If so, have you been affected by the closing of "trails" (cough, these are not trails but fire roads) by the water authority project?

If you do ride and you have been affected, you should be aware that the project has been extended until 2013 and many of these "trails" could remain closed until them.

This is absolute BS I say, what few 'trails' we have need to be left open.

I've emailed the park asking for possible consideration of altering the "closed" hours (example: rode a closed trail on a Saturday, no one was on it, construction crew wasn't on site, trail remained closed)

The following notes are from the last MTRP CAC meeting concerning the closures:

----

It was reported that the SDCWA would like to keep the existing trail
and access road closers in effect till the project end in the summer of 2013. The Claremont Mesa
construction support sites will also remain closed till the ending of the project in 2013. However, construction hours may be altered to a Monday through Friday schedule in the near future. SDCWA will return to discuss possible options concerning the necessary extended
construction period.
----

I would like to gather a count of people who feel they are affected by these closures and take this to the next MTRP CAC meeting (as a non agenda/comment item) to present and use as weight to consider extending the "non closed" hours (such as weekdays after 4pm (construction crews seem to be gone) and both Saturdays and Sundays.

The meeting is May 5th, the call for names and or (if there is interest) signatures is not bike specific. In other words, runners, hikers etc should be included.

If you ride the park can I get a Yay/Nay if you are affected and a Yay/Nay if you would be willing to put your name down as someone who would like to see the closures altered.

(C'mon, the water authority just friggin tacked two years on to this project like nothing)

Thanks.

P.S.
To clarify, the request would be for more sensible "flex" hours on when the trails are open. Sun up to sundown, Mon-Sat is not an acceptable schedule after asking for a two year extension of the work. Us, being flexible park users could understand 8am-4pm Monday through Friday, right

Yay that I ride the park...

Yay that I am affected... (I actually come back along that way after hiking the fortunas)

Yay that I would like to see the closures altered.

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never stop....

I cannot tell a lie but I agree. Flex hours make more sense. Is the Meeting on May 5th open to the public?

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There's a lot of shame on a road bike. -- evdog

I ride and hike MTRP and am affected by these trail closures. These closures prohibit riding some of the best loops in the park. The signage is also poorly done and confusing. I mistakenly rode a closed trail or two my first time there after they started the project. Like you mentioned, there was not a single person in sight and I could see no reason for them to be closed. PM me if you need my contact info.

The CAC meeting is open to the public.

Not only are the extended trail closures unacceptable, but most of these trails could use a lot of work. If enough people are interested, mountain bikers could approach the CAC and offer to do trail work on the multi use trails in exchange for flex hours. Open up a trail, work on another kind of agreement. Since a trail is officially closed, we could actually perform some quality work as opposed to just doing a 4 hour/once a year trail work gig.

A win for MTRP, a win for the CAC, a win for trail users, and a win for mountain bikers.

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By choosing not to help the situation, you have chosen to be part of the problem.

These meetings are open to the public.

This is a very delicate situation. In other words *at this time* it could be a bit overwhelming to swamp the place with people. There *may have been* some stories that were heard concerning other CACs and not so friendly and inviting meetings. For now it is probably in our best interest to avoid similar situations but be firm and voice our concerns. In my experience, the MTRP CAC has been fairly accepting and they have loaned a listening ear to the "cycling" community.

It is key to voice opinions and be sure that we are well represented. The meetings are also relatively interesting if as a community member you are interested in the operations and management of the park.

Thanks for the update OCD, I haven't been to MTRP in a while I that place delivers on the climb factor.

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If you have any Real Estate questions, or looking to buy or sell a home, PM me.

Wow, OCD must be getting soft in his old age ... can't believe he's promoting trail access and advocacy.


J/k - the extended closures are ridiculous. A "2-year" extension? What are they building the superhighway?

Any of you dudes use the trail access behind the condos in Tierrasanta to get to MTRP?

Im trying real hard to change

I've never been anti access or advocacy. In fact I've been off and on for trail access in MTRP for a couple of years now, I just don't find a need to discuss all of the details.

I still don't care much for large groups and maintain my stance on.. uh "questionable trails" . Ride em, have fun, tell your friends, tell your family, dont tell the internet, its only going to lead to closures, no matter what the "right" thing seems to be. Large groups always tend to have one of "that guy" who ends up pissing off someone along the way.

OK Im a bit asocial too but hey... variety...spice of life.

I haven't been up behind the condos since the first (maybe still) closure.

The most effective efforts by the trails community at the worst CAC meetings you could refer to (Los Pen) have been when the room is full of mountainbikers dressed as they came from work, speaking plainly and politely. The Los Pen CAC regularly raises and pursues issues of trail access through construction sites in the preserve, and this is something the MTRP CAC can do, too.

There's also good context for the CAC, since the project has been extended and now comprises a very long-term trail closure.

I suggest that a public showing of many polite persons is a good thing, and that it's not "delicate" at all. The MTRP CAC doesn't have the composition or extremism of the LCPC-cac, so keep that in mind and show up with as many concerned people as you can. BEST OPTION: ask the CAC chair to agendize the matter and to ask the Agency/Contractor to attend so that options can be discussed.

Options are currently being discussed.

If an advocacy group wants to represent their members and do this, that is their responsibility, I hadn't heard or read a thing so I've taken my own path with this.

Personally I'd like to go in with a list of directly affected people, present this, ask for consideration and maintain good terms. The Exec director of the foundation at MTRP is an outstanding man who has been good to the surrounding communities for quite a few years and has been fairly receptive of cyclists concerns.

In my experience and observations (when dealing with the park managing entities and politicians) local community residents seem to get the most "ear time".

I think that's correct. In terms of locals, MTRP locals are anyone that walks, runs or rides the affected trails. I don't think you need an "advocacy group" (not that it's a bad thing) but simply people to show up and indicate friendly concern. By posting what you have, and can do further, you have just become an advocate and a leader.

Yes, now you are The Man.

Next, you'll be asking us for checks. I know how it goes.

No checks requested yet but some word on the street...
(Im going to leave out names )

At a small meeting earlier this week, outside of the park, it was reported that a new person who is helping to run the joint said something along the lines of "he wants to make MTRP the best urban park in the country". He happens to also be very bike friendly, shit, he is friendly and helpful in general and has been in district 7 for years.
Things are heading in the right direction, slowly but surely. I sure as shit hope no monkey wrench gets thrown in.

I may be admitting defeat, but I live directly across from MTRP (just above the Jackson Drive entrance) and don't even bother with the park anymore. If you want to ride in the same general area, ask some locals to show you around Spring Canyon and Oak Canyon. By linking up various loops, you can easily get 10-12 miles of nice singletrack.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

Threw in my .02 at the CAC meeting last night concerning the trail closures.

Apparently there has been a lot of confusion as to what is "actually" open and what is actually "closed".

Water Authority people committed to making things right and correcting the misinformation, the signs, the website, etc.

One Phase should be complete by June that would reopen the river crossing (technically closed but not really closed, signage definitely shows closed). This will be closed again in fall when a new river crossing is built.

I made the suggestion of more fair flex closure hours (idea seemed to be entertained) or to take this opportunity to consider/build some new trails (as expected, it was then that I seemingly began to speak greek)

In other news, at the end of the meeting:
-the the CAC mentioned some "cards" provided by the SDMBA outlining trail etiquette. Dorothy liked these.
-rumor has it in the near future LPQ and MTRP may be getting an additional ranger .
-any all trail efforts in MTRP seem ( in my opinion) to continue revolving around Cowles, the realignment/rebuilding of the main Cowles trail.