Huge Turnout of OHVers for Carnegie SVRA/Tesla Public Meeting

Big Turnout of OHVers to Support Carnegie SVRA/Tesla

The Recreation HQ wants to commend all of the OHVers who attended the “standing room only” public meeting in Pleasanton last night to review the preferred concept for the Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.  I did a head count and there were approximately 300 people in attendance with the vast majority of them in support of OHV use on Tesla.

Park Staff Talks with OHVers About Plan

As you know, a small number of hard-core anti-OHV members of the extreme environmental movement (including one of the SVRA’s next door neighbors) have conspired with the East Bay Regional Park District -- in a fraudulent disinformation campaign -- to ban OHV use on the Tesla property that was purchased in the 1990s with OHV Trust Fund monies for dedicated motorized use.  They had joined with the Sierra Club to try and overrun the event with protesters, but they were outnumbered 6 or 7 to 1.

Preferred Concept Highlighted by Planning Staff

This much needed expansion would provide multiple-use OHV trails (ATV, ROV, 4WD, and dirt-bike) on the new property.   The current 1,500 acre riding area at the SVRA would remain for mostly ATV and dirt-bike riding.

Tesla Will Provide Trails for ROVs

4WDs Will Also Have Trails at Tesla

I especially enjoyed seeing a large number of youth riders who attended the meeting with their parents to support new OHV opportunities on the Tesla site.

Chris Carter Talks with AMA- D36's Dave Pickett About the Project

HQ also wants to give a shout out to Chris Carter and his leadership team at Motion Pro for attending the meeting in support of the project.  Chris continues to be an inspiration to me and many other land-use advocates because of his over 30 years of unparalleled support for the fight.

HQ will be reviewing the preferred concept (which appears to be a good compromise between OHV access and resource protection) and will share our comments on the proposal in the next week or two.  I will work with BRC’s HQ on an alert that may help you in crafting your own comments in time to meet the December 13, 2013 public comment deadline.

Link to Carnegie SVRA General Plan Preferred Concept

http://carnegie.engage-sites.com/preferred_concept

Thanks again to all of you who took time out of your busy schedule to attend the meeting!

PS - If you would like to support BRC's effort to challenge the closure agenda of anti-OHV interests at Carnegie and elsewhere -  please join and/or donate today at the link below:
https://www.sharetrails.org/support/join-or-contribute

Christmas Update on Mill Fire Salvage Sale

Photo from Logging Operation in Sierra NF

 

HQ wanted to give the riders and fans of Stonyford a pre-Christmas update on the proposed Mill Fire Salvage Timber Project.   First, thanks to all of you who sent in letters.  I heard from several of you that it was the 1^st time you had ever written a comment letter - good on you for being part of the solution.  HQ was impressed with the number of letters submitted as well as the content.  I have heard the FS was impressed as well.

 

Based on discussions with agency staff last week, I believe the FS will utilize many of our comments in a revision of project and craft it to minimize impacts to system trails and to restore those trail segments back to trails after the project.  Also, HQ understands they will schedule the project so as to not impact the Fall enduros (i.e.  Fall enduros will happen in 2013 and beyond) and only work during the week when ridership is low.

 

HQ understands the OHV Program Manager and the Forest Recreation Officer are now official team members of the project.  Giving recreation and trails a seat at the planning table is a good thing!

 

Logging on federal lands (including post-fire salvage operations) is a very complex issue in the 21^st Century.  Trails, sensitive and threatened species, storm water runoff, forest resource goals, congressional mandates, court rulings, recreation, and potential litigation are all part of the puzzle that must be pieced together by agency staff in preparation for the timber sale.  Salvage timber sales are even more complicated by time sensitivity due to insect predation on the dead and dying timber if the agency (and taxpayer) expects to sell any of the logs to help pay for the project (and create some local jobs in the process too).

 

HQ would like to encourage you to read a rather long article on various concepts related to post-fire salvage operations on federal lands – it is a good read.

http://news.wildlife.org/twp/2012-winter/a-new-forest-fire-paradigm/

 

HQ is optimistic that as we head into the Christmas and New Year Holiday season that OHVers have averted being given a lump of coal by the Mendocino NF’s original proposal and instead have the promise of being able to once again enjoy OHV recreation there including permitted events for many seasons to come.

 

Merry Christmas,

The Recreation HQ

 *Feel free to leave comments about this blog.

Mill Fire Salvage Sale Makes No Cents!

Is This the Future of OHV at Stonyford for the Next 2-3 Years?

 

As some of you already know, the Mendocino NF issued a public notice on Nov. 20 for comment on the Mill Fire Salvage and Hazard Tree Removal Project.  Public comments are due by Dec. 17.

 

Mill Fire Salvage Scoping Letter (with contact info)

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ScopingLetter_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf

 

Mill Fire Salvage Project Info

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/PreliminaryProjectInformation_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf

 

Mill Fire Salvage Project Map

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ScopingMap_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf

While HQ historically supports responsible timber/salvage sales, this plan hardly mentions OHV recreation. In addition, the proposal functionally closes the area until late spring/early summer 2014 for both casual riding and permitted OHV events.  I also think this proposal seriously undermines the agency’s credibility with the OHV community and other stakeholders.

 

It appears many important connector roads and trails will be closed during logging/treatment.  Again, this could mean no enduros in 2013 and possibly 2014.  The proposal gives no estimate on when the trails could be re-opened for casual use.  Again, OHV recreation is hardly mentioned.  There is no mention of what this functional closure would have on the largest FS destination OHV area north of the Grapevine. There is no mitigation for repairing the trail system.  At 20K/mile (or more), it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix obliterated trails. 

