Watchung Reservation - Call to Action (10/20, 7pm)

Shorepoints

Well-Known Member
As interesting/fishy as the history of the "law" or "ordinance" may be, what is really important is that the actions we are taking now become enacted. We want to get an MTB legal trail network established in the Reservation and we (and JORBA) want to be able to legally build, maintain, improve this network. Everything in the past is not really relevant at this point. HOPEFULLY some good news coming very shortly I'll update as soon as I'm able.
 

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
What Shorepoints said!

(I only brought up all the fishy stuff because they seem to be making it an issue by ticketing folks more than before)

Lookin' forward to that good news,

Lonerider
 

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
But keep in mind, it IS fishy that getting a straight answer about what happened 20 years ago made me feel like I was in "all the president's men". Fishy hell it's like a beached whale. Sometimes I think this ordinance is like Kaiser Soze.

Great day to ride today, btw.
 

kidzach

Well-Known Member
But keep in mind, it IS fishy that getting a straight answer about what happened 20 years ago made me feel like I was in "all the president's men". Fishy hell it's like a beached whale. Sometimes I think this ordinance is like Kaiser Soze.

Great day to ride today, btw.
I hear you welcome to Essex County.............................South Mountain Reservation..........to be continued......
 

thegock

Well-Known Member
There is a Union County Freeholders' meeting tonight at 7pm in Elizabeth. It is open to the public. 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 6th floor.

Let's wish the Freeholders "Happy Thanksgiving"!!!!!

Still no definitive improvement, but word is that progress is being made behind the scenes.

Stay positive.
 
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thegock

Well-Known Member
Matt wrote elsewhere:


We caught Zuber after the meeting.


MY COMMENTS: Bruce Bergen wasn’t there Tuesday night, so after the meeting, which had no “public comment” portion, Matt and I went up to the FH seating area and spoke with the Vice Chairman, Sergio Granados (very friendly: “call me Sergio…”) Sergio then saw Ron Zuber leaving the room and called him up to speak with us. I wished them Happy Thanksgiving and thanked them for repairing the erosion damage on the trails in the WR.


Matt: My take on last night is that Ron echoed more of what has been said - basically IF the new map & plan is approved and then IF the trails can be made and IF riding is then allowed on those new trails based on the new plan, only then we will be riding back there.


Ron stated that the FH had asked for more information after the engineering firm prepared revised plans and I had the impression that that would be quickly forthcoming. He indicated that there was one section where the horse trails and the MTB trails “conflicted”.


Matt: No timeline. Even asking for general guidance on a timeline was like I asked him to wire me a few $k.


I asked Ron Zuber: “How about NOW?” Ron said he was getting a lot of feedback from the older hikers, who do not want to share ‘their’ trails. Ron mentioned that there would be plenty of work to do on the new trails and it seemed like he expected the MTB community to follow through on our expressed intention to put in sweat equity.


Matt: He was nice and everything but to me it didn't seem like anything was happening too fast. Supposedly the freeholders are trying to wrap their head around this "new sport" before committing to anything. That's close to a direct quote.


Sergio was quite friendly and said that the FH all supported opening the trails. At that point, I walked 20 feet to the right and pointedly stared at the nameplate of Bette Jane Kowalski, who had skipped the meeting. She had previously expressed opposition to MTB.


I think things are moving forward, but “money talks and…” We should keep making our voices heard at each and every FH meeting until the trails are open.
 

CrankAddictRich

Well-Known Member
I was doing laps of the res. on my road bike last weekend and was passed by several county cops and none stopped me or even looked at me sideways... I did however, see a few mountain bikers on Saturday morning down near Surprise Lake. I told them to be careful and informed that they weren't helping things by riding right now. They shrugged me off and continued on into the woods.
 

stilluf

Well-Known Member
I was doing laps of the res. on my road bike last weekend and was passed by several county cops and none stopped me or even looked at me sideways... I did however, see a few mountain bikers on Saturday morning down near Surprise Lake. I told them to be careful and informed that they weren't helping things by riding right now. They shrugged me off and continued on into the woods.
hate to hear this but thanks for spreading the news. At this point, if they get a ticket it's their own fault. Don't think a few rogue riders will screw it up, but them riding is not helpful.
#freewatchung
 

CrankAddictRich

Well-Known Member
hate to hear this but thanks for spreading the news. At this point, if they get a ticket it's their own fault. Don't think a few rogue riders will screw it up, but them riding is not helpful.
#freewatchung


Agreed... I don't think there are many riding anymore (at least not compared to the past, I used to see a lot when I was doing laps on my road bike) it just sucks because even if its just a few, we'll all by judged by their actions, just like I'm sure that the majority of hikers don't care if we're eventually allowed to ride, but there are a few vocal hikers that are in the minority wrecking it for the rest of us.

On a side note, I find it interesting that one of the reasons often cited as a reason to not allow mountain bikers is that we ruin the delicate environmental balance, but if you stop and take a look at Surprise Lake's current condition, you'll see that whoever is in charge clearly doesn't have the ecosystem in their best interests. It is so mis-managed, its shameful.
 

thegock

Well-Known Member
Happy Thanksgiving. The next Union County FH meeting is Thursday, December 8 at 7pm; 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 6th floor.

See you there.

#freewatchung
 
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