Green Cabal and IMBA Push or Support Stonyford Designation

The Recreation HQ thanks a local OHV advocate in the San Jose area for the heads-up yesterday regarding IMBA’s support for a National Conservation Area designation for much of the Mendocino National Forest including the Stonyford OHV Area. As many of you know, a NCA designation historically by definition restricts motorized access and at the end of the day (i.e. King Range NCA) usually BANs OHV use via regulations or the eventual “Wilderness” designation.

IMBA Blog on Wilderness Conference and Stonyford NCA
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=615893

See HQ Blog on IMBA Drinking Wilderness Kool-Aid with OHV War History Lesson
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/01/imba-drinks-wilderness-kool-aid.html

While researching IMBA’s support for hosing OHV use and other multiple-uses (while naturally promoting mtn. bike use) on the Mendocino National Forest, The General was not surprised to see the green cabal of the usual suspects (The Wilderness Society, California Wilderness Coalition, and the Sierra Club) and a new group called Tuleyome pushing for a NCA (or Monument) designation for the Stonyford OHV Area.

The Wilderness Society Overview of Snow Mountain/Stonyford NCA Proposal
http://wilderness.org/content/california-berryessa-snow-mountain

Tuleyome Overview with Maps and Outline of Stonyford Proposal
http://www.tuleyome.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=27

As DOI continues to stonewall BRC and pro-access congressional representatives on our requests for documents related to national monument designations at Stonyford and elsewhere, The General believes the aforementioned pro-Wilderness groups will be the ones found to be actually driving the Obama National Monument plan vs. Interior bureaucrats concocting this scheme in a vacuum.

Article on Congressional Hearing Yesterday
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700029888/Democrats-thwart-Rep-Rob-Bishops-move-to-obtain-national-monument-documents.html

Yes folks there is bad news, the OHV Wars continue. Battles will continue at Clear Creek, the Eldorado NF, and at Oceano Dunes and Carnegie SVRAs. New battles will be fought at Stonyford, the AZ and CO OHV programs, the OR Dunes, and other OHV areas.

However, the good news is that we have rural counties stepping up to the plate and joining our fight against land closures. Both Glenn and Colusa counties have passed resolutions against the Stonyford Obamument. San Benito County just reopened their county roads and has sent letters of support for historic OHV use at Clear Creek. Shasta County is filing an appeal on the Shasta Trinity travel plan. Others like Del Norte County are fighting back as well. Be strong, we are not alone any longer.

The General, once again, wants to thank all of you who have answered the call to join in the fight and defend our access rights.

To Join BRC or donate to the cause go to:
https://www.sharetrails.org/secure/join_or_contribute/?c=1

Feel free to comment on this blog topic today in the comment section or send The General a PM at: damador@cwo.com

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VICTORY - One Year Reprieve on CPSC Youth OHV Ban

VICTORY - CPSC Votes One Year Reprieve on Youth OHV Ban

The General congratulates all the troops for making thousands of phone calls to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and to their elected representatives asking them for emergency relief from the proposed Feb 10 ban on all youth-OHVs.

OHV Victory in the following article from the LA Times today

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-consumer-lead31-2009jan31,0,1405257,print.story

It talks about the thousands of emails and letters that the CPSC and elected officials received from people like you who took the time to get involved. Thanks to BRC, NOHVCC and other groups and media/web outlets for doing alerts, blogs, and fwd info to the public.

The General Salutes You!

I HAVE A "TRAIL" DREAM

As I watched a mountain biker from the San Francisco Bay Area drip precious fluids from his CamelBak hydration system onto my friend's motorcycle tube to help spot an air leak, I was struck by the irony of the situation.Here is a group of non-motorized trail enthusiasts helping some dirt bikers on a trail in the Poison Spider Mesa near Moab, Utah.

I have been told by the Sierra Club and other preservationists that we weren't supposed to get along.For many years, greens groups have cited so-called user conflict between motorized and non-motorized recreationists as a reason to close lands to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs).

A 68 page "the sky is falling" report authored by the California Wilderness Coalition said that hikers, campers, and mountain bikers have been run off the land by OHVs.Yet, here I am in the mountain bike and hiking capitol of the world enjoying the scenic wonders of this special place and it seems that the non-motorized recreationists have not heard that they are supposed to yell at jeepers and OHVers for "ruining" their solitude and enjoyment of the great outdoors.

As several of us dirt bikers dismount and hike out to a vista overlooking the Colorado River, we are greeted by some tourists who hired a local guide to drive them in a 4-wheel drive. At the same time, four mountain bikers also park their bikes and join us as we all take in the beauty and grandeur of the canyon and view.The hikers we passed on the Poison Spider Trail waved at us and smiled. They said they were having a great time and told us to enjoy our ride. Maybe this is a dream. But no, it is real.

As the one mountain biker helped locate a slow air leak in Randy Block's tire tube, I chatted with the other riders visiting this area from California. Instead of pointing fingers at each other, we talked about the price of my Michelin S-12 knobbies and that their mountain bike tires also cost about 65 dollars each.I asked them if they had ever ridden at one of my other favorite trail areas near Downieville, California.

Located in the Sierra Nevada, this popular multi use trail system is yet another example of where I have experienced a "we can get along" philosophy. I go there every year and it seems that the equestrians, OHVers, and mountain bikers have managed to craft a land-use ethic that respects other trail users and the environment.

Am I naive enough to believe that there are never any instances of some trail users having disagreements with other recreationists? No. However, I do believe that there are many places where diverse recreational interests have and do manage to use public lands in a cooperative fashion.

I have a dream that someday all trail users will get along and respect each other's personal choice of recreational activity. Maybe that's not such a far fetched idea?

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