Also, there is no mention of the sale’s impact on the current and ongoing post-fire trail restoration efforts. 

 

The proposal does not address what HQ feels is a critical matter and that is dealing with the knobcone pine infestation (and the beetles/bugs that are eating them) on Sullivan Ridge and the Potato Hill area. How would this closure of the area impact the potential for grants during the closure time? 

 

All of the affected trails listed below would be most likely converted from a system trail to a road and closed during the logging operation.   At a minimum, a project like this would have to have project level NEPA to analyze the conversion of 50 inch or wider system trails to roads.

 

Initial List of Impacted (e.g. closed/obliterated routes by salvage sale)

Trails 03, 11, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 33, 35, and 36.

4WD/OHV route/roads – 17N02, 17N14, 17N62B, 17N62C, 17N95, and 17N97 

 

Be assured that HQ and BRC will be sharing our concerns with the FS, users, and conservation groups about what appears to be an ill-advised plan.  This proposal as currently crafted is nothing more than an appeal and/or litigation magnate.  I expect the FS will get hit from both sides of the land-use spectrum unless this plan is withdrawn or rewritten.

This proposal does not make any cents!  (Yes, I mean cents as in wasted taxpayer and green sticker monies)

 

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Stonyford Fire Update - July 12 @ 11:00am

Photo (July 11 - afternoon): Looking at OHV Area from

Lodoga/Stonyford Rd.

Here is HQ’s July 12 am report based on intel from a 1900 briefing last night.   Fran Peace from Congressman Wally Herger’s Office was in attendance. 

 With luck they will keep the fire below Miner ridge, saving the Goat Mt. area.  Also, Little Stony is spared for now. That's the good news.  The bad news is that the fire will double in size.  They will start firing out along Stonyford/Lodoga Road today at 1100 (HQ will have its reporter on scene for that), bringing the fire on around the new cat-line to the Goat Mt. Road.  This will burn out all the front country fuels that are a threat to East Park Estates, Century Ranch and homes along the main road.

It appears their plan for the canyon is to use fire (probably a helitorch)  to light off as much as will burn along the rim of the main canyon, which would include all trails and side canyons up to Big Sullivan or Pine Ridge.  They cannot burn out from the road because of serpentine and spotty fuels, but want to remove as much vegetation as possible on the north side of L. Stony Road to prevent rekindling in the event of a wind or weather change which could send the fire possibly to the south side of Little Stony canyon (a bad thing) and on to Lovelady, Goat Mt. and Lake County.  

Everything up to Mill Valley, south to Crackerbox and on the north along the M10 corridor is slicked off. The fire is currently 16,800 acres, but it is estimated to be closer to 30K when finally contained if the plan is executed flawlessly. 

HQ believes the media has not covered what the fire's impact will have on special events such as motorcycle enduros and casual OHV use this fall and winter.  As many of you know, the Fouts Springs OHV Camping area often becomes the largest “city” in Colusa County during the Christmas/New Year Holiday Season with up to 2-4 thousand people camping and riding there.  The fire may have a serious impact on that activity this year.

HQ thanks local Stonyford resident and former FS OHV program manager, Jeff Applegate, on the Grindstone RD  for his excellent feedback on the progress of the fire.

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THANK YOU AMA DIST 36 FOR YOUR KINDNESS

I wanted to take a short break today away from posting info about land-use fights and thank AMA Dist. 36 for the kindness shown to me the other night at their 32nd Annual Awards Banquet. I was sitting at one of the tables visiting with Daphne Greene (OHMVR Dep. Dir.) and her staff and also Perry King (member, AMA Board of Directors) when Dave Pickett called me up on the stage.


It was a real surprise. I was afraid it was going to be some sort of prank (several years ago they gave me a “taco award” – yes, a stale taco) like they did on a previous occasion.

However, much to my surprise it was a very cool award recognizing my 20 years of service to the off-road community as a land-use advocate.

I am also thankful to BRC and other news outlets for running the story.

BRC News Release on 20 Years of Service Award
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?story=723&filter=media

And

Don Emde’s Partsmag
http://www.partsmag.com/01_10_D36_AMADOR_AWARD.html

Stockton Record Article on Award
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110115/A_INTERACT/101150306/-1/A_INTERACT02

Being a “Quiet Warrior” for the sport is no easy task. It requires you to ride quietly on public roads and trails but speak loudly and effectively in the legislative, administrative, and legal processes so that riders don’t get screwed by overzealous bureaucrats, left-wing eco-groups, and closure-oriented polices.

Thanks again D36 for your generosity it is greatly appreciated. Also, thanks to many of you who have sent PMs. It means more than you will ever know.

I salute you!

Support AMA D36 LAO's 2011 Calendar Fundraiser - Help Keep Trails Open

Donate 20 Bucks and Get this Cool Calendar

Riders sometimes ask what their local AMA District is doing to fight the closure agenda of anti-OHV groups. In addition, they ask how they can support those efforts.

To answer those questions the Recreation HQ wants to feature a “2011 Calendar” fundraising effort by AMA Dist. 36 to generate funds to partner with groups like BRC in various legal actions and to support local clubs fight unreasonable cost recovery charges that are literally making AMA sanctioned events in Northern California and elsewhere an “endangered species.”

The General has had the honor (either as the western representative for BRC or as The Quiet Warrior) to work with AMA Dist. 36 in many joint efforts to protect and promote responsible OHV recreation on public lands.

QWR so strongly believes in what AMA Dist. 36 is doing that it is supporting this fundraising effort. This project offers a 2011 Dist. 36 Calendar featuring on the cover the 2010 KTM 450 XC-W ISDE Replica (yes, I have already bought raffle tickets for this separate “Bike-based” D36 LAO raffle/fundraiser and I hope I win!) with cool bike and rider shots featured each month.

