watch Save Mount Diablo
Protecting the Mountctin Since l97l
n
Your Help Made The Difference!!!
M
$225,000 For Morgan Territory
& $3 Million For Cowell Ranch Senator Tom Torlukson & The State Budget Come Through
" Dear Frientls of Mowtt Diablo: We arc pleased lo repor! thcrt the budget tvcentl)' ,signetl by Q6vst'1711t' Dqvis inclucles two ctlloccttiotts ...for pt'ojects related to Mourtt Diablo...$225,000fion the State's General Fundfor ttcquisition in Morgut Territory...1l1s second allocatiott isfor $3,000,000f om Prop. 12, the Pqrks Bond Act...for accytisition of portions of the 4,400 ac;e Cowell ranch sunounding the John Marsh Honre in the eastern foothills of Mounl Diablo...We hope lhis new.s meets rvith 1,our pleasurc atrcl confinns the State's continuing conunitntent to Mt. Diablo. Sincerely, Keitlt L. Demetre*, Chief, Plcutttittg Divi.siotr, Depertntent of Parks mrl Recreation."
That's the answel' SMD mernbers got in response to rccent letters to the State. It was assuned that there was no chance for budget funding this year - the energy crisis would rnake it intpossible. Senatol Torn Torlakson made two requests anyway - fol an SMD project in Morgan Territoly and for the Trust for Public Land's Cowell Ranch ploject (which we also suppolted). They both survived the legislative process but the fear was that they might be cut by the Governor. In the spring we asked members and hike attendees to rvrite the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Governor. During the budget stalenate we sent out a l'equest asking for letters. The State received hundreds in support of oul funding requests.
Fall/Winter 2001. No. 3 I
Diablo From Four Feet Up - Where Equestrians Stand On The Mountain B), Seth Adants, Dircctor of ktnd Programs
Imagine sunrise in Clayton, breath steanring in the cool morning air'. Donner Creek to the Falls Tlail and ovel to Danville, one canyon after another, single track trails back toward Mitchell Canyon. Maybe thirty miles. Deer browse, paying no attention, coyotes pass by, groups of quail scatter, you might even see a mountain lion, but you pose no threat. You covel longer distances than hikers . . . . you're riding a holse. "Santana" carried nre part of the loute today, courtesy of Western Trail Ride Adventures on Castle Rock Road in Walnut Creek. I was accompanied by trail boss Gary Segal and a dozen kids frorn a YMCA sumrner camp. Segal looks the part but started riding late in his life. Now he introduces sevelal thousand new riders to the mountain each year. As for nre, I've hiked the
mountain fol twenty years but had never ridden a horse.
With a thousand pounds undelneath nre, I was a little hesitant but Santana patiently f<illowed my inexpelt lead. I would simply lay the reins ou one side of her neck ol the other and she'd avoid overhanging branches. A slight pull and she'd slow for other' horses. Before long rny mind was quieted by the combination of massage and nreditation. From four feet up, the views al'e stal'tlingly better and you experience the mountain with a quiet clarity unlike anything I had expelienced. Contittued on Page l4
It made the difference! Thank you for ploving "general wisdom" wrong. Many othel'projects were completely cut, and while both Diablo projects were reduced in arnount (frorn $300,000 and $5 million), they managed to survive. Without public support our projects would have had a much smaller chance. If you have the time, thank you letters would be great. You rnight add that , "while this funding helps, Mount Diablo continues to need significantly more."
Senator Tom Torlakson, State Capitol, Room 2068, Sacrarnento,
CA 95814, E-mail: senator.tollakson@sen.ca.gov. Governor Gray Davis, Constituent Affairs, State Capitol, Sacrarnento, CA 958 14, E-mail: governor@ governor'.ca.gov. Rusty Areias, Director', Departnent of Palks & Recreation, P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, 94296-0001, FAX 916 657-3903, E-rnail: ' dkinc@ palks.ca.gov
George Canlitrct, cou,'tesy of Ntutcl' Dupont