The only thing about the FLT commute home from Cheney that makes it not suck is the alternate trail at about the Mile 6 post. And really: that trail is not the rad: it's got a lot of sections of deep sand, and a bunch of tiny super steep climbs (with deep sand) that could be challenging if a guy was into that. There are exactly two fun descent sections that make the alternate FLT trail worth doing. And really, even if those weren't there -- just having an alternative to the flat paved soul-sucker that is the FLT would be welcome. So, even though I'm bitching up a storm here, I am thankful for the alt version of the FLT.
But understanding my conflicted relationship with the alt version of the FLT helps frame up even MORE bitching I"m about to go into. Happy Friday by the way.
Normally, trees felled across the trail would register as a minor annoyance. And by "felled" I am being explicit. These trees didn't blow over in the woods with no one hearing them.
Railroad people did it.
Big ass slash piles lined a section of the trail. Really: in terms of navigating, no big whoop.
But the way these guys operate is just so ridiculously focused only on efficiency that it illustrates how a bureaucracy can be optimized to just throw ethics out the window. It's easy to see how just decimating trees and the surrounding landscape by shoving them over with heavy machinery and indiscriminately pushing them aside pencils out when compared to the alternatives that would require a bit more care for humans, animals, the environment.... you know: the rest of us that aren't concerned with the railroad bottom line.
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Guess I should tell you I work for the railroad then eh? lol, btw, that was sub-contractors who butchered those trees. the stubs create a safety hazard for us crews on the trains, we've bitched about that also to no avail.
But by all means, go ahead and pave the Ben Burr right?
Better a paved trail then no trail I guess:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/10/288584936/family-trust-wins-supreme-court-fight-against-bike-trail
Wonder what the effect will be beyond federal rights of way.
Ouch. I've never understood why courts hate bicycles so much, it's almost a bigotry. Read Breyer ridiculous blather.
SCOTUS has may have killed the John Wayne Trail.
So, just so we're clear, the Feds can't use a public RR rightaway for another public purpose, but they can condemn your house and give it to a corporation (Kelso).
I suspect bribery on the high court.
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