EJS 2021 Canceled (update: it's back on)

[Herzog]

The townsfolk are tired is SxS's creating noise with their WOT approach to driving around town, and have done a good job about complaining and getting the SxS folk in hot water.

Makes sense I guess. Most of the SxS's I see down there spend more time on main street than on the actual trails. (I'm being mostly sarcastic)

 

[moab_cj5]

Yea what's this about? Anybody know off hand?

Rally on the Rocks, an ATV and SXS event was denied a permit and the city/county put a moratorium on new events and businesses that are non fully street legal vehicle related. It is a seperate issue than what EJS is facing, but my tinfoil hat is tingling with COVID being a convenient excuse for the anti event people in leadership to quash all large events in Moab.

 

[gijohn40]

Just heard this is on hold there will be a meeting tonight to see if they can save it so don't cancel your plans just yet!

 

[N-Smooth]

Honestly if I lived in Moab I'd want them to ban SXS as well. It's crazy how annoying they are in town and how much damage they've done to the trails. It sucks if "rock crawlers" do in fact get lumped into the ban but it is what it is. Moab is boring for buggies anyways 🤷

Sounds like I get to save some PTO for actual rock crawling

 

[Stephen]

The townsfolk are tired is SxS's creating noise with their WOT approach to driving around town, and have done a good job about complaining and getting the SxS folk in hot water.

Personally, I can't blame them to an extent. Moab sounds like a hornets nest these days with all the UTV's buzzing around. Any vehicle that is street legal should have to conform to the same noise ordnances that passenger vehicles do, IMHO.

 

[Unimog]

Any vehicle that is street legal should have to conform to the same noise ordnances that passenger vehicles do, IMHO.

^^This. I've enjoyed some stock, sane sxs trail riding, but the sheer number of them that are in the 'louder is better' crowd makes me agree. I remember discussing this with a friend of a friend on the trail with a wildcat 'n pipe. He wasn't really after more horsepower or speed - just liked the sound and the way it stands out. I don't get it - maybe I'm just getting old???

 

[Chicken Corners]

If it’s too loud, you are too old! I agree, they are too loud, and I am getting old!

^^This. I've enjoyed some stock, sane sxs trail riding, but the sheer number of them that are in the 'louder is better' crowd makes me agree. I remember discussing this with a friend of a friend on the trail with a wildcat 'n pipe. He wasn't really after more horsepower or speed - just liked the sound and the way it stands out. I don't get it - maybe I'm just getting old???

 

[Hickey]

If it’s too loud, you are too old! I agree, they are too loud, and I am getting old!

One of the main reasons I sold mine. Too damn loud.

 

[lhracing]

Any vehicle that is street legal should have to conform to the same noise ordnances that passenger vehicles do, IMHO.

I believe they do but since State Safety Inspections went away there is no control/enforcement. There are cars trucks and motorcycles that are straight piped all over and they seem to get away with it. Cities just need to start enforcing noise ordnances on all vehicles.

 

[Coco]

Had a feeling it was only a matter of time with them going after SXS/fullsize OHVs/ATVs. The SXS event ended up moving to San Jaun County, and doing all trails in that county versus Grand... So, this will give Moab officials exactly what they want. No 'events' in their town/county, but all the business of people that will come in and eat and stay at their hotels. Well played SUWA, you figured out how to win.

Definitely wait for the official word though.

EDIT: I will leave my SXS comments to myself on this one... But I have heard more trucks, bikes, and cars that have made more noise in Moab than I have heard SXS's.

 

[TRD270]

I believe they do but since State Safety Inspections went away there is no control/enforcement. There are cars trucks and motorcycles that are straight piped all over and they seem to get away with it. Cities just need to start enforcing noise ordnances on all vehicles.

It’s virtually not enforceable which is the problem. We went through this with the big cottonwood community. Even bought a decibel meter. Had people from the county come out. DA’s office straight up said they wouldn’t prosecute. Too subjective and hard to define the noise is specifically coming from the vehicle. Only way you can even enforce it is to have a primary offense to stop the vehicle then crawl under the vehicle whatever it is and look for the EPA stamp on the muffler.

 

[BCGPER]

I’ve been chucking at some of the uneducated comments in here, it’s like a flashback to the late 80’s and 90’s. It was the mountain bikers against the Jeepers back them, and they spewed the same bullshit some of you are now. We jeepers were tearing up the landscape and making all sorts of noise, according the them.

