Access, homeless cities, etc.

Damara says:
I have been riding the river from Manor to Allen road(stockdale bridge area right behind River Lakes Park) almost every weekend for the past couple of months. The issues that I have experienced at this time are:
1) The designated horse parking lot and access through the fence on the north side of the river (adjacent to River Lakes Park) has been removed by the construction workers. We have to ride down the canal bank to get in. If they put water back in that canal, we won't be able to access the river anywhere west of that area until you get to Enos lane or East until you get across the street from AAA on truxtun extension. I even tried to park on the west side of the stockdale bridge and hop over to the river, but the whole access area has "no horse" signs everywhere. There are a lot of people with kids in strollers, bikes, dogs that live in that area and they use that side of the river to exercise, they are blocked off and have to walk around the fence (down the canal bank) to get through. I have encountered quite a few school kids who use it as their route home in the afternoon.
2) East side of Coffee Road bridge is impassable without getting into the river, you can not get through when there is water in it. There is quicksand all around-it is impassable. Right now I can get through because it is dry.
3) the area between Coffee Bridge and Manor Bridge is saturated with homeless people who are unhappy to see me. Some cuss at me even though I am on the trail and not going near their "living" areas. Someday, you may read about an unfortunate equestrian in the paper. (Editor note: the sheriff's and police department vigilantly try to clear out these tent cities as they attract a lot of crime, please thank your local authorities for their help and let them know of problems)
4) I do not drink, smoke or litter while riding there. (Ed. this is a response to a comment that some people think equestrians are a bunch of beer drinkers...) I pretty much stay on the north side (opposite the bike trail) the whole way.