If at anytime you begin to think one person cannot make a difference, think again. Deirdre saw a need, took up the challenge and produced results. We are enthused about her work and the base of knowledge she now brings to our preservation efforts. If mapping is one of your special interests, Deirdre is your go-to person. Deirdre spent hours working on this project which will lead to many future benefits with the Forest Service. Deirdre, we appreciate all of your time, energy and effort it took to complete this project! Remember, all you need is a horse and a trail. Jerry Fruth

At Randy Eiland's January El Paso Pioneer ride, I got to talk to Roger Taylor at the ride. Roger has done such a wonderful job in forging a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to develop Ft. Stanton as a great endurance area complete with clean outhouses, water, and trail markers.

That brings me to the point of this article. The Caja map is printed and available! The map shows all the trails in the Caja del Rio National Forest (just west of Santa Fe, New Mexico) along with trail descriptions, driving descriptions, and trail pictures.

The map, a totally self-contained guide to this great riding area, is printed on waterproof, tear-proof paper and is folded into a handy saddlebag size. There are great loop trips on the order of 10 to 20 miles and stock water whenever cows are present.

The map was originally a fun exercise in learning to use a GPS. I had a great time with friends like Susan Smith riding and exploring the area. I soon realized, however, that many trails on existing USGS base maps were not very accurate. Some trails did not exist at all where shown, many trails (from older maps) still did exist, and notations on trail quality were not trustworthy. For example, a 2002, 1:24,000 USGS quadrangle shows a Ò4WDÓ trail that certainly is not now (and probably never was) passable to vehicles.

The new map corrects such problems. Overall, the mapping effort has identified one new hiking trail, four new riding trails, and has identified several 12- to 20-mile loop trips. So, a personal lark turned into an accurate (I hope) trail map has been a benefit to me and my riding friends and has supported planning for the Caja del Rio endurance ride (sanctioned this year for May 28th!).

There is a second part to this project, something of a personal dream. I want the Caja to become a safe, permanently established riding area with facilities like Ft. Stanton that will provide a base for recreational riders and competitive rides in northern New Mexico. We only have one AERC ride this year in northern New Mexico. Maybe, just maybe, the Caja can eventually support multiple AERC and NATRC rides in a single year. The "established area" approach works makes it so much easier to put on a ride.

So much work remains before such a dream can come to fruition, but the mapping effort has helped tremendously. The map is already catalyzing trails work by the Forest Service and Back Country Horsemen. The Northern New Mexico HorsemenÕs Association (NNMHA) have been active supporters of this area, the map and sponsors of the Caja del Rio endurance ride. The NNMHA and I are working with the Forest Service in submitting a grant proposal for trail markers, kiosks with trail maps, and stock gates. The Forest Service will also be using the map to start an assessment of which trails should be available for motorized vehicle access and to start public meetings regarding recreational priorities for the area. So, the map is not an end in and of itself; it is a very important and credible tool that can help multiple users and governmental entities develop a Òwin-winÓ plan for use of our public lands.

I would like to actively encourage everyone interested in trails preservation to invest the time in accurate mapping. The mapping software is widely available and is not that difficult to use if you are fundamentally computer-friendly. You do not have to publish a commercial map. Producing even a rudimentary GPS map demonstrates a serious interest in an area, establishes you as a valuable source of input, and (I think) really increases the likelihood that equestrians will succeed at preserving the trails that are so essential to our sport.

The Caja del Rio trails map may be found in Santa Fe at Desert Wind Saddlery, the Feed Bin, and Travel Bug. It can be ordered directly from bcolin@earthlink.net. Contact Deirdre@swcp.com for information on how to create a GPS map of trails in your area.