Ride Report Heat's on in El Moro today!

Make sure to stay off the "Area Closed" trails at El Moro today. A good friend of mine was met at the bottom of "Nothing better to do" by the OC sheriff and presented a ticket. Was told that they will be cracking down on all closed single track trails in the park, and will be issuing tickets for all scofflaws....no more warnings.

 

Holy crap...they had the 4th section of Fence Line closed too and I started down "Nothing Better to do" today and turned around and glad I did! Thanks!

 

Not like this wasn't a long time in coming. Are they going to pay the ticket or fight it? If they fight it I would like to be there on the court date. How was the ticket written a infraction or a misdemeanor, trespassing or riding a illegal trail. Much to be learned here.

Apparently the Sherrif has time to write people tickets for riding their bikes but not enough staff to keep felons in jail for the full sentence. OCJ is letting people out serving 50% of there time.

Dean

 

Are the closed trails marked and well used/obvious or is it one of those things that you need to know where they are to find them?

 

No you are suppose to follow the maps given out by the park or follow the signs posted at trailheads. The park states it is your responsibility to know what is what...this is maybe a problem that a good Judge may point out. If the person that got the ticket is not working the Public Defender will take the case. Most PD like taking cases to trial to get the experience. Wonder what the general public (jurors) thinks about this use of tax payers money and Police and Court time.

I have been waiting for this to happen I a sure hope the ticketed person fights it. Sheriff in the park? Did they drive to the bottom trailhead?

 

Actually the 4th section of fence line and nothing better to do had a bringt blue sign newly posted on a metal post that clearly said stay off couldn't miss it....they just put those in I road both of those trails last weekend...and firther mroe they are there to stay they have them way in the ground

 

They where not there Thursday evening either.

 

What I'd like to see is the Sheriff to start writing tickets for parking at El Morro school.
Seems like a better opportunity to collect revenue to me

 

The ticket was for being in a closed area, not trespassing. I thought that was intrigueing. There was 1 sheriff at the top of ridge park radioing in to the sheriff at the bottom, the number of riders heading down the trail. 2 guys seems like a waste of resources to me. The sign was not at the top of the trail, but in a spot about 30 feet down trail and off to the left about 10 feet....not super obvious. It was suggested to the Sheriff that if they are serious about letting people know that the trail is off limits (and they are there not just to help California get out of its financial mess) than put a BIG sign in the middle of the trail. His comment back was "I guess you learned a lesson today. Hmmmm??

 

BIG TIME waste.
Much as I favor sticking to legal trails, I can think of about a thousand better uses for the Sheriff's Dept resources. How about putting this tag-team duo out on Santiago Canyon Road to ticket drivers for driving in the bike lane? People die because of that, which I don't think the sheriff can say about incursions in closed areas of El Moro.

 

And that lesson would be? Don't drop the trail in front of the Sheriff.

 

Sheriff was hidden....pretty sure he would have made the right decision if sheriff was visable...

 

The really strange part of this is that State Park rangers have the authority to write tickets and arrest. Why involve the Sheriff Dept? Are you sure they were sheriffs?

 

It's been known for some time now that closed signs get torn down shortly after being posted. The parks have adopted the policy that only legal trails are signed and if not signed or on the current map, then it's not legal.

 

What the Park says and want would hold up to a court challenge may be two different things. Apparently today NBTD was signed down the trail a ways. Besides all that ride that area on a regular basis know that NBTD is a illegal trail. It is not a coincidence that the Sheriffs where there the when the signs where up. If it was signed you have know reason to fight the ticket.

Dean

 

Agree, trails with signs indicating trail names are legal and acknowledged by the park.......trails without signs are not legal.

 

However, I was told that enforcement and visibility is going to be significantly stepped up including multiple signs and other easily observable items like bright yellow closed tape etc. Heck it was busy out there today, I am sure they picked a day like today "to get the word out"

 

Not to sound naive, but why don't they just open the trail and not worry about it. Is there a good reason it is closed in the first place. I don't really ride there, so I am not familiar with it.

 

Very good question without a good answer, the trail in question has been there a long time. Long before the toll road and all the development in Newport Coast. It appears that the powers in charge put a higher value on flora and fauna than they do outdoor recreation. I wants the animals and plants protected as much as the next person and don't see the harm in opening that trail, but there again I am just a self mountain biker.

Dean

 

I was told it crosses through an archeological site as well as a drainage. Whether those are good reasons or not depends on one's perspective.