Trashing our trail

GroveAtopia has one of the best bike trails in the state.  It's the 15.6 mile Row River Trail.  It starts at the center of town, at Trailhead Park, and runs all the way to past Dorena Reservoir to Culp Creek.

The whole trail is paved and it's flat as a board for a good portion of the route.  Bicycle heaven!  Anyone can enjoy this trail.

The Row River Trail was converted to a bike path under the Rails to Trails program.  The path runs along an abandoned rail line - the one that used to carry the scenic passenger train "The Goose" between Cottage Grove and Disston.  

I've never ridden the entire trail, but I've ridden the portion that runs through town between Safeway and Wal-mart a fair number of times.  That stretch of trail is both lovely and functional.  It provides a safe and tranquil way to get between these to major shopping hubs.

The other day I was riding my favorite stretch - the one where the trail goes into this heavily wooded area just before it crosses Gateway Blvd.   And guess what I saw?  Trash!  Lots and lots of trash.

It is truly sad to think that there are those who care so little for our trail that they treat it like their personal garbage dump.  I doubt those leaving this much trash are cyclists - they don't have the time or right number of hands to toss this much trash and still be riding their bicycle.

I'm guessing the trash is left by people traveling on foot.  And there is no excuse.  There are trash cans along the way and seriously people, how much effort does it take to wait and dump your trash in those instead of on the ground?  Are you so overcome with the urge to toss it that you simply cannot delay?  Must it be tossed right here and now?

The city is responsible for cleaning the part of the trail that runs through town, so technically it is their responsibility to clean this up.

But you and I know whose responsibility it really is.  

So bicycle trail people who drop your trash here, please stop.  Your garbage belongs in the trash can, not on the trail.