The Day Trail-based Recreation Died in Northern California

The Recreation HQ was not surprised by the content of the call it received from the public affairs officer on Monday regarding the soon-to-be announced signing of the Record of Decision for the Shasta Trinity National Forest Travel Management FEIS.

PHOTO: The General on a Single Track Trail Now Closed by the ROD

See Record Searchlight Article Today on Forest Closure
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/mar/24/shasta-trinity-roads-plan-angers-off-highway/

Shasta Trinity NF Record of Decision
http://media.redding.com/media/static/ShastaTTravelROD032310.pdf

As many of the troops know, the Shasta Trinity NF is home to about 800 miles of high quality single track motorcycle trails and ATV trails less than 50 inches in width. Up until yesterday, these were legitimate and legal OHV trails that were used by families, contractors, NFL football players, police officers, nurses, doctors, CHP officers, firefighters, veterans, deputy sheriffs, small business owners, retired workers, lumber workers, teachers, sheet metal workers, union members, federal agents, muffler shop owners, etc.

BRC had argued for these routes in its DEIS comment letter – Shasta County did as well
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

The functional closure of almost 100% of what were legal OHV trails is a form of recreational discrimination against the single-track community. The General on several occasions (on behalf of BRC) had met with officials from the FS Regional Office and urged them not to make this huge mistake. This closure makes a mockery of the TMR public process, the agency, and its laws. This plan was never designed to protect the environment but rather created to satisfy the closure agenda of anti-OHV groups. What other conclusion is there when all of the action alternatives functionally closed all single-tracks and OHV trails less than 50 inches in width?

Be assured The General and BRC will exhaust all administrative and, if needed, legal channels to challenge a document that will be forever remembered by the OHV community as the plan that administratively closed more single-track trails than were administratively closed on Forest Service lands in Region 5 during the 8 years of the Clinton/Gore administration.

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

Thanks for your support and staying engaged!

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Shasta Trinity NF DEIS - Closed Trails and Broken Promises

On August 25, 2009 - The General (on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition) sent in formal comments on the Shasta Trinity National Forest’s DEIS for Travel Management.
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Photo: This is the Idaho-style single track trail called - The Dubakellas Trail. It is proposed to be closed to OHV use in the DEIS.

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BRC Aug. 25, 2009 Comments on Shasta Trinity NF including exhibits
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Shasta-Trinity_NF/

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Regrettably for both users and the agency, this is the best (or worst) example of TMR “gone wrong” in California so far. Basically all of the action alternatives close almost 100% of the existing motorcycle only trails and ATV trails <>

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See my May blog on the origins of the CA RID process for some perspective
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/05/travel-management-good-idea-or-big.html

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The General hopes that Forest leadership will review public comments (users, local governments, and other stakeholders) and push the “reset button” on TMR. I believe the Forest should withdraw the DEIS and issue a supplemental DEIS that includes a viable recreation alternative that designates a significant number of historic OHV routes. A blanket closure of almost 100% of their motorcycle only and ATV trails is unrealistic, unfair, a violation of public trust, and runs counter to promises made by Region 5 staff to BRC that TMR would not be used as a closure tool.

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Trail Tip - Try a Trials Tire

While sitting around the campfire recently with some fellow dirt-bikers at the Stonyford OHV Area on the Mendocino National Forest, we discussed the “secret” of trials tires and how well they work on just about any trail condition.

It was our collective opinion that using trials tires when trail riding makes sense for your pocket book since they last often 3 times longer than regular knobbies. Trials tires also offer increased traction control on almost every trail soil-type from loamy black diamond single-track in the mountains to sand or rocky two-tracks in the desert.

Many riding experts have already written praise-filled articles acknowledging the traction benefits of using trials tires including off-road racing legend and Dirt Rider Magazine editor, Jimmy Lewis.

Besides the vehicle control advantage, trials tires are more ecologically friendly because they “hook-up” with the ground instead of spinning like knobbies.

I currently have a Dunlop 803 trials tire on my 2004 KTM 250 EXC 2-stroke. Other companies that make trials tires include Michelin and IRC. There may be other manufacturers of the tire, but the aforementioned brands are what you see most often on the trail.

Next time you want to get a leg up on your ”knobby” riding buddies… buy a trials tire. It will make you faster and more ecologically-friendly.

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