Monday, December 21, 2015

A Trail Advocate's Prayer


I felt inspired to write this poem after watching a Christmas musical.  Tis the season for hope, thankfulness, and reflection. Trails are indeed part of life’s journey. 


A Trail Advocate’s Prayer

Father, as I head out on the trail today,
Whether it is for work or play,

I ask for your guidance on the course I take,
Let no stone, or root, or furrow cause a mistake.

Your light shines on the obstacles ahead,
The cliffs, the downed trees, all that being said,

The decisions I make, the people I meet,
I lay all those factors humbly at your feet.

At the end of the trail, I hope to rest,
With the knowing, I have done my best.

-- Don Amador

Friday, December 11, 2015

DEFCON ONE CARNEGIE ACTION ALERT - East Bay Riders MUST Send Message to Sen. Glazer and Assemblymember Baker TODAY


This is a VERY important alert for OHVers who live in CA’s  7th Senate District  and 16th Assembly District (East Bay Area).   Based on my past experience, State Senator Steve Glazer and Assemblymember Catharine Baker are getting pounded by the Friends of Tesla to deep-six future OHV use (dirt bike/ATV/SxS/4WD) on the acquisition property as outlined in the Preliminary General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report for Carnegie SVRA.  OHV needs to weigh in too!

Riders in the Districts/Towns listed below need to send in a simple message to Senator Glazer and Assemblymember Baker.  That message is:   SUPPORT THE GENERAL PLAN FOR CARNEGIE SVRA.

You can add a sentence or two about how you and your family enjoy Carnegie SVRA and how you are looking forward to using the new property.  However, this is simply a vote counting alert.  We need a large number of constituents from the districts to contact these two legislators.  Please fwd. to your riding networks ASAP. 

State Senator Steve Glazer’s District Map (Antioch to Livermore to Dublin to Moraga, etc.)

Senator Steve Glazer’s Email (you don’t have to select an issue – just click “support” and add the support text for the Carnegie General Plan)

Assemblymember Catharine Baker’s District  -  Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon,  Walnut Creek

Assemblymember Catharine Baker’s Email

The finish line is in sight and we can’t let anti-access groups torpedo future OHV use at Carnegie.
Please share with your friends that live in the District.  Thanks for your help!

--- The Recreation HQ


Thursday, December 10, 2015

MUST WATCH OHV TV - Video from Congressional Hearing on Clear Creek - H.R. 1838

Don Amador (L) and Ed Tobin (R) Riding
at Clear Creek before the 2008 Closure

The Recreation HQ has fired up its alert system in regards to yesterday’s House Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing on two very important OHV-related legislative initiatives.  Those two bills are H.R. 1838, the Clear Creek National Recreation Area and Conservation Act and H.R. 3668, the California Minerals, Off-Road Recreation, and Conservation Act.

For this update, HQ will focus on highlights and key testimony/discussion related to H.R. 1838.  Understanding that folks have limited time, the HQ has noted key times and discussion themes.

This is a must watch video for all of us who have been engaged in efforts to reopen Clear Creek to OHV use.

00 – Chairman Tom McClintock and Ranking Member Debbie Dingall
06:49 – Cong. Sam Farr (history of issue, assumption of risk, OHV commission, economic hit to local business, thanks CA’s odd couple, Tobin, and Ron the Townhall King, etc.
023:50 – Cong.  Sam Farr (wild and scenic rivers)
025:15 – Cong. Sam Farr (assumption of risk, closure is unacceptable)
035:29 – Cong. Jeff Denham (public land should be open for public use, user fees to support mang)
036:21 – Cong. Sam Farr (discusses user fee program to support mang)
037:12 – Cong. Jeff Denham (values local support, etc.)

RECESS

1:25 – Cong.  Tom McClintock (assumption of risk, use of public lands)
1:27 – Kristin Bail/BLM (BLM’s position on the bill and reasons for closure)
1:38 – San Benito County Supervisor, Jerry Muenzer (risk models, economic import, support for bill)
1:43 –  Chairman McClintock (questions Muenzer on closure)
1:44 – Chairman McClintock (questions BLM on closure, hx of serpentine in CA, etc.)
1:48 – Cong. Sam Farr (expresses concerns about BLM’s decision to close and need to find a way to manage the unit for OHV and access)
1:48:46 –Cong. Doug LaMalfa (questions BLM on risk assessment)
1:51 – Cong. Doug LaMalfa (questions Muenzer on EPA and 40 years of no health cases at Clear Creek)
1:53 – Cong. Bruce Westerman (talks about closures being a national issue, need to create access for youth and not create obstacles)
2:04 -  Cong. Tom McClintock (closing remarks about closures being an important issue)


LINK to VIDEO

The HQ wants to thank all those involved in supporting this 8 year effort to reopen Clear Creek to managed OHV recreation.  BIG THANKS for not giving up.