Pioneering

So I decided to step outside the bubble for a moment and do something a little different on Sunday.  I decided to drive the the Pioneer Scenic Hwy from Wise south and then back over to Dillon.  The idea was to take a casual drive and scope out the possibilities for recreating.

Unfortunately for bikers there are very limited choices to get out and play in the amazing area.  The Pioneer range includes some big scenery!  The recent passages or proposed passages of bills have changed access for bikers to most of the area and we as bicyclists no longer have access to some amazing country.  The irony is that horses still have access and they really really trash trails (noticed that yet again on Sunday as the trail I was scoping out was just totally wrecked from horses).  Somehow bicyclists have gotten lumped in with motorized vehicles, although they have recently created a new category to single us out because someone realized we were out using the trails for their intended use and having fun...ohh boy, we certainly don't want people to be outside enjoying our outdoors and trying to be healthy!  Before it used to be 'motorized vehicles' which meant we as bicyclists could still enjoy these spectacular areas.  Now they have decided to refine that to include bicyclists to say no 'mechanized' vehicles.  If we wanted to be picky, you could argue that horse bits, saddles or even hiking shoes are 'mechanical'.

Once again our elected officials fail to try to understand different user groups and have decided to take the easy way out.  There is enough open space everywhere around here that all it would take would be to take a pro-active approach and manage trails for certain user groups.  Instead they have singled out certain user groups and decided to just close down areas to them.  What a bunch of putzes!

OK OK, enough of my political musings and disgust and back to my happy place:

As you turn south going into the Pioneers, the views just start to impress.  With all of the trees and bushes starting to change, it made for some impressive scenery.  As you get driving south on the Hwy the campsites start to come at you fast and furiously...I can't imagine the area would ever fill up with campers just because of the number of sites available everywhere (official, as well as primitive).

What was especially amazing was how green everything was due to all the moisture we got this year.  The combination of bright vivid Fall colors and rich greens from all the moisture provided for some pretty spectacular views.

After doing some initial recon , I decided to go check out the ghost Town of Coolidge.  More on that tomorrow....for now, it is time to see what chaos is unfolding at work.