By participating in the creation of the Trans County Trail, the Forest Service aims to provide, Terrell said, “a connectivity of land and people.”

For San Diego city councilman Scott Peters, the Trans County Trail gives locals an opportunity to “think outside the car.” He believes the trail will become the backbone for a biking transportation system where the bikes will have their own path away from cars. Peters mentioned that San Diego has the second largest urban park system in the country.

“Given the park network we have, the bicycle is a natural way to get around,” Peters stated.

The majority of the trail’s property is owned by various government agencies. Some of it, for example, was bought by the cities of Santee and Poway.

Danny Stoufer, the superintendent of the San Diego Coast District for California State Parks, expressed support for “connecting the dots.”

The San Diego Sea to Sea Trail Foundation, a driving force behind the Trans County Trail, is dedicated to creating a network of interconnected trails crisscrossing the lower 48 states of the United States.

Jim Hagey, founder of the foundation, is passionate about walking and wants to make it possible for anyone to walk across the United States. He is pushing for an expeditious completion of the trail and predicts it will be completely linked by 2010.

With time, hikers and cyclists will have uninterrupted passage through previously restricted or inaccessible land. Ms. Terrell invoked Woody Guthrie during her presentation, stating, “whether mountain biking, walking, hiking, this land is your land.”