I received this email, thought you might enjoy also....I tried highlighting the last paragraph, but could not for some reason :roll:
A meeting June 12th,....they say bring hiking boots, wonder why? Its my son's B-day, otherwise we would have driven up this weekend. Heading to Fla.
Hello, trail lovers:
It was one year ago that several people began to think that it was a good time to launch an effort to convert the unused "Tahawus Extension" of the North Creek railway to a rail trail. Let me review what has happened since, where we're headed, and the things we must do to be successful.
But first, the goal: Create a unique, world-class bike trail stretching 29 miles from the classic Adirondack town of North Creek to the magical destination of Tahawus - the foot of the High Peaks, a place of history, sublime wilderness and the source of the Hudson River. An awesome recreational opportunity for our visitors, inspiration for a more healthy lifestyle among our residents, and a boon to our economy.
The challenges in creating a bike trail are always enormous. We have made some great progress, but we are reaching a point where some serious public support will help influence some key decisions. That's where you come in, and we are grateful for your help.
So, let's review:
The first few months of this project were spent quietly checking on basic feasibility. We found mostly positive answers to our questions, and we went public on the idea early last fall. We held the first meeting of the Friends of the Upper Hudson Rail Trail last September. We spent some months formalizing this organization over the winter. We met with DEC and APA to get some sense of the challenges we might face with state agencies. We created a website, a Twitter account, and a Facebook page. We've gotten some good press and have done other things to get the word out.
The nature of bike trail projects is that they are managed locally by people who have never created one before. It's a good idea to get help from folks who have, so we established relationships with Rails to Trail Conservancy and especially Parks and Trails New York, with whom we won a highly sought grant that provides exactly the help we need.
We held a meeting in North River to let that community know about our activities and to listen to their concerns. We've been in contact with others who may be affected, including Barton Mines. At this point, we believe our neighbors' concerns can be addressed if we work together. This has been and will remain a major goal of our project.
Another key goal for 2010 is to acquire the right-of-way, directly or through an organization like OSI. We have been talking to NL Industries and they are currently studying their options. These wheels can turn slowly, but we do have them turning. The legal nature of railroad ROWs is complex; we have done a great deal of work to understand our ROW so we can resolve any issues quickly. The overall idea is to assemble a package that is "funding ready."
The remaining goal for 2010 is to strengthen our organization. I'm very pleased with the folks we have working on the project. We are growing at a rate that matches our needs - but only barely. We've incorporated, have a 501(c)(3) application in the works, a good strategy to reach our near-term goals, and good connections to the community. The big job of generating overwhelming public support has only just begun, however: there are meetings to attend, hands to shake, outreach to do, and much more. We don't need a lot of money at this point, but we do need some in order to act as a strong organization. Please become a formal member by applying online on our website.
All in all, it seems like our timing has been just right. Good things are happening, enthusiasm is very high. This month's Conservation magazine has the first DEC commissioner on the cover - riding a bike! Inside, there's a photo of current Commissioner Pete Grannis - also on a bike! Since one potential sticking point for our project is how DEC will regard the portion of our ROW over state land, these are amazingly timely images.
There's much more! Please attend our first general membership meeting this Saturday at the North Creek Ski Bowl Lodge at 10:30AM, June 12. Bring your favorite food or snack and beverage, your hiking boots or your bicycle. We'll have coffee for you. I'll give a slide show (I'm working on a Google Earth tour), we'll talk, get you signed up as member (free or paid memberships available - no pressure). Then we'll see about walking out on the tracks or going for a ride or both.
And you can always learn more by checking our website, and signing on to our twitter and facebook pages - links below.
Thanks for your support.
Curt Austin
Friends of the Upper Hudson Rail Trail
http://www.upperhudson.org
http://twitter.com/upperhudson
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Upper-Hudson-Rail-Trail/102812963094737
skiing......There's a Police Officer from Whitehall ( southern point of Lake Champlain) who swears the Beastie Susquatch walked right across in front of his police cruiser one night. 
