Those riders that utilize public ground for riding and trails would be well advised to check with your District office of the US Forest Service...........by 2009 the USFS has been given the task to bring all public use of public ground into conformity with the new access travel management direction. This basically means if it public ground you will not be able to ride on most of it. You would find it interesting that those that choose to ride without being under the thumb of the government have been given the title of "Rogue Riders". How about that........A title at last............Tass

 

Local radio informed me this morning the Wallowa Whitman, USFS has announced the second public meeting dealing with road closures/trail closures/denied access on the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. Thank God for radio. In checking with participants of the meeting last month none have received the mailed announcements that were supposed to be sent. To justify their existance the land managers have to create issues. This is the current issue, this is the current task, this is the current bad guy. Get the ATV's off of public lands. This creates all sorts of opportunities for increased manpower and planning. After all, with all the bad guys riding we will of course need more enforcement officers, and also, by forcing more and more people onto less and less ground it creates the opportunity to go after those that are "loving the land to death" by increasing impacts from use. As I mentioned in my last post on this issue, this is a nationwide effort. NE Oregon is the current target. But then again, with the lack of communication on the part of the USFS there are other targets also? Whats happening in your back yard?...............Tass

 

I attened a national forest meeting for access travel management last nite. There were all groups there, mostly dirt biker and atvers. We need to stand up and keep our trails open. If we don't they will close them, then we will lose more riding areas

 

An article in the Baker City Oregon newspaper a few nights ago was based on an interview with the US Forest Service. ATV, motorcycle, and other motorized users will loose access to over 5000 miles of logging roads and trails within the near future. All sorts of horror stories are being spread by the USFS in an attempt to sway public opinion. Most of the roads were built with the idea that equipment and loads approaching 100,000 lbs gross weight were going to use them. The roads were constructed with consideration for all the applicable environmental laws that were in place. Now the Forest Service is trying to convince the world a 500 lb ATV with a 200 lb rider is going to destroy and polute the world.......Arrogance and ignorance on a massive scale is being demonstrated here by an agency that is supposed to serve the public.............They are serving us stupidity and idiocy while taking tax dollars for their pay and their retirement.
This is a nationwide process friends........your rights to access and use are about to go down the tube..........Tass

 

This is very sad and bad news for our sport, as more folks buy atv's there will be less and less riding areas, which will cause the few areas left to become overcrowded and will lead to all sorts of problems.

What can we do to get the USFS to stop closing riding areas if anything?

Motorsports [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I suggest you start by contacting your State and Federal representatives and senators..........It will probably do no good as they are part of the system but you need to start somewhere. Contact local USFS district rangers and forest supervisors and remind them it is actually your public ground and you are sick and tired of politics and beaurocrats giving away your rights and property. One of the latest ideas promoted by the Forest Service is the sale of public land to private company's and individuals. First you are locked out of the public land then they sell it and you are "posted" out of it. Contact the Blue Ribbon Coalition.............advise them of the situation and ask them what you can do........join a local club of similar minded people and throw a fit everytime someone talks about lock up, keep out, and sell the property. We will have no heratige at all for our children and grandchildren if things continue like they are........They will end up as simple little people, in simple little towns, within simple little walls with the government controlling and directing all.....Not a pretty picture...........Tass

 

Motorsports.......I just re-read your post.......one thing you could do is contact your local Chamber of Commerce, any economic developement groups you might know of and any dealer for ATV and snow machines. The economic loss from the current FS proposal is devastating. The very ideas being used by the USFS for the reasons to shut down ATV's, cars, and other motorized vehicles can be used in the future to shut down the Snow machines that are not exempted from the proposal.
Engine noise, disturb wildlife, potential for resource damage, are now the force behind the current proposal............If it works this time it will be used again to curtail the use of snow machines............Tass

 

Thank you Tass.

I have emailed my congress rep and senators, altho I do not think it will help, I did it anyways. I sent similar messages to the local usfs rangers too.

Thank you for the advice.

IMO you are correct about them using the same reasoning to stop snowmobile use in the future.

Motorsports

 

Motorsports,
Yesterday we took a ride on one of the logging roads slated for closure. I would guess the road has had the enterance burmed against pickup travel for about 8 years. The surface of the road is native soil and rock and displays no ruts from anything. Grasses are growing where they can, various sign indicates elk and deer and coyotes and bear are using it for an access route at times. There is absolutely no way an ATV could cause any damage to this surface. About 5 miles of safe, quiet, beautiful riding and it will be closed............ATV's are being excluded from the very ground they should be encouraged to ride....certainly strange......I would be interested in hearing what response you received from your e-mails and calls.............Tass