Hello All

Please do not ride on Mahler Meadow or the fields on either side of the big creek thru Mahlers near the FENCE showgrounds. These are hay fields. Stay on the clearly marked trails or the big gravel roads in that area, and avoid all the open field areas.

We have had several situations recently where riders were stopped by James, the Mahler’s farm manager, and asked their tag number. Please do not take offense at this. It is not James’, or any landowner’s, job to enforce FETA rules and they often don’t want to deal with riders themselves as riders have sometimes been rude to landowners (!). The procedure is that any landowner who feels a rider is violating a rule or in the wrong place notifies our Member Relations Committee Chair, Rhonda King, who lets the rider know the problem and the possible solution. Usually these are not serious situations and no action is taken except providing information, etc. If it is a serious rules violation (riding when the trails are closed, smoking or drinking on the trails or other egregious and intentional behavior) the Member Relations Committee will ask to speak to the member or take appropriate disciplinary action. But usually the landowner just wants FETA to deal with these things, and that is why they are asking for your tag number. If you don’t know the problem, don’t worry about it—we will get it straightened out. Assume that anyone asking for it has the right to do so, and give it to them politely.

And stay off the grass is always good advice unless you know it is ok and the field is not being used for hay. We can’t put out signs everywhere or it will start looking like Times Square.

Thanks

Dot Moyer

Dear Riders

BEWARE OF DOGS in the Stonybrook/Ricci’s Meadow area. A resident has been seen running with a large group of large dogs in the area which has resulted in several near accidents. We are working to solve this problem, but be sure to hold on to your reins and pay attention.

Hello FETA Members

I am happy to report that the following areas are now reopened for riding:

* FENCE Showgrounds side. Remember that work is still being done on the Nature Side, and avoid that area. Also, FENCE is doing some work on the trails with machinery, so they might be temporarily blocked off and on over the next week or so. But generally, the area is open.

* Mahler’s trails are all reopened.

* River’s Edge (between Hunting Country Road and the Pacolet River). Trail re-routes and repairs are completed. Two new trails have been established. They are well marked. Still Hill was re-routed away from the landowner’s driveway and a new trail Wallace Way, has been established from Underpass to Hunting Country Road. (please do not ride on the field but stay to the marked trail.) You can hook up to the Mahler trails by crossing Hunting Country road and walking about 50 feet to the left. Be sure to be careful as new trails need a bit of time to “pack down”.

The Little Mountain Trails are almost ready. A little more equipment work on Video Plus and stream crossing, so please be patient a little longer. If you would like to help our volunteer crew open the smaller trails, please send me a reply e and we will put you on the notification list.

Finally, if you are getting this e as a forward from someone else, you are not on my e-list. Send me your e and I will include you in the contact group. If you are signed up as a FETA Yahoo Groups member and don’t want repeated e’s, let me know and I will take you off this list.

Thanks for your patience. I think you will enjoy the expansions and improvements.

Dot Moyer

GOOD NEWS:

Hughes Creek Preserve has graciously agreed to reopen the old FETA trails on their undeveloped property. Several years of disuse will require some restoration work. We will only be reopening the large loops, with the small inner trails closed for the time being as we see how things go and if riders obey the FETA rules. There will be heavy machinery working on these trails in the next few weeks. You do not have permission to ride these trails until they are officially opened. We hope to have that done this February, and will notify you when hey are ready to ride.

We are all anxious to ride when we can and where we want, but these trails are a privilege, not a right. Everyone is required to respect the landowner’s conditions of use, including temporary closings which are for your safety. No exceptions. We have better things to do than track down landowner complaints of trespassers and deal with rules violations, and riding on closed trails is a serious violation of your FETA membership agreement. So we would really appreciate your cooperation.

THE FETA BOARD