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Happy trails, thanks to Howard Boone

Horse trails don't take care of themselves. While Woodside helps fund maintenance projects, the town also relies on a dedicated group of volunteers to help maintain and expand its trails.

Members of the private Woodside Trail Club and the town's Trails Committee have raised money and donated countless hours to building trail bridges, repairing washed-out trail sections, and sweet-talking property owners into opening up their yards to riders.

Howard Boone, a longtime member of both the club and the committee (as well as virtually every other equestrian group in town), has racked up a saddle-bag full of awards and commendations for his 45 years of work on behalf of the trails. Over the years, Mr. Boone developed relationships with property owners to gain access to private properties, helping preserve the town's interlinking network of private and public equestrian trails.

So it seemed only fitting to name a town trail after him. The "Howard Boone Trail" is one he rode frequently with his friend Harry Williams, and it leads up to the Mountain Terrace restaurant at Four Corners, said Rick DeBenedetti of the Woodside Trails Committee.

"The trail that comes off of Roberta Drive was dedicated to Harry Williams and it only seemed appropriate to name the trail that goes off the Harry Williams Trail the Howard Boone Trail," said Mr. DeBenedetti. "The two of them worked hand in hand to keep the trail system alive and what (it is) today. They are true ambassadors of the trails."

Posted by Bill Raventos, a resident of the Woodside: other neighborhood, on Oct 15, 2007 at 6:27 am

Our family was a member of the Woodside Trail Club when I was growing up. I rode the trails extensively with my father, E.A. Raventos, and alone from about 1954 to 1961.

On a whim, I decided to "Google" the Woodside Trail Club this morning. I have not lived in the area since about 1966, but I have many fond memories from riding the trails in that time and it is heart warming to discover that the trail system is still there.

Best wishes to all who ride the trails!

Bill Raventos