Trail blessings

Councilperson Jim Schmidt put out a plea last week for people to let him know if a group he is leading is moving in the wrong direction. “If it’s a dumb idea, let us know now,” he said Monday night, April 4 in regard to a plan to get a trail on the newly acquired Kochevar open space parcel just north of town.
Okay Jim. Let’s go the other way. It’s a pretty cool idea, actually. There isn’t anything dumb about it.
In terms of governmental pace, the ink has barely dried on the purchase contract and there is already a solid plan with broad community support to get a real trail out there that can be seen from the windows of the Town Council chambers. I love it.
A couple of Mondays ago, a roomful of people gathered to explain the idea. There were young people and grey hairs. Hikers and bikers. Nordic skiers and open space advocates. A “consortium” of local groups has worked together to come up with a plan to get a real trail out on what is a dream piece of property. Thanks to every one of you.
I’ve walked and even biked a lot of that area and it is gorgeous. It is easy to get to it from Elk Avenue. This trail will easily take you away from the summer crowds and into the cool freshness of high-altitude summer.
With its aspens and meadows, it is a blessing and it will be a treat for those of us who live here and those who visit here. And it is coming quicker than anyone would have thought.
Schmidt described it as ambitious. It is. But it the result of a concerted effort on the part of motivated people who know what they want and are willing to work together to actually accomplish something. Right on. These guys are getting something done and not just talking the talk.
Now they will need a little help, so be prepared to get out the work gloves in May and June and get ready to be part of another great community effort when the time comes to actually turn this ambitious dream into a reality. As members of the group said last week, local trails just don’t appear because trail fairies get out there and build them. You need to help.
Thanks again, everybody.
This will be a blessing. A blessing we can touch this summer.