All funds raised will go directly to support the aggressive pro-OHV agenda of the AMA Dist. 36’s Legislative Action Office (LAO).

With Christmas just around the corner, how about donating $20 dollars to this fundraiser and get a dirt-bike based calendar for free?

To donate to this fundraiser and get a free calendar contact:

Kraig Traum (this guy is a tireless fundraiser and I salute him!)
D36 LAO Fundraiser
2470 Palm Ct.
Brentwood, CA 94513
Email: d36moose@att.net
Phone: 925.260.0315

Thanks for supporting this effort.

Good News - RV Dump Station to Work at Stonyford for Jackhammer, WFO, and Bearfoot Enduros

The Recreation HQ has just been informed that the Mendocino National Forest will be operating the RV Dump Station at Fouts Springs for the following events. As many riders know, the Forest has secured a grant from OHMVR to drill a new well. However, due to many bureaucratic hurdles the agency was not able to complete the project in time for the 2010 Fall riding season.
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PHOTO: BRC Weekend Warrior at Fouts Dump Station

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FS staff from Water Tender 38 will be at the RV dump station with non-potable water at the following times and dates to allow for RVers to empty their black and gray water tanks. As before, you will be responsible to bring your own potable (drinking) water. Standard dump fees will be collected.


TIME - Noon to 4:30pm

10/17/10 – Jackhammer

11/14/10 - WFO

11/21/10 - Bearfoot


HQ appreciates the agency extending the hand of friendship to the OHV community by providing this interim service to address the RV dump needs during high use weekends.

The General wants to thank the new OHV program manager and Forest leadership for pulling this together. As some of you know, Sarah Ridenour is the new OHV program manager.

See blog with info on Sarah
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-ohv-program-manager-at-stonyford.html

Here is Sarah’s contact info should you have any questions.

Sarah Ridenour
OHV Manager
Grindstone Ranger District
Mendocino National Forest
5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road
Stonyford, CA 95979
Phone 530-963-1327
sridenour@fs.fed.us

HQ looks fwd to seeing many of you on the trail or at events this Fall.

OHV Cost Recovery Fight on Eldorado NF

The Recreation HQ has been working with AMA D36 and others to address the issue of exorbitant fees being charged to clubs for permitted events by some FS units under the guise of “cost recovery.”

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PHOTO: The General riding one of the event trails for the 2006 Fools Gold Enduro

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Overview of 2006 FS Cost Recovery Program
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/caribbean/passes/cr-communication-plan_feb06.doc

The Eldorado Fight was recently highlighted in this Sac Bee article
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/18/2897662/canceled-forest-recreation-events.html

Also, HQ’s friend Jon Crowley wrote an opinion piece
http://sxsnews.com/index.php/2010/07/the-public-pays-extortionary-fees-to-use-public-land/

The public process for the 2006 Cost Recovery Rule actually started back in 1999. BRC urged its members to comment as well as submitting its own formal comments.

2000 BRC Cost Recovery Article and Concerns
http://www.sharetrails.org/magazine/article/?id=1222

As some of you know, the focus of the aforementioned cancelled permitted OHV events is on the Eldorado National Forest. The General along with leaders of CERA and AMA D36 met with the Forest Supervisor to express our strong concerns and objections to the unit’s misuse of cost recovery to essentially bankrupt several OHV clubs.

The Forest did not really have an answer to our questions about why their cost recovery charges are so extreme when other federal units (Mendocino NF, Cow Mountain, Chappie-Shasta, and CCMA when it was open, etc.) with AMA-sanctioned permitted events have more reasonable charges.

The General will say what the Forest was afraid to state. HQ believes the high cost being charged to clubs is because there is a nationally-recognized anti-OHV leader who is a vexatious litigant. She lives on the Forest and uses her green legal clout as a club to beat the Forest Service into submission with legal action or threats of legal action unless the agency uses cost recovery to put the clubs out-of-business.

Description of Vexatious Litigant
http://www.gillhams.com/dictionary/145.cfm

The issue of cost recovery is complex. Riders must understand that the issuance of permits for most recreational events is totally discretionary. At the end of the day, the FS does not have to issue a permit if it does not want to. HQ does not believe that litigation regarding the Eldorado issue has judicial merit at this time. Rather, OHVers should look to resolve this issue via regulatory reform or political pressure.

Here are several suggestions.

1 – AMA, BRC, and other national groups should seek amendments or revisions to the cost recovery rule that might allow the agency more flexibility when faced with a vexatious litigant or other adverse circumstance.

2 – Congress might have a role in passing legislation to address exorbitant fees

3 – Congress should pass EAJA reform to discourage and not reward vexatious litigants
with taxpayer funded awards.

HQ is certain there are answers - albeit not easy ones - to this issue. OHV clubs that use the Eldorado NF are seeing the ugly side of OHV Wars. Enviros have perfected the fine art of green litigation to stop OHV recreation (and other uses such as farming in the Central Valley, logging on federal lands, etc.).

BRC working with other OHV partners have been and will continue to fight back. One recent victory regarding TMR is noted in the MIC press release below:

MIC News Release on recent TMR victory where trails and campgrounds were reopened
http://www.mic.org/news070210.cfm

Just how the Eldorado NF cost recovery issue is resolved is yet to be determined. One thing for sure is that the OHV community cannot give up and let the extreme enviros succeed in kicking us out of the Forest.

Thanks for your commitment and service!

OHVers Attend Obama Outdoor Event in LA on July 8

The Recreation HQ wants to commend all the OHV clubs and members who took time away from their busy schedules to attend Obama’s Great Outdoors Presidential Initiative held on July 8 at Occidental College near Pasadena, California.