Since I’m one of the uneducated, redneck, UTV drivers, as Jinx puts it, let me clear the air on some of this.

First off, Grand County can’t prevent UTV’s from driving on the street, state law supersedes county rules. Moab City however can ban them from city streets I believe. This is bad news for UTV’s as well as all the off road plated Jeep’s and buggies.

I have to agree UTV’s with modified exhaust are down right annoying. It’s against the law to take one into Forrest service lands, but until the BLM gets on board, we just have to deal with it. If you’ve ever been to Moab during the car show, the UTV’s for the most part are pretty mellow compared to some of our cars.

UTV’s are here to stay. All the bitching and moaning won’t change that. I suggest y’all learn to except them, and for damn sure educate any stupid driver you come upon be it ATV or Jeep. If the country manages to stop the UTV traffic in Moab, it’s only a matter of time until they include Jeeps and the like into it.

That being said, I won’t be spending another dime in Moab, ever! It sounds to me like they want the mountain biker and hiker crowd in there and no one else. I wish them well through the depression that town will undoubtedly see. I feel bad for the businesses there, but not sorry. The locals voted these people in to office, unfortunately the small business owners will pay the price.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how biased against UTV’s the people on here really are. I’ve done more for land use than probably 90% of you to keep the trails you enjoy open, only to be looked down upon for what I chose to drive at the moment.

With that being said, I’ve been here since the Stone Age, I won’t be around much from here on.

 

[RockChucker]

I’ve only been to EJS a few times, and yes it is a bummer that it was cancelled last year and hanging in the balance this year. But from the first time I went in 2011 to the last time in 2017, it felt like it became more and more of an industry club and less like the enthusiast event it’s always been. Maybe I’m wrong. But that was my perspective.

The utv vs full-size off-roader thing cracks me up. Admittedly, I will likely never own one because I like jeeps and solid axles so much. But I’m not gonna knock a guy for wanting to get out and enjoy the outdoors and play. They sound like a swarm of hornets, but so do all the late model jeeps with aftermarket exhausts. Sounds the same to me. As far as noise, my rig isn’t exactly quiet. So I can’t point fingers. And I think a lot of the sxs noise is magnified by the rubber band cvt transmission. They wind up as though they had a really loose torque converter. Seen plenty of jack wagons in jeeps and buggies hot ridding down main street through the years too.

The last couple years I have gotten into mountain biking as a way to improve my fitness and still scratch the adrenaline junkie itch. The sxs feud outlined here reminds me of a similar feud in the mtb world. Soooo much animosity towards e bikes. In fact I think e bikes are banned from Moab trails. Because a pedal assist e bike can totally destroy a slick rock trail? Haha comical.

I’ll always love Pritchett and a couple other trails down in Moab, but the draw to go down there has waned over the last few years. Between the rapidly escalating prices for accommodations and growing feelings of being unwelcome, I’d much rather spend my time and money in southwest Utah.

 

[N-Smooth]

@BCGPER so are we just to assume that every sxs user is like you? That would be great but it seems like as much nonsense as abandoning RME because you don’t like what a few people have to say.

I think the sxs situation in Moab is out of control. I can definitely see how the residents could be tired of the noise and the trails have certainly been damaged more in the last 5 years than in the previous 15 I’ve been frequenting the area. Does every OHV have an impact on the trail system, sure but to ignore what I see when I’m there would again, be nonsense.

Personally I think a lot of the blame lies on the rental companies. I know people in that industry and they told me how many sxs get wrecked down there because uneducated people go down there and thrash on them. It’s insane. If they don’t care about wrecking a rental (and paying for it) do you think they care at all about land use or trail etiquette?

 

[Herzog]

You all know how it goes... "if it ain't me making the noise, I hate it".

I like to trash talk SxS because why not. Doesn't mean I really hate'm. If we all become access oriented (even if over time with the new crowd) then we will be force to be reckoned with. That is, if we can find a magical cat herder.

