In this issue:
Areas:
Can Gnangara get any worse?
Pinjar PeeWee trail improved
Advocacy:
No funding in State Budget, but...
Clubby impressed in The West
Ewen MacGregor visits Pinjar
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Helping to save your riding areas
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Dear {tag_recipientfirstname},
Winter at last - and some decent rain to bring those trails up to perfection!
Some real ups and downs this month. We've had some good wins, but there are some unexpected challenges ahead.
Read on to find out what's been happening.
No Money in State Budget - but Hope not Lost

We were told in advance that the State Trail Bike Strategy hadn't been funded in this year's State Budget - but it was still disappointing to see the budget with nothing in it for riders.
However ... we have reason to be confident that funding may still happen this year, so we will keep up the pressure to ensure that this happens.
Ewen MacGregor's Short Way Around

The Department for Environment and Conservation (DEC) has appointed a new project manager with responsibility for Off Road Vehicles including trail bikes and 4WDs. And it's none other than Ewen MacGregor (no, not that one although he has come from England and does ride an adventure bike!).
We gave Ewen a quick tour of some of the popular areas around Perth including Metro Road, Gnangara and Pinjar. Polaris Central in Midvale kindly lent a new Polaris XP 900 to get around Pinjar and Gnangara in and it was a great opportunity for Ewen to see first hand some of the issues and opportunities.
Gnangara to Become a Wasteland (No, Really!)
If you find it hard to imagine Gnangara being a worse place to ride than it already is then get ready to adjust your expectations even lower. FPC is considering clear felling the remaining pine blocks nearest to Gnangara Road as early as this year.
Based on the 'moonscape' that was left after the clear felling operations north of Trainor Road last year this would effectively render the Gnangara Off Road Vehicle Area totally unusable for ORVs - at a time when we are needing more, not fewer, legal areas for quads and non road registered bikes.
The RTRA has met with FPC and DEC and we'll be pushing to see if we can turn this into a positive by bringing forward development plans and investment in the area.
TrailZone Pays a Visit
Trailzone magazine editor and publisher Andrew "Clubby" Clubb paid a flying visit to Perth last month and we took the opportunity to show off the work that's been done at Pinjar.
Clubby's reaction: "So let me get this right - anyone can turn up here, at any time and just ride? No licences? No entry fees? No officials? Kids and parents riding together?" Look for the next issue of Trailzone for more.
PeeWee Trail Gets an Early Makeover

If at first you don't succeed ... OK, so the new PeeWee trail at Pinjar had its problems. The limestone road base was chock full of big lumps of limestone which made the trail unsuitable for its intended audience. But we've said that DEC was determined to get it right, and the work this week by ace trail builder Paul Neve is looking great.
The rocks have been machine-raked off the trail, an 8 tonne compactor has smacked down the limestone, a better quality of gravel with a high clay content has been trucked in to reinforce the corners and the entire track has been re-profiled for more junior fun.
Give it a couple of weeks to bed down then bring the little-un's. And let us know what you think!
Polaris Lends a Hand
The opportunity to promote some of the positive work that's being done in WA to influential people like Trailzone's Clubby and DEC's new project manager would not have been practical without the support of Polaris Central in Midvale who lent us a three seater Ranger 6x6 and a new Polaris XP900 to transport our guests.
The RTRA relies on support like this, so thanks Rod and Graham!
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