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PHOTO: Brochure Handed Out at Event

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The riders and public land access interests that attended the event include Cal4WD, AMA, AMA D 36/37, Dirt Diggers South, NOHVCC, ALAA, CORVA, ORBA, BRC, High Desert Multiple Use Coalition, and California Equestrian Trails Coalition. I apologize to any groups I missed but things were a bit hectic.

The event started off with the Mayor of LA trying to make some political hay to a largely sympathetic crowd. The General felt the jabs although expected were inappropriate and actually detracted from what should been bipartisan advocacy for the recreation and outdoor goals of the Initiative.

A number of speeches were given by cabinet level officials… some of which challenged the group to tell them what works and what doesn’t and if they should simple get out of the way. I wrote that challenge down to be brought up during the breakout sessions.

The following sub-panel was comprised of various interests that mostly supported conservation easements and more federal funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The token conservative on the panel was a spokesman for the California Cattlemen’s Association. He lauded conservation easements and the LWCF but saved his credibility in The General’s opinion when he stated his concerns about federal overregulation and land-use restrictions.

The last panelist to speak made an interesting comment about how CEQA was designed to stop projects. I couldn’t agree more!

After the sub-panel presentations, a short video was shown. Every outdoor recreation group was highlighted except OHV. The video showed mountain bikers in a number of slides along with hunters, hikers, water skiers, equestrians, snow skiers, etc.

Great Outdoors Video (sans OHV)
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/Americas-Great-Outdoors-Video.cfm

Before the group was adjourned for the 1 hour breakout sessions, the microphone was passed around for about 30 minutes. Meg Grossglass from ORBA, spoke to the Obama administration officials and the over 750 people in attendance about how the OHV community had been wrongly left out of the video when, in fact, OHV recreationists are a major land use partner with the Forest Service and BLM via our state OHMVR grant program and our volunteer efforts. She got a good round of applause!

The rest of the folks that got to speak on the microphone were mostly there to praise the administration and ask for more federal funding for their favorite projects. The last speaker represented the recreational fishing community and said her folks sympathize with the OHV community as a “hated” user group since they too have seen fishing banned in many streams and rivers due to federal/state environmental rules and regulations.

See Blog on Proposed Ocean Wilderness Areas on N. Coast
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/06/video-update-on-high-noon-rally-in.html

There were a number of breakout sessions and OHV was well represented in most, if not all of them. The General pointed out in his session that the feds should review model programs of federal/state/local/community collaboration such as exists on the Inyo NF. That Forest has worked hard to have a holistic program that -unlike the Obama plan to date - includes OHV/OSV as an important partner in the recreation matrix.

After HQ’s presentation to the EPA officials who were facilitating his breakout session, one EPA official asked, “What does OHV stand for?” I explained it is sometimes referred to as off-road recreation and then he cocked his head indicating that he might understand what that term means. His ignorance of a major recreation stakeholder was not very reassuring. Both EPA officials seemed stunned when a board member of the California Wilderness Coalition told the feds that BRC and other OHV groups often work with them on land-use legislation.

On the other hand, Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, knows OHV/OSV very well from his work with COHVCO in Colorado. The General and other OHV interests must continue to attend the “listening sessions” and insist that OHV being included in the Initiative and be formally recognized as a valued land-use partner. Secretary Salazar knows better..

Be sure and check out the Obama Outdoor Website for future meetings and make sure that your club or organization has representatives at those events.

Obama Outdoor Website
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/

Thanks again to all those public land access interests who have attended these events. Your service is appreciated by the HQ and the OHV community at large.

NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION - Send Letter Today to Save Clear Creek

The Recreation HQ is issuing a national CALL TO ACTION and asking riders and other public land interests throughout the country to send a loud and important message to the BLM that OHVers want valid science to be used in the decision-making process and not the fatally flawed 2008 EPA Asbestos Risk Assessment.

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PHOTO - Help Give the CCMA DEIS The Boot!
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Also, The General is concerned the BLM risks creating a new and arbitrary “health risk paradigm” at CCMA that is unwarranted and in fact actually creates a liability for the agency at CCMA and other recreation sites (naturally occurring asbestos is in 43 counties in California) where none has historically existed. Via the Federal Tort Claims Act, Congress has indemnified the agency as long as the land manager informs the public (usually through signing prescriptions and educational outreach) of the health or safety risks. Why has the BLM’s Hollister Field Office selected this unwise pathway? It looks like the Hollister Field Office has opened a legal “can-of-worms.”

If there is one action item you do this week, The General believes it should be sending a letter (you can use the BRC’s letter generator linked below) to the BLM by the end of business on March 5, 2009. DON'T FORGET TO ASK THE BLM TO INCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD!

Please fwd the BRC alert with letter generator to your OHV rider email lists and/or business networks. The General remains committed to trying to reopen “The Creek” for historic OHV use. Be sure and add a paragraph detailing your history and interest in CCMA. Equestrians, mountain-bikers, and gem collectors who value public land access can use this letter generator as well.

BRC’s Action Alert with Letter Generator
http://www.sharetrails.org/letters/letter.php?id=50

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Link to OHMVR Commission Letter

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/CCMA_Com_Letter_3-2-10.pdf

Send this letter TODAY. This is one battle we must win in OHV Wars. I don’t want OHV to meet the same fate as my good friends in the forest products industry did during the Timber Wars in the 1990s.

--- The General

CCMA Update - Harris Ranch Meeting - Join Our Quest to Reopen CCMA

Photo to left: Crowd at Harris
Ranch CCMA DEIS Meeting

Photo to right: The General giving
thumbs-down to closure

The General attended the BLM’s CCMA public meeting last night that was held at Harris Ranch near Coalinga. The ballroom was near packed to capacity with over 200 people in attendance. About ½ of the folks were OHVers and the other ½ were private property owners, gem collectors, small businesses, and ranchers. All spoke in favor of reopening CCMA to ALL users.

