so for any other practices I am involved with out there, at least as long as this policy continues.  This is not Ryan's fault as he did not know this either, and I did not say anything to him about the new section.
      
Almost all the course for next Tuesday (9/26) is on system trails.  It is more or less the normal big loop we have done before, less the above mentioned runup.  I sent Kerry a map and if he thinks it is OK we will go for it.  If not, we may need to move to Roosevelt Middle School.  Be sure and check the event page or bcdracing.com/cycling to confirm the location.  

Thanks,

Hawke Morgan
Round About Co.
(505) 259-6885
yourstruly at fastmail.com