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04/02/2002
It does a
heart good to hear someone tell it like it is in an intelligent
and passionate way. I could not agree more with Mr. Johnson's
comments to and about the BLM. We as the tax paying, off-roading
public have tried our best to be the pillars of decorum in the
war against the Granolas. I can't tell you how good it feels to
finally hear someone say what the rest of us are thinking.
I am one
of the generation that Mr. Johnson talks about. Raised on
Supercross and the X-Games, my outdoor interests lean more
toward the mechanized variety. People like Mr. Johnson should be
applauded and recognized for their work. If the rest of us
needed a little wake-up call, maybe this is it.
Thanks Mr.
Johnson.
Ryan
Flowers
4/11/2002
Editor@off-road.com,
Thank you
for putting Victor Johnson's letter to the BLM into the April
2002 Off-Road.com web page. You are correct.....this wasn't the
most PC of letters to a government agency that holds the life
and breath of your sport in the palm of it's hand, but it sure
was funny. Sometimes you have to get tough with these people to
get them off the dime.
I don't
know if this will go anywhere, but I feel I need to tell someone
about it. Maybe you could suggest some sources for help on the
following matter. I live in Richland Washington and have been
riding for quite some time now. We have (or had) a great riding
area out here in the desert called Juniper Forest. The BLM has
for the last 20 or so years been working with a local farmer to
provide public access to the public lands (Juniper Forest) for
every form of outdoor recreation. For the last 20 years or so,
the Farmer has allowed the public to cross his land. Last summer
the Juniper Forest area was shut down to everyone due to fire
hazard. Yes, believe it or not the east side of Washington state
is a high desert and suffers from really bad range fires if
everyone isn't careful.
The Farmer
and his wife used this to their advantage and closed down access
across their land to the BLM land. They basically were tired of
the garbage and the risk of a law suit should someone hurt
themselves out there. I don't blame them a bit. The BLM has done
nothing to get this issue resolved for the last 20 years. Now we
sit and wait for the BLM to negotiate the purchase or trade for
the land. I find myself traveling 400 miles to ride at the next
best place instead of riding in my own back yard, thus
increasing the number of people at that riding area. The Farmer
is more than willing to trade and/or sell his land to the BLM so
that he is out of it entirely. Unfortunately, the BLM has
nothing to encourage them to get off the dime and provide the
public with access to the public lands. The local news station
wrote a story up on the issue and we saw a little bit of hustle
on the BLM's part but only a superficial amount. Basically they
performed a lot of hand waving to cover their ass and stall
everyone for a little until the media got tired and went away. I
have called, my friends have called, even the local jeep club
president has called the local BLM representative in Spokane
Washington to bug them about getting this thing fixed. NO
DICE!!! I have been told that the actual trade and/or sale of
the land could take another 20 years. They have set a price for
the Farmer's land but are continuing to drag their feet. Is
there anything else that can be done to encourage the BLM to
resolve this issue?
Thanks for
your time.
Charlie
Mandis
I've
been there too. Here in Colorado there are a number of access
roads to public lands that are literally driveways for land
owners. If you can imagine having dirtbikes rip through your
driveway all weekend you might have a good perspective of what
it might be like. From their point of view - the biannual BLM of
FS truck is no big deal in comparison.
Several
years ago - after riding a brutal 35 miler here in the Rockies,
I ended up at a locked gate near a farm house with a very nasty
sign on it, literally 20 feet from paved highway and another
trail on the other side.. I had been looking forward for a quick
bail out for the last 5 miles - but it did not happen. Before I
had the chance to dismount and talk to the land owner, out he
came with his shotgun. Unfortunately - the adrenaline rush did
not last the whole 35 miles back. This land was closed to
motorized use permanently a number of years ago following the
Buffalo Creek fire.
There
certainly needs to be some kind of balance, access is required
by law but can be a significant burden on the land owner in
light of increased recreational activity . The Feds definitely
need to rethink/reroute these access roads in light of the
recreational use they may receive.
04/25/2002
Just read
the letter to the BLM. Very good. I started exploring SE Utah in
1968. The first time I took the Schafer Trail I saw one Toyota
Land Cruiser. I traveled the entire White Rim Trail in 2000 and
saw 4 vehicles, one was the honey wagon servicing the restrooms.
I have yet to see these enormous hordes of vehicles the
enviromentalists claim are ruining the countryside.
I think
this letter is the most intelligent piece I have ever read on
the subject. We need more people like him representing our side
of this issue.
Thank you,
Tony Kaczmarek
04/29/2002
As an
unhappy subject in a state (Iowa) with virtually no
public riding areas, my family and I dream of one day doing
regular riding vacations out West. Perhaps moving there. My recreational
dollars do not get spent in states that close public lands to
public use. Ever. Bad enough my tax dollars go there. I'm
working against that.