 

[jeeper]

I think we have all made dumb choices as we learn what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to trail use, responsibilities, ect. It takes time become educated. I think the real issue is that most user groups have had to develop their skills and machines over a period of time. That period of time also allows for learning the do's and don'ts on the trail. In the current buy now, pay later world we live in, with the ability to buy a machine off the show room floor that can do what used to take years of building a machine to accomplish, any yahoo can sign their name and be destroying a trail that afternoon. I think it happens to be that most of those fall in to the SXS group, which is unfortunate for those who aren't stupid. There is no doubt that there are ' a few bad apples' in every user group, but the availability of capable vehicles, especially SXS's, has turned a few bad apples into an entire bushel of bad apples.

 

[Unimog]

Sorry if I touched on a nerve! I have nothing inherently against UTVs. I love to drive them and have many times, but I hate loud UTVs and rude drivers. I also like to ride motorcycles, but I despise loud motorcycles. I like to drive jeeps and every other off road vehicle. I hate loud jeeps, too.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Death of a thousand cuts. Don't think 4x4's aren't the next with a target on their backs.

 

[Pile of parts]

I don't think it matters what you ride or drive. The issue comes down to education and respect. I consider myself fortunate to have started in this hobby all by myself. By that I mean, my wife and I got an old Jeep and decided we wanted to be a part of this. So, due to the fact that we knew nothing and didn't know anybody, we signed up for EJS. Back then EJS was as much an education as it was an event. Things seemed to be under the microscope and people seemed to be truly concerned about protecting the privilege to go on trails. We took this to heart and have wheeled with what was instilled in us from the beginning. Unfortunately, many have forgotten, or never known that there were rules. Yes, a lot of the current argument is coming from a noise standpoint. Well, that just comes back to respect. I love trail riding as much as the next guy but if I lived on the street by the trail and everyone was winding up their rig, all hours of the day/night, speeding right past my house to get there, I'd be sick of it too. We can point our fingers at any group and they can point theirs at the others, but until people are educated (and willing to accept the education) we're going to be forced out of everywhere. Until we start to have respect for others and the rules of the sport, we're ALL in trouble. I agree with some of the previous comments about the fact that anyone can go buy a capable rig (Jeep or SXS) right off the showroom floor. Somehow, this seems to give entitlement to where they think they can go and what they can do. It's going to be pretty sad when we can't go anywhere because of the lack of education and respect.

 

[glockman]

I’ve been chucking at some of the uneducated comments in here, it’s like a flashback to the late 80’s and 90’s. It was the mountain bikers against the Jeepers back them, and they spewed the same bullshit some of you are now. We jeepers were tearing up the landscape and making all sorts of noise, according the them.

Since I’m one of the uneducated, redneck, UTV drivers, as Jinx puts it, let me clear the air on some of this.

First off, Grand County can’t prevent UTV’s from driving on the street, state law supersedes county rules. Moab City however can ban them from city streets I believe. This is bad news for UTV’s as well as all the off road plated Jeep’s and buggies.

I have to agree UTV’s with modified exhaust are down right annoying. It’s against the law to take one into Forrest service lands, but until the BLM gets on board, we just have to deal with it. If you’ve ever been to Moab during the car show, the UTV’s for the most part are pretty mellow compared to some of our cars.

UTV’s are here to stay. All the bitching and moaning won’t change that. I suggest y’all learn to except them, and for damn sure educate any stupid driver you come upon be it ATV or Jeep. If the country manages to stop the UTV traffic in Moab, it’s only a matter of time until they include Jeeps and the like into it.

That being said, I won’t be spending another dime in Moab, ever! It sounds to me like they want the mountain biker and hiker crowd in there and no one else. I wish them well through the depression that town will undoubtedly see. I feel bad for the businesses there, but not sorry. The locals voted these people in to office, unfortunately the small business owners will pay the price.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how biased against UTV’s the people on here really are. I’ve done more for land use than probably 90% of you to keep the trails you enjoy open, only to be looked down upon for what I chose to drive at the moment.

With that being said, I’ve been here since the Stone Age, I won’t be around much from here on.

The last safari we went to, we ran fins as an official trail ride. The trail leader ranted on the radio for a good minute about some idiot dirt bikers that passed our group respectfully. He then made snide remarks every time he spoke for the rest of the trail. I ride dirt bikes mostly, my wife likes to jeep and so here I am. I just ignored the obviously ignorant ass hole talking out said oriface. It's hard sometimes but it just a part of being a member of multiple offroad communities.