Friends of CCMA has an overview of the meeting and agenda
http://www.foccma.org/html/home/LatestNews.php

The next two meetings are as follows:

Jan. 14 – Veterans Memorial Hall, 649 San Benito St. – Hollister
Jan. 20 – Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara

For those of you attending, I believe you should come prepared at 5:30 to each of the next two meeting with specific questions regarding your concerns on issues such as the validity of the EPA study, other scientific questions, flaws in agency analysis, or why the agency ignored much if not most of the science that was submitted during the scoping period, etc. Be sure and record the BLM and EPA’s answers to your questions.

Be sure and read BRC’s FOIA information that points out how there were even concerns by BLM staff regarding the science used in the EPA survey or how the draft report was massaged. Link below has BRC attorney letter with FOIA materials.
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?filter=media&story=652

Later on in the program, be prepared to articulate (3 minute speeches) your position on how this closure has and will impact your family, your business, and why you think the agency has made a mistake. Also, be prepared to offer a management solution like one person did at Harris Ranch.

One speaker pointed out that one of BLM’s sister agencies – the National Wildlife Refuge – uses signs (rather than a ban) warning fishermen about the danger of eating too much fish that may be contaminated with mercury and other toxins.

Survey on Signs and Fishermen
http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/pdf/anglrpt.pdf

Several other speakers also noted that other warning signs regarding health risks posed to pregnant women, elderly, etc. by using items such as cigarettes, alcohol, etc. are government approved ways to communicate health concerns to the public v. an outright ban.

The General agrees with the one or two speakers that stated to the group that at the end of the day, the CCMA is a political issue. On that note, I appreciated the fact that Senator Dianne Feinstein had a staffer there taking notes on this all too important issue. The Senator was helpful in protecting existing OHV routes in the 2006 North Coast Wilderness Bill and is also working to protect OHV recreation in the Johnson Valley area. Having your congressional representatives involved in the CCMA is very important.

As the FOCCMA website stated, BRC’s Don Amador spoke about how AMA, D36, TMC, CORVA, CAL4WD, BRC, FOCCMA, and SRMC are working in a cooperative manner to reopen the area to historic OHV uses. Amador also extended the hand of partnership to the gem collectors and ranchers to join our quest to reopen CCMA.

Stay tuned for updates. The General plans to be at the Jan. 20 CCMA meeting in Santa Clara and looks forward to visiting with you there.

Also, JOIN BRC and other groups to help us fight this closure
Join at:
https://www.sharetrails.org/secure/join_or_contribute/

The General’s Contact Info:
Don Amador
Recreation HQ
555 Honey Lane
Oakley, CA 94561
Email: damador@cwo.com

Forward this blog and info to your friends.

Thanks for your service and for attending these meetings.

Mad as Hell Speech at Carnegie SVRA Rally

For those of you who missed being at this event, the Recreation HQ is proud to be able to share a clip from the December 28, 2009 Save Carnegie SVRA Rally. This video was shot by Bungee Brent – Dr. Xtreme. We owe him a great big thank you for capturing the rally on a DVD where over 1,000 off-roaders from as far away at Lake Tahoe came to rally in support of the park and in protest of anti-OHV groups who file politically motivated lawsuits that have nothing to do with the environment or science.

Video Clip of AMA Dist. 36’s – Dave Pickett’s “Mad as Hell – Will You Fight?” Speech
and BRC’s – Don Amador – “Day of Infamy and We are going to Win” Speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haj3HTQHCv4

For Overview of Dec. 28 Rally
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/12/post-rally-update-on-fight-for-carnegie.html

For Updates on Carnegie and other OHV and Land Use Issues
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/

AMA D36 members should be proud of the District’s response to this crisis. I know the Recreation HQ is proud of Mr. Pickett, Dave Duffin, and the many families and individuals who showed up and are answering the call to fight for their sport.

The General thanks you for your service in the defense of access to public lands.

Miracle at 18600 Corral Hollow Road

Photo Left : Even the dog knows the fishing alliance is barking up the wrong tree.

Photo Right: The Famous Carnegie Hoax Fish

Other cool photos from Del Albright (thanks Del for coming!)
http://www.delalbright.net/Images/Carnegie/index.html

The lights were on late last night and then on again at o’dark thirty today at the Recreation HQ. The General was, and continues to be, impressed with the quality, caliber, and sincerity of the riders and supporters who came from as far away as Lake Tahoe to fellowship with the Carnegie off-road family in our time of need.

In my Friday Dec. 18 blog, I said the appeals process would need Divine intervention if it was to be successful in time to keep the park open. Based on the good news yesterday regarding the appellate court’s decision to keep the park open until at least until January 11, I think the many prayers that were offered for that intervention over Christmas were answered yesterday.

Dec. 18 Blog and Divine Intervention (mentioned in 1st paragraph)
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-12-19T05%3A47%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

Several riders have asked me if I believe in miracles? The answer is YES. Twice in the last year, my life was spared in a miraculous way.

Story on my Truck/Trailer blow out on I5 (click on photo for expanded view)
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/04/thank-god-for-good-samaritans.html

After reading a lot of news reports on the rally (most of which failed to note that this whole lawsuit by the now faux fishing group is based on a hoax), I think this article in the Stockton Record best captures what really happened at Carnegie yesterday (although the reporter mentions Divine intervention he does not credit it as I think he should have)

Stockton Record
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091229/A_NEWS/912290308/-1/A_NEWS#STS=g3svvebo.1tij

The Carnegie saga continues and so does the much larger battle for our sport in other riding areas. Future action items will be forthcoming. However, I think it is important for us to take a short pause and be thankful for this miracle. We also need to be thankful for OHMVR leadership and others who worked overtime during the holidays for their part in this miracle. To give thanks, consider a donation to a charity or food bank or some other act of kindness or service.

