My name is Roy Cornett and I am a BCHA member from KY who really appreciates all
that BCHA does for me and those of us who enjoy trail access to our public lands.
Recently, I have been able to instill some of those thoughts into my granddaughter Aubrey Roark (8). She has become hooked on trail riding with me. She has been exposed to the need that we have to keep our trails open for her generation to enjoy as well.
We have here locally in KY an area that we call the “reservoir” (1,300 acres of land that the Scott County Fiscal Court purchased years ago planning to build a reservoir on it but were never able to get a permit from the Corps of Engineers to build it) where we have been blessed with the ability to use the original trails. We have also been able to add some new trails using techniques that we have learned for sustainable trails.
Believe it or not, Aubrey understands the difference between a trail that runs straight up and down the fall line of a hill versus a trail that makes its way up in a much more gentle slope so that it will be sustainable for
years to come. I get a kick out it when we hit a section of trail that is steeper than it should be, she will say “PA”, this needs attention.
This past weekend, we had a work day scheduled at the “reservoir” and Aubrey was the first to raise her hand when we were discussing plans for the work day the previous weekend at a ride we were doing. We had to cancel the work day due to foul weather on Saturday but that did not deter Aubrey. She was calling me Sunday morning wanting to know if we could go riding. Guess what, we went riding. In fact, she decided that she wanted to ride down into the creek by herself.
She will be there for the work day I am sure once we get it rescheduled. That is Aubrey on Bo with a big smile on her face having just accomplished her goal of handling the steeper than what she considered comfortable creek bank along with the silty soft soil as we entered the water. SUCCESS! Yep, I am proud of her and we look forward to many miles together.
Roy Cornett CKYBCH Executive Member of the National BCHA
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