In
fairness, I must admit that Iowa at least has SOME reasonable
excuse for its lack of public riding areas: our lands are USED
to feed the world ! It would be a mighty hungry world if
Iowa's land were under BLM control! Tractor tracks, tilling,
harvesting....Oh My Goodness!!
Like the
farmers of this state, I believe in "conservation"
: the intelligent USE of resources.
The druids who claim to be saviors of Nature are the most
selfish, elitist, and ignorant organisms wasting the
Earth's resources ( like oxygen ). Their idea of
"preservation" is a great big jar of formaldehyde.
Good for preserving DEAD THINGS ! Nature abhors
"preservation". It is not a "natural"
occurance.
The
incredible egos of those who presume to "perfect"
nature is exceeded only by their ignorance and refusal to
accept the fact that man is just a tiny part of Nature.
The world will continue to change and evolve long after man's
brief stint. More species lived and perished forever from the
face of this planet before the first hairy
biped existed than have ever lived or died since. We aren't
even a blip on the scope...
As a
lifelong hunter and outdoorsman, I have been doing battle with
these people for years through the NRA, Pheasants Forever,
Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, etc.. As our
wildlife populations have exploded out of control here in Iowa
and elsewhere, thanks to conservation
efforts and dollars of hunters, the druids have
now been proven to be totally wrong and have focused their
attention at preventing human interaction with the very
wilderness itself instead.
My best
friend's 14 year old daughter has spent her entire life on her
hands and knees and in a wheelchair. The incredible cruelty of
organizations such as the Sierra Club who like to point out
that "hiking trails are open to wheelchairs"
disgusts me. We plan to take our entire families to
experience remote areas. How far might Katelyn get? She loves
riding with her daddy and brothers. Hates her wheelchair.
Any druids out there volunteering to push?
The only
bright side I see in the current trend to close public areas,
is there will no longer be a need for BLM and other government
bureaucracies who, under current leadership, have totally
failed in their mission to manage public
lands for the use and enjoyment of the public. I'm sick of
paying their salaries. I'm sick of paying for lands my
children will never enjoy. I am letting my elected officials
know this in no uncertain terms! Less government is Better
government!! Hold these people accountable. If they can't
handle the job, FIRE them!
We have
been "live and let live" citizens for too
long. Our numbers are great. Our cause just. Perhaps it is
time to unite with organizations such as the NRA to promote
the conservation of our public lands and the right to use
them. It is the same enemy we are fighting. Begin by asking
your representatives to take a good hard look at the failure
of the BLM. I am.
Scott
Rath
05/01/2002
To
Victor -
Wow. I
mean, wow. Ok, first of all, I'm not even near your state or
situation. I live and ride in Missouri. But, I can identify a
well-written piece of lashing when I see it. I gotta tell ya,
man, it's about time somebody said it like it should be said.
Around where I live there are 2 tracks (one recently made into
a concrete landfill by the jackass neighbors in the industrial
park) and a trailpark in Chadwick, MO. Due to the increasing
population of college students and high-class, uppidy,
glorified hillbillies; there seem to be more and more hiking
trails and less motorcycle trails. It's like pulling teeth to
find a variety anymore without a five hour drive. Some old OHV
access trails have been converted for hikers (after we've
paved the way, like you said) while others have been shut down
or blocked off completely like it was a wildlife refuge in
Rwanda. Some of the hate crimes that your population of
motoheads have been experiencing are spreading to other areas,
although, it sounds like you still have it worse. I don't know
how I would react if some suit told me I couldn't ride at
Chadwick anymore. Something fierce and postal would ensue, I'm
sure. I just wanted to say I'm impressed with your aptitude,
commitment, and efforts (especially with the maps, that's
dedication).
So
here's my vote of confidence:
"To the Victor go the spoils!"
Spoil it for 'em, baby.
Ian
Heath
Delivered
in perfect Bruce Campbell Style... Thanks Ian!
04/04/2002
Hey Kim!
Congrats on your excellent article!
My stops for bladder relief in any enduro dwarfs resets. I
certainly admire the grit it takes for a woman dirt biker to
pursue her sport.
However, you were an instant hero to me when I saw your
accompanying photo (Gas Gas 200).
I am a personal friend and business partner with Don Knight, of
Gas Gas North America. Therefore, additionally, I was ecstatic
to see the exposure. (Technically speaking, all plastic is
interchangeable, so color is not a guarantee of engine
displacement).
If you're as good a rider as you are a writer, I'll be eating
your dust along with all the other AAs.
May God bless you and your family,
Ladd Dilworth
Rienzi, MS
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