The Shaffer Trail descends from Island in the Sky to Potash, on the banks of the Colorado River
The Shaffer Trail, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

After 10 years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Scenic Highway of Legends in Colorado, I attended the National Scenic Byways Conference in Denver in late August, 2009. It was an inspiring 3-day event filled with great informative workshops and round-tables. But I particularly enjoyed the opportunities to meet and network with folks from all walks of life who were there to participate in the program, sharing what they knew and learning more. And it wasn't just people from individual byways, there were representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, US Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. There were also a number of people who were individual state coordinators for the National Scenic Byways program and more than a few people representing the Tourism offices of various state governments. The majority of the event facilitators were from the National Scenic Byways Office in Duluth, Minnesota (which office is now closed due to Congressional budget cuts).

In the afterglow of that conference, I decided to move forward with the construction of this web site. I made the decision to move forward as a private (but engaged) citizen. As a private citizen there are things I can do that government-funded and 501(c)(3) organizations can't do. As a private citizen I also don't have any questions in regards to my mission and the "purview" of my efforts. I am also not restricted by certain elements in the federal legislation and certain requirements that the various organizations are required to meet, as long as I do meet the standard obligations incumbent on any publisher, whether in print or on the web.

Therefore, the effort I have put in to build this site is fully dependent on the amount of "free" time I have on my hands and my ability to do research and compile pertinent data for the task at hand. This entire project is financed through private means and through the use of advertising.

Taking a look back down the slope of the climb to Independence Pass
View from Independence Pass, Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway
San Isabel National Forest, Colorado