The bed of the black pick-up truck is loaded with mountain bikes. Front wheels draped over the tailgate, back wheels buried in helmets, shoes and riding gear. The riders load into the cab and head up Fickle Hill to start their day. The group is eager to push their limits and enjoy a fun day […]
trails
Fresh Air in Freshwater
Missing the sun already? On Sunday, the grand opening of the Freshwater Farms Reserve nature trail, hosted by the Northcoast Regional Land Trust, drew crowds looking to bask in the sunshine along the newly minted paths. Along the 3/4-mile jaunt, with its interpretive signs and kayak and canoe launch, local artists posted up for plein […]
The Supes: A Retrospective
Letter-writer Leo Sears reminded Journal and Times-Standard readers last week that in 2012, in this opinion column, I gave “kudos to [4th District Supervisor Virginia] Bass for chairing an emotional discussion, keeping everyone civil, and for finding a solution — a way forward” as chair of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. The agenda item […]
‘Does that Mean Trails are Back?’
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this afternoon to put language in the General Plan Update’s Conservation and Open Space element supporting the creation of a “regional trail system.” Today’s meeting kicked off on an unusual note, as 5th District Supervisor Ryan Sundberg cued up his cell phone’s speakerphone and played a voice […]
Bay [T]rail Update No. 9 + CCT
I have a new favorite book. Well, it’s not that new and it’s not a real book. I just discovered online the 170-page report called “Humboldt County Coastal Trail Implementation Strategy,” published in January 2011. It’s about the dream of being able to transport yourself, sans car, along the California Coastal Trail in Humboldt County […]
King of the World
Stands of manzanita and groves of knobcone and sugar pine grow within sight of the ocean. Redwoods are nearly absent. Golden eagles ride the thermals along the ridges, and you can find rattlesnakes right down to the edge of the beach. All this makes exploring the King Range National Conservation Area a unique experience in […]
Trails Vote Kicks Off GPU Firestorm
It seems the Humboldt County Planning Commission has kicked a hornets’ nest. Or, maybe it was just Third District Supervisor Mark Lovelace. During its sixth meeting to take up the Conservation and Open Space element of the General Plan Update — recently dumped back into its lap by the Board of Supervisors — the commission […]
Bay Trail Dealt a Blow: Arcata’s TIGER Grant Application Not Funded
Bad news for those hoping to see a bike and pedestrian trail built between Arcata and Eureka: The City of Arcata today got shot down in its application for a $2.7 million grant from the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. As this week’s cover story mentions, the city — and county — […]
Update: Safety Corridor Bike Lanes Widen This Week
Update: Caltrans spokesman Scott Burger said while traffic lanes will be slightly narrowed, most of the extra space for the bike lane will come from narrowing the left-hand shoulder. The Safety Corridor has been all a-bustle lately — earth movers, dump trucks, surveyors and pickups galore. Last week signs popped up at the Samoa Boulevard, […]
Bay [T]rail Update No. 6
Publisher note: If I had my reporter’s hat on, I could tell you a lot of behind-the-scenes drama and painfully slow progress on the Bay Trail, the link in the California Coastal Trail between Eureka and Arcata. But I can’t. I’m a Bay [T]rail Advocate — one of the lobbyists. From the beginning of my […]
Committee to Study Something
At the end of six hours of testimony with nary a break for lunch Wednesday, the North Coast Railroad Authority board voted 6-0 to form a committee to study — something — just not what the Humboldt County Supervisors and State Assemblyman Wes Chesbro had requested. The “ask” from Humboldt leaders was to form a […]
