Help Donstradamus Decide on Issuing Predictions for 2012

Donstradamus

This was updated (in bold) Dec. 29, 2011 to gauge the accuracy of Donstradamus' 2011

predictions made in Dec. 2010.  Please comment if you think Donstradamus should quit making

predictions or if he should continue - Thanks!

10- A pro-access Democrat congressman will switch to the GOP once House oversight hearings on Travel Management and other land closures are scheduled in mid-January 2011.  Several DEMs did vote for H.R. 242 to address the closure of level 3 roads in Region 5 - Pretty close

9 - A new OHV-oriented Luddite movement spreads across several western states. Dirt-bikers throw GPS units away and use maps instead. They leave cell phones at home when they go on trail rides with their buddies. Several guys I ride with have gone back to using maps when directions are needed - Sorta close


8 - Snowmobile sales spike due to heavy snowfall in the Winter of 2011. Environmentalists blame the high snow levels on global cooling that they claim is a byproduct of global warming. An ISMA June 2011 news release stated OSV sales were up 5% in the USA and greens still blame use global warming as main reason for any weather events - Dead on

7 - An all-electric OHV Park will be sited near a major population center in the USA. Left-wing eco-groups should applaud the facility, but complain instead.  Electric OHV parks are being talked about - Sorta Close

6 - Good News – Green mountain-bikers will finally get their long-time wish for a “Wilderness Area” that allows mountain bikes. Bad News – It is only 20 acres in size and riders must dismount when going downhill to reduce soil impacts. I believe one of the "Wilderness Bills" (maybe Testers') gave mountain bikers one or two trails as a bone (cherry-stemmed in the Wilderness proposal) - Sorta Close

5 - A new upstart political party that supports pro-trail legislators and policies will become an important factor in the 2012 elections. There is a new OHV trail polticial action committee, but effectiveness depends on OHV support - Close

4 - Federal land agencies allow OHVs to be used to treat invasive plant species such as the European Beach Grass at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and other coastal sites. The agencies rotate OHV use similar to how farmers rotate goatherds to manage unwanted vegetation.  The FS may consider allowing OHVs to "manage" some of the small pine tree "islands."  - Pretty close 

3- Diesel powered dual sport motorcycles long favored by the military are offered to the public in a civilian version as a way to help motorcyclists save on fuel costs. No info - Miss

2 - A MX superstar from the 1980s quits his unhealthy lifestyle. He adopts a vegan diet and trains for 5 months under the direction of Jillian from the Biggest Loser TV series. He places 2nd at the Hangtown MX race held near Sacramento. No info - Miss


1- A former motorcycle-racing champion wants to give back to the sport and donates $300,000 dollars to a national off-road advocacy group to help keep trails open.  No info on such a donation - Miss 
 
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Amador's Top Ten Off-Road and Environmental Predictions for 2010

10- While on vacation in Hawaii, President Obama takes his family on an ATV Tour at the Kipu Ranch on Kauai. He has such a good time that he directs the Forest Service in California to reverse it current position of banning non-street legal OHV use on most level 3 forest roads.

Photo to Right: Donstradamus - World Famous OHV Forecaster

9 - Off-roaders and street riders jump on the Meg Whitman for Governor bandwagon based on her ties to EBay because that site has facilitated the sale and purchase of so many dirt-bikes, ATVs, and street motorcycles.

8 - While on a transcontinental flight on a private jet, Al Gore remembers how much fun he had riding his Honda 305 during his college days. Because of that fond memory he joins the American Motorcyclist Association and becomes a spokesman for the organization.

7- During the Senate’s debate on a Cap and Tax bill in 2010, a moderate Democrat who owns an OHV, goes hunting, and watches the NFL will take to the floor and promise to join with GOP legislators in a successful filibuster of the proposal.

6- In a rare act of political courage, the BLM will admit the arbitrary interim closure at the Clear Creek Management Area was based on junk science, flawed studies, and an unwarranted fear of some phantom lawsuit. Shortly after that admission, the agency will order CCMA reopened for all users. The agency official who reopens the area will be nominated for induction into the Off-Road Hall of Fame.

5- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger decides that he has been scammed by the man-made global warming crowd and realizes that factors such as sun spots and natural earth heating/cooling cycles occur regardless of human activity. After the epiphany, he joins and writes large checks to the Pacific Legal Foundation, the Heritage Foundation, and several off-road organizations.


4 - Owners of the Connolly Ranch have a change of heart and decide that in order to be good neighbors of the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area, the ranch will withdraw their support from the current PEER/Fishing Alliance lawsuit and join forces with the OHV community to keep the current park open and to support the expansion of the park onto the new properties purchased about 20 years ago with OHV funds for OHV use.

3 - Conservative elements in the Mormon Church take Senator Harry Reid out behind the spiritual woodshed and “encourage” him to abandon his far left political positions. After that experience, Reid switches to the GOP and becomes a champion for low taxes, access to public lands, and a balanced federal budget.

2 - After dropping the bowtie and joining Fox News as a commentator, Tucker Carlson decides to take the next step on his manly journey when he goes to a dirt-bike riding school and learns the sport. He then asks for a field assignment where riding an OHV is part of the story.


1 - A wealthy philanthropist in the SF Bay Area, Portland, or Seattle decides to quit funding anti-OHV recreation groups because his grandson has won several local races in the youth class. That change in mindset results in a $3,000,000 grant being awarded to the BlueRibbon Coalition’s legal defense fund to help counter an expected avalanche of anti-OHV eco-lawsuits filed throughout the West in 2010.

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Happy New Year!

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

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Enviro News Release
http://www.calsport.org/12-14-09a.htm
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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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Global Warming, Eco Hoaxes, and OHV Predictions

As a soldier in land-use wars for the last 20 years, The General has often been able to read the stitches on the fastball when it comes to predicting and exposing environmental hoaxes and eco-frauds.

In the late 1990s, I testified before Congress regarding the anti-access tenets of the Clinton-Gore Roadless Agenda. Today the BRC Legal Defense Fund continues to battle Enviros on several “Roadless” lawsuits

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BRC Roadless Legal Efforts (look at Roadless and So Cal Lawsuit – which is also roadless related) http://www.sharetrails.org/magazine/article.php?legal=1&nonav=1

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In 2002/2003, The General was the only OHV leader who formally objected to the CA Route Inventory and Designation Process because he knew it was going to be used to defund trail maintenance grants to FS and BLM units, close trails, and lay the foundation for the current TMR debacle that we see on many Forests and Regions.
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Overview of CA RID
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/05/travel-management-good-idea-or-big.html

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In 2005, I wrote a book review on Michael Crichton’s State of Fear. In that review, The General agreed with the book’s thesis that man-made climate change was a hoax and that the Wilderness was a political agenda driven issue as well.
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2005 State of Fear Review
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/book_fear.htm

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Some folks were quick to criticize The General for daring to question the Climate Change Industrial Complex (e.g. Algore’s scheme to create taxes and fees for carbon credits, etc)

With today’s expose of the man-made global warming hoax, The General feels vindicated on his position that man should not be blamed for climate change. As many of you know, climate change is a fact of life and has been occurring since time began. In fact, my ancestors (the Vikings) were driven off the North American Continent by a mini ice-age. It will continue regardless of what man does.

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Good Blog on Global Warming Hoax
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

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Sen. Inhofe’s Effort on this Front
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=2188feb3-802a-23ad-4de4-3fbc0a92e126&Issue_id

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As off-roaders we are obligated to be good stewards and use sound science and a substantive land-ethic in the management of our sport on public and private lands. We have a long history of volunteerism and taxing ourselves to pay for OHV-related trail maintenance, conservation, and law enforcement. I see that continuing.

What is at question is how we expose, respond to, and address eco-hoaxes, ill-conceived or agenda driven land management planning efforts, and proposed land closures?

Lastly, you can be assured that “Donstradamus” (that name was given to me by an OHVer because of my accurate predictions on roadless, CA RID, man-made global warming, and other issues) will continue to look into the future and prepare for what awaits the OHV community.

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