Building A Strong Wyoming

Hosted by Wyoming State Representative Keith Gingery of Jackson Hole
What an eventful weekend
I took Friday off and we walked into Shoshone Lake up in Yellowstone.  My 2 year daughter is getting heavier in the backpack.  I am dreading the day that she will be too big for the backpack, because then I will know she is growing up way too fast.  Saturday morning I went out to the dedication of the new visitor center at Moose.  I am still concerned with how close the new visitor center is to the river and the loss of prime habitat, but I seem to have been in the minority on that one.  Everyone got so upset over the Canyon Club putting a fairway near the river, but no one seems to care that a large visitor center and parking lot were just built next to the river.  My wife and I used to snowshoe in that area and I will miss those beautiful woods.  I stood in the back to listen to the speeches, but couldn't help but to find it ironic to see my colleague Representative Pete Jorgenson in attendance to hear the Vice-President speak, but only a few hours later helping to hang him in effigy at the protest out at Stilson.  Now that is democracy in action.  Could you imagine trying that in totalitarian state.  I guess there was a good turnout for the peace rally out at Stilson organized by Governor Freudenthal's former press secretary.    The best speech I heard all weekend (and I heard quite a few this weekend) was out at the visitor center dedication.  Susan Thomas was speaking about her late husband, Senator Craig Thomas.  She spoke from the heart.  At the end she said that she missed her boyfriend Craig.  It was quite endearing.  I wished the rest of the speakers could have ditched their canned speeches and spoke from the heart.  An interesting piece of trivia I picked up Satruday was that the director of the National Park Service is a naturalized American citizen from Britain.  It definitely caught my attention when she got up to speak and a British accent was clearly evident.  Saturday afternoon I was over in Dubois for the annual Buffalo Barbeque.  It was a huge turnout and an enjoyable afternoon with Dubois folks that have become close friends. Sunday monring was the walk for Gabriel up in the park.  Another excellent turnout.  We didn't last long at that event.  My daughter had a two year old melt down.  I was happy to see the memorial walk turn into a walk of celebration, since the money has now come through and it appears that they will begin construction next year for the Moose to String Lake section.  I am looking forward to riding my bike on that section.  I still have concerns over the plans for the pathway from Signal Mountain up to Colter Bay and for the Moose-Wilson road.  There are some large environmental consequences that I don't think the park service has fully taken into account.    Quite an eventful weekend.. 
Posted: Sunday, August 12, 2007 10:54 PM by KGingery

Comments

George Bush said:

Hi Keith, what environmental consequences of pathways are you refering to. Fewer motor vehicles on the road, is good for wildlife. Fewer people in cars, is good for the quality of experience. It is my understanding that only some sections of the signal to colter route are going to be separated pathway.  The sections going through environmentally sensitive areas are going to have improved shoulder. There are some large environmental consequences to auto dominated transportation that I don't think the powers that be have taken into account.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Motor vehicle operation is a killer on a level far more dangerous then terrorism and war. The horrifying thing about it, is that it kills small children at a far higher percentage then war ever will. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for American children. Your more conscerned with the environment so let me move on.

The environmental consequences of driving a motor vehicle especially gignormous pickups like the one you drive are collectively disaterous to our local surrounding. As a cyclist I've seen my fair share of roadkill, vomited from the persistent stench of rotting corpes, but never so much as in Jackson Hole.  Morning bike rides in the Grand Teton National Park are by far the worst because the roadkill coroner hasn't come by yet to pick up all of last nights slaughter. We don't allow hunters in the park because we want to preserve the wildlife for future generations. Cars, which kill on a far greater level, are given the green light. I conclude my argument here until I hear more examples from you about why you feel cycling should be suppressed.

# August 14, 2007 7:07 PM

George Bush said:

Now that there is going to be a pathways system in Grand Teton it all the more pressing that the infrustructure in Yellowstone and surrounding areas is improved. Who/whom should I speak to about Yellowstone roadways. I've heard numerous rants about how poor the shoulders on in the Yellowstone. It's only a matter of time before a tractor trailer tourist takes another human life. I'm calling for an immediate change to Yellowstone's ambivalence torwards cyclist.

# August 14, 2007 7:38 PM
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