Field Reports: Cyclists fined for Canyon ride

Three California bicyclists on a trek from Alaska to South America have been banned from national parks for five years, fined and ordered to spend two days in jail for illegally riding across the Grand Canyon.

Sean Monterastelli, 23, David Yost, 24, and Jacob Thompson, 24, rode through the canyon last month on a hiking trail, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Federal officials tracked them down in Tucson, Ariz., after National Park Service rangers discovered pictures and a journal on the trio’s Web site showing them camping without a permit and riding their bikes at the canyon. Bicycle riding is banned on the canyon’s trails to help protect the environment and for safety reasons.

Flagstaff Judge Mark E. Aspey sentenced them to 48 hours in jail, a $500 penalty to be paid to a search and rescue group and five years probation. They are banned from national parks during their probation.

Thompson said the three have delayed their trip while they work in Flagstaff to pay off the fines.

“They really did throw the book at us,” Thompson said.

The men began their journey, designed to promote environmentalism, at the Arctic Circle in July and hope to pedal to the tip of South America.

On the Net: Riding the Spine: www.ridingthespine.com.

Associated Press

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Pygmy rabbits returning home

Six years after an emergency roundup to rescue the species from extinction, 23 endangered pygmy rabbits are headed back to their native habitat in north-central Washington.

The diminutive bunnies rabbits scheduled for release this week are the offspring of a captive-breeding effort involving state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, Washington State University, the Oregon Zoo in Portland and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park near Eatonville.

The rabbits will be released on a state wildlife area in Douglas County, initially in artificial burrows for cover until they dig their own burrows.

More than 70 pygmy rabbits will remain in the captive breeding program to provide animals for future releases.

The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit is the country’s smallest native rabbit and the only one to dig its own burrows. It was listed as a state endangered species in 1993.

Staff and wire reports

NATURAL RESOURCES

Pombo joins firm

Former U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., says he’s joining an Oregon lobbying and public relations firm that specializes in Western resource issues. The one-time California rancher and former chairman of the House Resources Committee will find clients for Pac/West Communications, but will do no lobbying, company President Paul Phillips said.

The company’s clients include the Save Our Species Alliance, which supported Pombo’s unsuccessful efforts to rewrite the Endangered Species Act. Those attempts spurred environmental groups to pour money into the campaign of wind energy engineer Jerry McNerney, a Democrat who defeated Pombo in November.

Associated Press