Besides honoring the work of Dave Duffin and his crew on behalf of Carnegie and honoring the many off-road families who attended the rally, I want to thank all the motorcycle clubs who came out wearing their colors in support of the park. I may be missing a few, but I do remember seeing representatives from the Oakland Motorcycle Club, Hayward Motorcycle Club, TimeKeepers Motorcycle Club, North Bay Motorcycle Club, High Sierra Motorcycle Club, and the California Enduro Riders Association. I also want to thank our 4WD brothers and sisters from CAL 4WD, Pirate 4x4.com, Diablo 4 Wheelers, and several others. If I left any clubs out, I apologize in advance. Things were a bit hectic yesterday.

Was this our own off-road version of a Miracle on 34th Street? I will let you make that call. As for The General and the staff at Recreation HQ – we believe.

Thanks for your service!!!
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Christmas Week Update on the Fight for Carnegie

As you know, we are in a political fight regarding the temporary closure of Carnegie SVRA. It is just one (albeit an important one for Bay Area riders) battle in the OHV War that is raging in the West.

*Photo: OHMVR Deputy Director, Daphne Greene, and Division Chief, Phil Jenkins, talk with riders on Sunday

Photo Credit: Dave Duffin

The General wants to first acknowledge, Dave Duffin, who was there all weekend handing out flyers, talking with folks, working with families, etc. Wearing his USMC cap on Saturday and Sunday, he has once again answered the call and has been pressed into active duty in the Fight for Carnegie.

I also want to commend Daphne Greene and Phil Jenkins who were there on Sunday from OHMVR HQ in Sacramento to dialogue with the users and get feedback on this all too important issue.

The Recreation HQ has received a lot of communications from riders in the Bay Area who want to know how they can be involved in the current fight at Carnegie and also support the larger effort statewide. HQ has been impressed with the diversity, quality, and sincerity of those interested parties.

Between now and Christmas, I don’t know that a lot of formal or official actions by the OHV community can take place (lots of people/experts I rely on for advice and collaboration are on vacation – duh, it’s Christmas!). It is my opinion that folks should finish their Christmas shopping, if you are religious – attend and pray for wisdom at your place of worship, and finally prepare to enjoy Christmas with your families. After Christmas, I want to encourage folks to consider the following action items.

ACTION ITEM ONE: Fellowship Ride on Dec. 28 at Carnegie
I plan to be there all day until the park closes. I expect that there will be a number of famous racing legends there as well including Brad Lackey, Dick Mann, and many others. Also, there will be various club leaders and officials from AMA Dist. 36 including the District’s president, Dave Pickett, event promoters, and OHV business interests. This will be a great opportunity for riders and their families to visit with OHV leadership, racers, park staff, and each other.

ACTION ITEM TWO: Support OHV businesses
Since the local concessionaire and OHV business Motomart http://motomartatcarnegie.com/ will most likely put of out business by this temporary closure, I would ask that all those attending come prepared on Dec. 28 to “buy out his inventory.” Also, during this Holiday Season consider buying some motorcycle accessories or even a new motorcycle from one of the impacted motorcycle dealers that service the park’s riders.

ACTION ITEM THREE: Post Holiday Meeting

After the Holiday Season, The General believes the OHV community should meet at a yet to be determined location (e.g. large meeting hall, Grange, hotel conf. center, etc) for a town hall meeting and strategy session for the long-term benefit of Carnegie SVRA specifically and for OHV recreation in general


ACTION ITEM FOUR: Future OHV Legal Action

As OHMVR works through the appeals process, I know BRC legal (and maybe other OHV legal experts as well) will be looking for a meaningful way to participate in this case. As The General has said before, this is a very complicated legal fight with little if any opportunity so far for a 3rd party OHV legal interest to intervene and defend OHV recreation at Carnegie. The appeals process may offer some opportunity to change that dynamic.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you for your professionalism, understanding, and support during this crisis. It’s how we respond as a community that defines us.

Have a Merry Christmas and thanks for your service!

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Lump of Coal - SF Bay Area OHV Park Closure on Dec. 28

A dark storm struck the SF Bay Area today when a California court gave off-roaders a lump of coal followed by a gut punch when it granted a short STAY of the closure of Carnegie SVRA. The STAY expires at the end of business on Monday, December 28. The park will be closed on December 29 unless an appeal (with Divine intervention) is successful. *Even though the OHMVR new release below states the park is open on Dec. 29., I believe the park’s last day is Dec. 28. – will verify.

OHMVR News Release on STAY
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26096

The General has been in a lot of land use wars since 1990. The private property wars, the timber wars (my good friend was blown up by the Unabomber), the ESA wars, the Clinton-Gore roadless wars, the OHMVR Commission Wars, and now the OHV Legal Wars. It is my feeling that hard core anti-OHV groups may have scored a temporary victory, but they could have made a strategic error by awakening riders in the Bay Area who for the most part were unaware of eco-lawsuits and how they are being used as a weapon against OHV recreation.

Some of you already know about the eco-lawsuit scam. That is where anti-OHV groups file suits mostly on technical issues such as meeting a filing deadline or a resource issue that is already being worked on by the agency. In this day and age, it is very easy to get a court to side with that group against the agency. Hence, that OHV activity, farmer, rancher, builder, ski resort, or timber operation is ordered to halt by the court until that technical correction is addressed.

