uman Powered Trails, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is:  “To develop and maintain first class sustainable and environmentally correct, human-powered, shared use trails for the La Crosse, WI region."

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My HPT Story PDF Print E-mail
Written by Gene Roberts   
Monday, 25 May 2009 09:31
This is an article I have intended to write for some time. I have been a member of Human Powered Trails for about two years. My wife has been involved in community service yet I never seemed to find a project that I was willing to commit myself.  I have known many members of HPT for many years mainly through the cycling community. I began to hear more and more about HPT, not only as a place to ride a bicycle, but rather a place that all people of La Crosse and the Coulee region could go to enjoy the trails and the nature that surrounds them.

I became a member of the Board of Directors and I was asked to cultivate a trail patrol. A patrol consisting of a group of like-minded individuals whose mission would be to provide service to all trail users through assistance, education, and community goodwill all the while enjoying using the trails. The Coulee Region Patrol (CORE) was born. Although fundamentally similar to IMBA’s National Mountain Bike Patrol CORE would be different. CORE would develop a cadre of shared trail users as Patrollers and Ambassadors with basic first-aid, CPR, and basic field bike repairs. CORE is young, in development but moving forward.

As important as CORE is to HPT I think have found my true civic calling by personal commitment to the mission of HPT. I was fortunate to attend the first annual Wisconsin Bike Federation State Summit meeting on April 27 and 28 in Madison. It was exciting to be among four hundred fifty cycling enthusiasts, more than attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. weeks earlier. Two hundred twenty members met with our state representatives to discuss cycling related legislation and transportation issues.

With HPT leadership I attended The Department of Natural Resources State Trails Council meeting. This council is comprised of representative users of the trail system in Wisconsin. During a sub-committee’s report on trail development and use it was stated that as the DNR does not have the resources, funds, or man-power that is necessary.  And that civilian organizations such as “Human Powered Trails of La Crosse” would be instrumental in the development and maintenance of the trails in Wisconsin. We were on the record!

What preceded and followed these meetings was the opportunity to network with like-minded trail users, DNR committee members and influential State representatives. I found that this is where the rubber, be it a tire tread or shoe sole, meets the road, or in this case the trail. HPT needs to maintain a high profile, be it with the people of the greater La Crosse community or people of importance around the state, if we expect to continue to foster and develop additional shared-use trails.

So now you know why I have chosen to to be a member of HPT. Now it’s time for you to consider how you can contribute to the city we live and to keep the idea of great shared-use trails alive. More than ever we need your support.

See you on the trails!

WHAT'S YOUR HPT STORY???
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