SF BAY AREA LEGAL VICTORY at Carnegie SVRA

As some of you may already know, the appellate court basically dismissed the lawsuit against Carnegie SVRA because the plaintiffs did not “exhaust administrative remedies.”

PHOTO: SVRA is OPEN!

Update from the Court on Carnegie
http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/disposition.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=1929498

All of you who helped with the fight to Save Carnegie should be proud of your involvement because it did make a difference! You should celebrate this victory by hugging your loved ones, family, and yes… even your bike, 4wd, or quad.

The Recreation HQ believes we all owe a deep debt of gratitude to OHMVR leadership, the AG’s office, and the CA Water Board for fighting hard to keep Carnegie open and to prevent anti-OHV groups from interjecting themselves as a 3rd party into inter-agency executive branch decision-making.

Congrats on a job well done! Even though we won this land-use skirmish, The General asks that you remain committed to the fight. OHV Wars is not over yet. There are many battles that remain to be fought on lands both far and near to the SF Bay Area.

Thanks for your service.

Check Out BRC Online Auction - Auction Ends Soon

Just a quick note for OHVers who might be looking for an off-road internet deal.

As some of you know, BRC has an online auction in play right now. It will be ending soon. In fact, some of the items are ending today.

There is stuff for everything from 4WDs to motorcycles. Check it out.

BRC Online Auction
http://shop.ebay.com/sharetrails/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2464&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_pgn=1

*
*

Not Preaching to the Choir - New Age Meets Off-Road

One of the side benefits of BRC attending

the 24 Hours of Electricross was the opportunity to have a discourse with new age or eco-groups
that had an interest in quiet OHV recreation.

The General has often been encouraged by riders to engage those non-motorized stakeholder groups that do not understand the OHV community or traditional motor sports.

Just such an opportunity presented itself at the 24 Hours of Electricross where Don Amador was interviewed by David Herron, an internet journalist for a new age website. I think the interview/video was a good chance to share
our commitment to the resource via OHV sound education with folks who are not familiar with the BlueRibbon Coalition or the OHV community.

*********************************************************

Photo to right is of the famous KAZBUS. The General was raised in
Humboldt County in Northern California in the late 1960s/early 1970s

and seeing this bus was fun, since the concept for such “modified vehicles”

was actually created or born in Humboldt County

*********************************************************

In the following video, David Herron shares his perspective (about 8:16) of the video
and then switches over to Don Amador for his views on the electric motorcycle, potential for creation of new urban OHV parks, sound being a public lands issue, etc.

Link to Herron’s Video Interview with Don Amador
http://www.7gen.com/blog/20090412/25538-podcast


In Herron’s narrative, you see him talk about (w)ilderness or is it (W)ilderness?
Although BRC has advocated for continued use of existing routes via cherry-stems in Wilderness designations, its main purpose is to champion responsible use of non-Wilderness public lands where OHV recreation is an allowed or prescribed use. I think that distinction may have
gotten lost in the translation. However, that may be a difference without a distinction since in modern day Wilderness bills you have lands next to county garbage dumps
being proposed for Wilderness.


While preaching to the choir may be something we do a lot of…The General feels that
getting out to new venues and sharing our land use views with non-traditional news sources is a good thing.

# # #

ON ANY THURSDAY - Malcolm Smith's Protest

Those of us in the off-road world already know Malcolm as the racing and film legend that he is. We all remember watching him ride in “On Any Sunday.” For many off-roaders that movie was the driving force for them to get into motorcycle riding or competitive racing.

On March 19, 2009 Malcolm Smith became the star of another achievement. By holding a rally and defying the CPSC ban on the sale of youth OHVs he will be also known as the driving force of…”On Any Thursday.”

Dirt Rider Mag Article on Event
http://blogs.dirtrider.com/6491556/editorial/malcolm-smith-s-cpsia-federal-offense/index.html

Great Photos from Carlos Aguirre (Thanks Carlos!!!) of Malcolm Event

http://motography.smugmug.com/gallery/7665496_8cVgT#494851525_DvDyJ

AMA Article on Malcolm Event

http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=747

Overlawyered Article on Event
http://overlawyered.com/2009/03/cpsia-a-season-of-activism/

Cool Video of Josh Cerne (a young racer) Asking Folks to Save the Sport
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISeSAyFMj8

As you know, the decision to engage in civil disobedience is a decision that only can be
made by the person who is defying the law. It is a deeply personal decision that must be respected.

As Congress works on legislative fixes to the current ban and to honor Malcolm’s decision, The General is asking riders to continue to pressure your elected officials to help bring a quick end to what has become a national disgrace.

Continue to monitor and use the MIC’s “Stop the Ban” Website
http://www.mic.org/stoptheban.cfm

Also, watch for alerts from other groups such as AMA and BRC.

Thanks for your service!

# # #