The General could play this game as well since he could find similar technical issues or resource concerns on any federal Wilderness Area or non-motorized state park. In fact, I have had an environmental group tell me that if I ever “wanted to switch sides” that I could have a job with them. Trust me; there is no land management agency that is perfect. Be assured, this is a power and political play that has nothing to do with “protecting the environment.”

What makes this worse is that enviros claim a win and often collect their tax-payer funded court and lawyer fees and use those funds to go after another victim.

See Story on Eco Legal Scam
http://www.cfact.org/a/1646/Western-Lawmakers-Target-TaxpayerSubsidized-Lawsuits

Yes, California Awards Eco Lawsuits Too
http://www.jacksonforest.com/News/state_pays.htm

More on Eco Lawsuit Scam at Taxpayers Expense
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/19/tracking-taxes-environmental-lawsuits/?test=latestnews

*
Info on Eco-Hoax Groups - read about a Skunk in OHV Politics
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/11/skunk-in-co-ohv-politics.html

Most of the phone calls and emails my HQ has received are from riders and families who had never heard of eco-lawsuits, BRC, AMA Dist. 36, or other OHV clubs. On a personal level this closure is a deeply disturbing and ugly turn of events. On a professional level, I believe we must use the new energy (e.g. anger/frustration/determination/commitment) to gear up for this and other land use battles that will be coming at us in 2010.

It is uncertain if an appeal effort by the state will be successful. It looks like riders should be prepared for a 3-4 month closure of the park. Certainly there will be action items like a rally, letter writing campaign, petition signings, protest rides, etc. Also, there may be opportunities for volunteer work parties to help park staff on resource projects during the closure.

In the meantime, if you are not a member of BRC and want to help in the fight then join at http://www.sharetrails.org/

Since BRC works closely with AMA D36 and other groups…join AMA Dist. 36 as well
http://www.ama-d36.org/

*Legal side note: Be aware there was no real effective way for BRC legal or any other pro OHV legal representation to be involved in this case since you had greens on one side… Jerry Brown/AG (a green too) on the other side defending OHMVR, and the court presiding.


At this point, I plan to be at the park on Monday, Dec. 28 at noon and ride with my fellow brothers and sisters and stay until the park closes. I expect that others may join me. Stay tuned to this blog as I will be updating it on a regular basis. I wish I had better news.

Thanks for your service!

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Court Orders Closure of CA OHV Park

Winter storms have been pounding the West Coast and California for some time now. However, that is not the only thing “pounding” Californians. The recent court order imposing a temporary closure at Carnegie SVRA is just one “judicial storm” in the current “legal winter” that motorized recreationists are experiencing.

BRC News Release on Carnegie SVRA Closure
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/media/?story=671

*

Enviro News Release
http://www.calsport.org/12-14-09a.htm
*

The General believes OHMVR/State Parks will mount an aggressive legal challenge (via a stay and/or appeal) to this outrageous court order. I believe OHMVR will work hard to preserve at least general public access (permitted events may be banned for the interim and use in the creek bed would be restricted) instead of closing the entire park.

Several years ago, Donstradamus told riders that we would be in for some rough times. Well those times are here. This is not a time for hand wringing or casting aspersions but rather a time to man-up and fight back in an effective manner.

BRC stands ready to assist OHMVR defend Carnegie should that opportunity arise. However, these types of cases are very complex and the opportunity for a user group to formally weigh in is limited at best.

Also, the judge involved has a history of arbitrarily “closing stuff” including ordering the shut down of water pumps in the Delta which cut off water to farmers… what makes us think his view or treatment of OHV would be any different?

Shut off of Water – Delta Smelt
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/24/NOWATER.TMP&type=printable

I would ask that riders stay tuned to the BRC website or The General’s blog for updated information on if OHMVR is successful with a stay or appeal in keeping Carnegie open for OHV recreation on an interim basis until the park gets a waiver or approval from the Water Board.

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New Sound Test for Street Bikes - SAE J2825

With so many issues hitting off-road riders these days (i.e. CA budget battle, travel management, etc), The General wanted to make sure that the troops are aware of a rather historic event in the saga of addressing excessively loud motorcycles.

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*A Quest Type-1 "law enforcement grade" Sound

Meter is Pictured on the Right

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On June 24, the MIC issued a news release regarding a new sound test –SAE J2825
http://www.mic.org/news062409.cfm

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AMA issued a release as well:
http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=995

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I believe this is a game changer in the battle to improve the image of both the off-road and street motorcyclist. While the off-road community has the SAE-J1287 20 inch sound test – a standard that has been adopted by several states, the missing-link in the sound saga up until now has been an easily applied stationary sound test for street bikes.

While operating the FMF/BRC Sound Testing Program for OHVs at many AMA Dist. 36 Enduros or Dual Sports, I am often asked by dirt-bikers..."When is somebody going to do something about the loud street-bikes?" Well it looks like we have an answer.

Also, some riders don’t realize that the general public does not distinguish between loud dirt bikes vs. loud street bikes – they view all excessively loud motorcycles in the same manner.

I think the SAE-J2825 offers law enforcement and those of us in education a valuable tool to help the riders and other stakeholders address excessively loud street bikes.

Everybody wins with this new test. Kudos to all those who worked in the development of the

SAE-J2825 Sound Test!!!

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Science As a Tool in OHV Recreation

Championing responsible OHV recreation on public lands takes many forms. Often today, those venues are related to the administrative process or legal challenges.

