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| My "trail" out~ |
It was hot & muggy, but not like yesterday - so I decided that I wanted to ride out from home & see what, if anything was going on. The road above used to be about 10' wide... now the alders have about filled it in! We did get through. Then we came to the ecology block & gate - someone had cut down another large alder & almost completely blocked the path around. We made it... Next - we headed out down the paving toward the creek.
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| Someone removed the blockage~ |
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| But the Beaver have Not been deterred! A new lodge! |
I was sad to see that the surrounding Cedars had died off from too much water... but always happy to see Beaver at work - even if they spooked Farah :-) As we crested the short hill - the next
view, made me sick...
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| Construction trailer~ |
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| More trees going down... |
Mind you, this entire area had signs on posts saying "Native Growth Protection Area"! I have photos from previous rides here over the years. What a Waste! Taxpayer dollars yet again... So - we didn't go that way!
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| Trees cut across the trail~ |
Instead, I thought I'd just take our trail & head south toward the wetlands there... We were only in a few feet when we came to the first of the trees cut to block the trail. Farah jumped this one.... The next one I got off & managed to Move... The third set - I gave up & we turned back. Out to the paving & walked out to the power lines & again headed south. This time we managed to make it to our goal.
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| The creek was so low you can see the old bridge supports |
Here was our turn-around spot. We took a short break - then went back, happy to be on a trail through the woods - even if it may be one of the last times... We went back out onto the power lines & back to the road that leads into the Development.
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| The gates have been re-installed... |
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With the gates back, I wanted to be sure I
got back before they left & locked them for the day. I wanted to go to the construction trailer & ask why they'd cut the trees?
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| Nice little fire burning - during a burn ban... |
No one was around the trailer, but a guy was riding a mower along the edge of the roadway. I hailed him & he shut the mower off - he was Russian & told me that he had no business card nor contact information until "tomorrow". I'll go back for it!
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| I'm not the only one who's unhappy... |
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| The trail we'd cleared last year - on our way home. |
On toward home, you'd never know that we'd cleared this trail over 7' wide last year... At the Cascade Horse Club meeting tonight, I spoke to Alan - who did think that I should contact the county about the tree cutting etc. Think I will.
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| You can see how this view is changing... |
As we crested the hill - I was actually shocked at the amount of logging that's going on east of Granite Falls... Feeling a little sick, beaten by the blackberries & beaten by the rampant development & logging... Before long - this entire state will be one huge highway I-5 - with solid development as it is going south... Scary stuff.
Next time, I'll head north & see if I can still get through that way. If I can't - no point in clearing my access trail anymore... Saddened...
This post makes me very sad for all of you who live up there and have loved the land for years and years. Big Business can't seem to see beyond the dollars (not all of them...but a good chunk of them). I hope your other trail is still well enough to get through. You all are in my thoughts....
ReplyDeleteugh - I hate clear cutting! I used to do spotted owl work in Glenwood, and every year I went to check this one area for owls. there was this awesome huge fir that was missed while the first and second and third growth trees around it had been cut. I would always go hug it because it was just such an awesome tree and a wonder it had been left standing. last time I went to that area - it was gone. very sad. I am sure trees have souls and are alive, just like the Ents in Lord of the Rings!!!!
ReplyDelete- The Equestrian Vagabond