The Trail Companion

Late Winter 1999

Ch-ch-changes

From the Editor

Ooooh, different color paper, different typefaces, even a different layout! I figured the first issue of the year would be a good one in which to make some changes. Actually, most of them are due to me using a different piece of software for layout. I'm still getting used to it, but it already makes several tasks easier than they used to be on the old software.
      Some sharper-eyed readers might also have noticed another difference, namely that this is the mid-February issue, not the normal February-March issue. We noticed that the typical window for events was roughly 6 weeks from press time, and I figured I could try to produce a newsletter every 6 weeks, so why not always combine the two publications, instead of just every other month? We believe we can publish activities enough in advance to make this work.
      Some of you responded positively to the option of receiving your newsletter via e-mail or the web. You may be wondering why you're receiving a copy in the mail, then. Well, we haven't quite smoothed out all the obstacles to getting a fully electronic version of the newsletter together, but we hope to accomplish that by the next issue, and then we'll start that process up. Thank you for your patience!
      To those of you who didn't make it, you missed a fun holiday party with lots of good food. The holiday party is one of the few opportunities to meet most of the "regulars" while they're wearing nice clothes, as opposed to their trailbuilding gear. The results of the Board elections are in, and all 4 Board members up for re-election were voted in. Congratulations to Ben, Darwin, Dea and Geoffrey! We also enjoyed watching a video on the research at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, where we have done some trail maintenance in the past.
     Since the newsletter IS a relatively new format, please let me know what you think about it, good or bad. Is it more readable/interesting? Would you like to see more articles/pictures/maps? Please call the office, send a letter, or send e-mail to info@trailcenter.org. Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.
     That's about all for now. `Til next time (which will be early April)...

Scott