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Photo is from 2006 field test on the Shasta-Trinity NF - Don Amador, BRC (left), Scott Sinclair, FWMC (center), and Clark Frentzen, CERA (right)

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For many years, some of you have listened to me talk about my axiom of land use and heard the now famous quote ... “All land-use planning decisions are political decisions.” That quote is not meant to discount the importance of local involvement, volunteer efforts, offering public comments, advocacy, etc. Rather it is offered as a potent dose of reality to new land use leaders who are trying to figure out the federal land management decision-making process. And, to present an explanation of how/why that final decision is made. The confusion for many OHVers is often it appears that science, historic use, or common sense had little to do with the decision.

One important, yet often overlooked, effective strategy for championing OHV recreation is proactive support for new OHV-related science projects that may help to provide specific answers/solutions to how OHV recreation is managed on public lands.

One of those very few examples is the almost completed OHV/Northern Spotted Owl Noise Study. The study in its early form started in 2000 with support from BRC, the OHV community, federal agencies, and the CA OHV Program. BRC, AMA Dist. 36, and riders from the Redding Dirt Riders, AMA, Willows Scramblers, CERA, Richmond Ramblers, OMC, Valley Climbers, Hayward MC, Far West, and other clubs helped partner with the U. of Washington, FS, USFWS and others on this ground-breaking study to help offer management solutions regarding permitted OHV events (mostly Enduros) on forested lands inhabited by the Northern Spotted Owl in the Pacific NW (CA, OR, and WA).

Currently, the agencies use old or questionable non-OHV specific information to decide when to cancel an AMA sanctioned enduro (like they just did for the Fools Gold Enduro) or restrict events to the season of year when trails are hot and dusty if an owl nest is found along the trail. It is also expected the new owl science will be used in the Sierra Nevada where the NSO's genetically identical cousin lives… the CA Spotted Owl.

Field research on the OHV/Owl Study was completed in 2008. It is expected the final report will be out later this year. One important note on this project is that it was almost killed twice by anti-access interests who did not like the way the research might turn out.
The first form of the project was successfully stopped in 2003 when the credibility of the federal researcher's work was challenged by an environmental group. In 2007, those same critics almost defunded the current study (and the similar OHV/Goshawk study) during the CA OHV grants process.

Is science a silver bullet for OHV recreation? I think not. But having good science specific to motorized use of public lands is far better than no science or junk science. It should be noted that a similar study related more to general OHV recreation and its impact on the Goshawk should be out later this year as well.


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OHV/Owl Study
http://www.ohvstudy.com/
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Stone Soup – How the Owl Study Was Almost Killed in 2007
http://www.sharetrails.org/magazine/article.php?id=1072
*special thanks to all who helped save the projects… I think Lisa overstated
my role.
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Info on Goshawk Study
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSNews/1068681841/index_html
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Dual-Sport Riders Win Big Victory in CA

I just wanted to congratulate the dual-sport community and their lobbyists, AMA, ABATE of California, and the California Motorcycle Dealers Assn. for their hard work in fighting the Pavley motorcycle smog bill. Earlier, SB435 (Pavley’s smog bill) was thankfully recognized by state senators with common sense as a proposal that punished the motorcycle recreation community and created another “tax.”

Here is quote from Capitol Weekly
Pavley was also forced to significantly weaken her motorcycle smog check bill, SB 435, because of objections from Wright and other moderate Democrats.
Full news article about SB435 at
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=y12dhpvks3hi6i&xid=y11gl3bydgla74&done=.y12dhpvks42i6i

I know many dual-sport riders were concerned that SB 435 would require smog checks on legal dual sport conversions (dual sport kits added to 2000-2003 green-sticker dirt-bikes such as XR650Rs, open class KTM 4-strokes, DRZ400s, WR426/450s, etc.) As it stands now, the bill’s focus was reduced to address catalytic converters.

The General feels that dual-sport recreation and related events are an important factor to rural communities in the current economy. Having ridden in, or helped tech at, a number of dual-sport rides in Northern California, I can attest to the fact that businesses (local hotels and restaurants) thrive when several hundred riders utilize their establishments.

There are a number of exciting and fun dual-sport rides coming up this summer and fall.

Check in Nor Cal Dual Sport for a list of rides
http://www.norcaldualsport.com/home.html

Also, ck. in with North Bay Motorcycle Club for their Lost Coast Dual Sport Ride in Oct.
http://northbaymc.org/

I hope to see many of you at these events.

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April 24 - Update on Smokey Bear ATV Ad

The General thanks all of you who recently sent in feedback and complaints about the continued airing of the now infamous 2008 Smokey Bear ATV ad. As you know, the BRC, AMA and other OHV groups requested that the ad be pulled.

In response to our collective request, the Ad Council did send out a request to media outlets to pull the ad in 2008. However, it appears that some TV or radio departments did not get the message.

Based on BRC’s April 13, 2009 letter requesting The Ad Council review of our continued concerns, they responded today with a letter basically asking for our/your help in tracking the unapproved airing of these ads.


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April 13, 2009 BRC Letter to Ad Council
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Smokey-Bear-ATV-Ad-April-2009/BRC-Letter-0001.pdf

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April 24, 2009 Ad Council Response and Request for Help
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Smokey-Bear-ATV-Ad-April-2009/Ad-Council-Response-Letter.pdf

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On Monday, the BRC will be sending out an alert to its members (sign up on the BRC Alert System if you want to get such alerts)

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BRC Alert System
https://www.sharetrails.org/secure/lists/?p=subscribe&id=2

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That alert will be asking you and your friends to monitor TV and radio shows for the airing of the ad and then contact Helen Cleveland with the details so that Ad Council can do the appropriate follow-up.


CONTACT:

Helene Cleveland
Fire Prevention Program Manager
USDA Forest Service
hcleveland@fs.fed.us

Thanks to all of you who made The General aware of this issue.

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