im right there with you guys.... always leave with more than you brought. I wont leave my cig butts out there either. Im fortunate enough to have my own land to ride on most of the time but i like to get out and stretch the old girls legs every once in awhile. It gets under my skin as well to see everything littered up. I live right on a major road...i spend too much time cleaning up the litter from all the passers-by wish they would shut them down. LOL

 

I do not have any trails close to my house, just a rock quarry that was sold and now the new owners have placed security there. Old owners didn't mind me and son-in-law riding around there, not causing any trouble or anything just out for a ride. Anyway I spend enough time picking up trash out of my front lawn, I live on a major road right outside the city and every morning there is something in my lawn. I really hate people that have no respect for others and the trails, or just plain nature for that matter.

I have been to turkey bay a few times over the past year, and there is always at least one campsite that has trash left behind. There is no reason for it, I bet they don;t do that at their houses. It is sad that there are morons out there trying to ruin everything for everyone, like there is isn;t enough trouble from the epa or the or local communitties trying to get rid of the sport of riding.

I know of at least 2 places that were shut down this year alone in western kentucky, one was sold and the new owners are not opening atv park, other was closed down by the people in that area cause of noise and the trash.

 

I hate to say it but I think our sport is dead, and the few of us who are respectful and care can not change the semi accurate stereo type of the atv rider. We have quads that can do 60+ mph through the woods, go through huge bogs, and climb grades that are damm near cliffs. We can pretty much go any where. So as we blaze new trails and use existing trails we introduce noise, unnatural erosion, and trash into the wilderness. Noise will come and go. Plant life will stop unnatural erosion. But the trash will remain forever and that is a huge problem for us. We share the trails with other people who use them as a way to escape the modern world and what do they find. Junk some of us left behind... I would feel soo much better if I saw a guy on a mountain bike on a trail drink a 6 pack and then pedal off leaving the empty cans behind. lol... But how do we fix the problem as a group?Btw I clean up all of the trash I can.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: no1

I hate to say it but I think our sport is dead, and the few of us who are respectful and care can not change the semi accurate stereo type of the atv rider. We have quads that can do 60+ mph through the woods, go through huge bogs, and climb grades that are damm near cliffs. We can pretty much go any where. So as we blaze new trails and use existing trails we introduce noise, unnatural erosion, and trash into the wilderness. Noise will come and go. Plant life will stop unnatural erosion. But the trash will remain forever and that is a huge problem for us. We share the trails with other people who use them as a way to escape the modern world and what do they find. Junk some of us left behind... I would feel soo much better if I saw a guy on a mountain bike on a trail drink a 6 pack and then pedal off leaving the empty cans behind. lol... But how do we fix the problem as a group?Btw I clean up all of the trash I can.</end quote></div>

these are many of the reasons the USFS is closing down areas to us. your right. this is a dead sport. more parks, privately owned, will be the only places we will be able to ride. it is pretty sad, that we as a group can't come together and police our selves to stop the closing of trails. i am afraid the damage is done, and that is beyond repair. there are some places in arkansas that the atv crowd has cut trails off of trails, and left there trash, and beer cans fore me and others to pick up. trash bags are now part of my tool kit. so very sad.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Hondaddy

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: no1



I hate to say it but I think our sport is dead, and the few of us who are respectful and care can not change the semi accurate stereo type of the atv rider. We have quads that can do 60+ mph through the woods, go through huge bogs, and climb grades that are damm near cliffs. We can pretty much go any where. So as we blaze new trails and use existing trails we introduce noise, unnatural erosion, and trash into the wilderness. Noise will come and go. Plant life will stop unnatural erosion. But the trash will remain forever and that is a huge problem for us. We share the trails with other people who use them as a way to escape the modern world and what do they find. Junk some of us left behind... I would feel soo much better if I saw a guy on a mountain bike on a trail drink a 6 pack and then pedal off leaving the empty cans behind. lol... But how do we fix the problem as a group?Btw I clean up all of the trash I can.</end quote></div>



these are many of the reasons the USFS is closing down areas to us. your right. this is a dead sport. more parks, privately owned, will be the only places we will be able to ride. it is pretty sad, that we as a group can't come together and police our selves to stop the closing of trails. i am afraid the damage is done, and that is beyond repair. there are some places in arkansas that the atv crowd has cut trails off of trails, and left there trash, and beer cans fore me and others to pick up. trash bags are now part of my tool kit. so very sad.</end quote></div>


Well Guys; I'm not trying to be rude - BUT have a look around... the department of highways picks up garbage by the ton. Walk through a city park, street or beach - same thing, it doesn't matter what city, state or country you're in.

So now the common folk have invaded the wilderness with ATVs, did you think that they were going to change their attitudes?

The problem begins at home, teach your kids to clean up their room and respect the neighbourhood and go from there - sadly this isn't going to happen in the foreseeable future.

But; we can dream.

 

Has anyone else noticed the affects of our poor economy when out on trails and gravel pits. I have, besides seeing fewer riders I have noticed all of the metal objects of any size have been removed. I assume the are being sold for scrap. But the trails are a lot cleaner in my area.

 

best thing we can do is Join a local club and schedule repeated clean up days in your area, I plan on doing a club and personal cleanup.

It is not a single person closing the trails but a organization. Join your local organization and make a difference.

 

Time to report some good news [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] as I see that the F/S has been putting up new signs and repairing the 717 trails wher I ride allot. Here is to the Forest Service I say thanks [img]i/expressions/beer.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Yes I hate it when riders trash a trail BUT they aren't the only ones who do it. When I go fishing,hiking,or hunting I see the same crap! Heck even the ditches along the interstate are littered with trash because some *** hole is too lazy to get out of his car and find a trash can. I just hate it that it has more of a negative impact on our sport than it does elsewhere. Maybe if the government started closing down the highways like they do our trails people would learn to keep the trash in the car!

 

I am a private land owner and have seen illegal dumping first hand. Hell, sometimes they don't even bother to dump it off the side of the logging road, they just dump it right in the middle. I have found upwards of 20 tires, a patio table, steps, window panes. I caught one guy like 3 feet from his truck dumping small propane bottles he was using for his heater for hunting, I told him to clean them up and was given the third degree. I was like WTF!? He's literally inches from his truck, how come he can't just chuck them in. I recently found several bags of household trash and got the cold shoulder from one cop, even though I found countless items with the guys address. The cop was even defending the litter bugs. He said they may have fallen out or someone else may have dumped them. I got a little warmer response from another cop who said they'd call, but honestly I don't think they really cared either. I understand the tires, they cost money to get rid of, but household trash? Thats free to dispose of. I'm at the point where I completely understand posting, or closing land to everyone. I know that its not the majority of people who use it, and I won't shut down my land, but I am fed up with the utter disregard of respect of open land. Here in Maine we have lots of open land that's privately owned. But knowing that this is a problem common, it may not always be that way. I shutter to think of the day when kids will learn how great it used to be, but how a few dumbasses ruined it.
I intend to clean up whats out there, but I refuse to pay for something that wasn't mine to begin with. I try to go out there often, and I bring my camera hoping to catch one of these people in the act. I hope for the day when I go out there and find nothing, but sadly I know this will continue.