[at-l] Tuscarora Trail Closure

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...At the direction of the private
> landowner, the Tuscarora Trail has been closed to ALL hikers and trail
> maintenance volunteers on the portion of the trail from the Shenandoah
> National Park boundary to Route 340."

I don't have a clue as to why the trail was closed. But I have my suspicions. As
some of you may remember, I founded 30 years ago and am now president  of a
tiny, one town land trust. Over the years a handful of unpaid volunteers have
managed to acquire 400 acres that we own outright and another 250 acres of
easements that allow public pedestrian access.

  We have tried to work with the local "sportsmens" club, and the local ATV
  club. All our lands are open for walking, hunting, fishing, or any other low
  impact recreational things anyone might imagine. We even allow some ATV's
  providing they are willing to stick on trails we have negotiated as being
  suitable for ATV use.

  The signs to this effect that I drafted, printed on my computer, wrapped in
  double Zip-locked bags, tacked to the back of some of my failed election
  signs, and posted at every conceivable entry point have been universally
  ignored. Most irritating.

  But what is even more irritating are those who go out of their way to thumb
  their noses at not only the signs, but the very idea of land protection. A
  week ago I walked the preserve and found an illegal fire on the edge of a
  beaver bog, with six empty Budweiser bottles in the ashes. Because I didn't
  have a day pack with me, I left the bottles for pickup later. Later was
  yesterday. Rather than six bottles, I found that someone had come by and
  deliberately smashed those bottles again and again with a rock.

  Disgusted I wandered across the bog on my way home. Frozen into the ice were a
  dozen more bottles discarded next to ATV tracks.

   I know, some on this list disparage us liberals -- as I do, when I see them
   deliberately backing a Nader, knowing full well it will help elect a Bush,
   preferring to be pure, than to win 90% of their goals.

   But the vandals that deliberately damage our land trust property are died in
   the wool, dumb, stupid, Rush Limbaugh, and probably Ray Stern, conservatives.

   Let me apologize in advance if I have maligned any innocent persons.

   Weary