Proposed El Paso County, CO
OHV Park

I'm a 50 year old, 20 year resident of El Paso county. In the last 20 years, I've hunted, backpacked, hut tripped, mountain biked, skied and ridden motorcycles on Colorado's beautiful public lands. Also, in the last 20 years, off-road motorcyclists in El Paso, and surrounding counties, have lost much of their available recreation activities. A fire and flood combo closed a long loop known as Top of the World, in the Rampart Range Motorized Recreation area. A fire in Teller County closed around 50% of riding there as well as causing closures to some of the Southern trails in the Rampart Range area. Most recently, an area long used by many El Paso residents was mostly closed as well, the PMI area in Pueblo. During the same 20 years, OHV use in Colorado has increased dramatically. With the increase of recreationists and the decrease of available opportunity, many see the remaining open areas as eyesores. This is compounded by the 5% of any group that will abuse whatever resource is available if left to their own devices. When more people use less area, really, what outcome is expected by rational people? We've been wished into the cornfield then chastised for being there.

In the same 20 years, we've seen opportunities added for other recreation groups: Red Rock Canyon, Section 16, the northern slopes of Pikes Peak, the bike trail along the old railroad bed towards Falcon, and Cheyenne Mountain come to mind. These areas are very popular and rightfully so, everyone deserves a place to recreate.

I was recently at the proposed site for the El Paso County OHV park. It was a 40 degree bluebird day and around 75 riders had each paid a fee to ride on the Aztec MX track. I would guess that number would have been double if there were trails for the trail riders as not everyone likes to "bounce, Evel Knievel-style, over earthen mounds" as reported elsewhere. As I looked around, we were surrounded by a gun club to the south, a dump to the east and northeast, salvage yards to the east, southwest, and west, and Corral Bluffs to the north. I was also surrounded by mothers and fathers riding with their children. Teenaged boys riding with their girlfriends. Old guys like me riding with his young as well as his young-at-heart friends. Everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves. Those families deserve a place to pursue their chosen form of recreation just as much as any other El Paso county taxpayer.

Ken Murphy
Black Forest
 

Dear Editor,
I am a avid trail rider. I am not 18, I do not smoke, drink irresponsibly or break the law and my wife and I enjoy a home here in Parker, Colorado. Personally, I cannot be more excited about a motorcycle park in Colorado, Springs. The nearest area to Parker that supports any real trail riding is Rampart Range Recreation Area. While it is a wonderful place that is used my many people, it lacks access to health care, fuel and food choices. As a person who enjoys riding outdoors, I would happily support a town that supports its motorcycle riders in those ways.

What does that look like? Right now, I fill my car and bike tanks in the town that supports riding. That per year, from just my pocket book, is $1200/year. If just 100 riders enjoy this park (which I am sure will be easily achieved), that of course comes to $12,000/year. At Colorado's tax rate, that comes to a cool $1000. How many riders would one expect? If you make a great park-and I sure you will, one could expect 10 times that. Easy math will tell you that, over a 10 year period, that would add up to $12,000,000 to local vendors and governments.

How much would that area bring if devoted to the "open space" folks? I am sure much less. In fact, think about that lost revenue for DECADES to come.

On a side note, the area does look very nice. Are we motorcyclists not entitled to the same scenery as the open space crowd? I am sure the open space crowd is not suggesting that us motorcyclists don't enjoy scenery as well, would they?

Thank you for reading
Chris
Parker, Colorado