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

[Greg]

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.

It's easy to single out another motorized user group and talk sh*t about them, there are bad apples in every group that often make 'great' examples and people have their personal bias based on what they like. I felt like we are pretty well represented with the different vehicles on RME, because we have so many guys that recreate with all the options and many who own a few combinations; Jeeps, Toyotas, buggys, dirt bikes, SxS's, etc. At the end of the day, we ALL fall under the umbrella of 'motorized recreation' and need to understand that we are stronger together when it comes to fighting closures and public land access.

I do think that Moab has become a victim of the Utah's travel council push to bring in tourism dollars to Utah. Moab is a small town and many of the local's aren't pro-motorized recreation. Combine that with the legality of OHV's on the road, being able to legally drive to the trailhead of most trails just outside of Moab, the continued boom and growth of tourism in Moab and the need for local businesses that are successfully supporting the boom... it quickly becomes obvious that there are going to be conflicts and problems.

Personally, I don't like how busy Moab has become... the growth sickens me. I love Moab and the amazing scenery and trails that surround the area, but it's hard to go wheelin and enjoy it all when the trails are so busy, town is packed and it's hard to get around.

 

[anderson750]

There are bad apples in every group.....I remember the online S*!t storm that followed after Walker Evans went off trail in Pritchett to get around a group of people that were stopped. The Diesel Brothers have had their fair share of criticism for some of their stunts and I see a bunch of young people not educated in trail etiquette do stupid stuff. The SXS growth has created a population of people who can afford (finance) a very capable multi use rig. It has fostered a culture of I can out do you by buying these products. While I am fine with a loud exhaust at the dunes, I do not think it is good for the sport to have those machines running around city streets. We also do not need them proving how bad ass their machines are by going off route to prove they can go somewhere. But that is not just limited to the sxs community. I see a lot of off route travel on motorcycles in the San Rafael that causes us issues with the BLM.

I have a jeep, a sxs and I ride motorcycles. I see jack wagons in every discipline, but the target right now is on SXS due to the explosive growth of ownership and the support industry in general.

 

[frieed]

I'll be ok with SXSs on the city streets when they meet the same safety requirements as all other vehicles of that model year. I'm still waiting for an entire family to be taken out when someone runs a stop sign and they get T-boned by a truck.

 

[Greg]

Back to the EJS 2021 subject... its official, there will not be a traditional EJS 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. The exact issue is the Utah State health order that restricts group gatherings of 250 people or more.

There has been a lot of effort on the RR4W side to pull it off, working around the restrictions and a lot of recent discussion regarding if it would happen, but unfortunately Easter Jeep Safari 2021 as we know it will NOT be happening. 😔

 

[Trate D]

It’s strange that trail hero and winter jamboree were good to go but EJS isn’t. If it is a state thing how were they able to get around it but grand county cannot?

 

[Greg]

It’s strange that trail hero and winter jamboree were good to but EJS isn’t. If it is a state thing how were they able to get around it but grand county cannot?

No idea!

 

[mbryson]

I'm tempted to keep my reservations and spend a vacation there during that time. Maybe a few friends would join and we could have ad hoc trail runs? Maybe enough folks will decide to do that and that will give a solid economic impact to the community?

 

[Corban_White]

Based on several current events, I'm not sure the community wants any economic impact, at least not from the motorized community - maybe not from any "outsiders".

 

[glockman]

I'm tempted to keep my reservations and spend a vacation there during that time. Maybe a few friends would join and we could have ad hoc trail runs? Maybe enough folks will decide to do that and that will give a solid economic impact to the community?

I'm going regardless. Monday through big sat.

 

[N-Smooth]

I'm tempted to keep my reservations and spend a vacation there during that time. Maybe a few friends would join and we could have ad hoc trail runs? Maybe enough folks will decide to do that and that will give a solid economic impact to the community?

I'm wondering if reservations will be bulk-canceled like they were last year. I'm very tempted to write it off again this year to save some $ and PTO but my boy will be sad for sure. Hmmmmmm

 

[Coco]

@BCGPER so are we just to assume that every sxs user is like you?

Are we to say every SXS owner is like the D-Bags that are causing those problems? Are we to say that every SXS owner is to be looped in with 'those people'?

I'll be ok with SXSs on the city streets when they meet the same safety requirements as all other vehicles of that model year. I'm still waiting for an entire family to be taken out when someone runs a stop sign and they get T-boned by a truck.

This has happened unfortunately (no idea if it was the SXS or vehicles fault). Had one of our customers get T-boned in his SXS and pass away several years ago. You can die in a car, bike, etc. Nothing is 'safe' when a freak or tragic accident happens. Just gotta be careful, and when it is your time, it's your time.

It truly is unfortunate that EJS has officially been canceled. I cannot help but think that it is still related to OHV/4x4 access and they are using (having the help of) covid as a cover. The council has 3 of 5 environmentalists on it, and a lot of people that have moved into town or purchased housing in Moab are retired, environmentalists, etc. They want a nice quiet town to retire in.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

So odd. Here we are in California at King of the Hammers surrounded by tens of thousands of people and maybe 5% of them wearing masks and Utah can't have the Jeep Safari.

 

[Greg]

So odd. Here we are in California at King of the Hammers surrounded by tens of thousands of people and maybe 5% of them wearing masks and Utah can't have the Jeep Safari.

Yep!

 

[Herzog]

So odd. Here we are in California at King of the Hammers surrounded by tens of thousands of people and maybe 5% of them wearing masks and Utah can't have the Jeep Safari.

Yea, I'm confused. We usually make fun of California for their authoritarian government...

 

[N-Smooth]

We can only determine one thing from that. The government doesn’t make enough money from EJS 🤣

 

[Hickey]

Yea, I'm confused. We usually make fun of California for their authoritarian government...

I've been going to Southern California every week for the last two months straight, and I'm legit surprised that they were allowed to hold KOH. That state has been so locked down since Covid came in, I have to make sure I carry extra food and water because I cannot easily buy it there. Their Covid rules encourage people to use drive-thru or food delivery, and that doesn't work for truck drivers.

 

[Coco]

I've been going to Southern California every week for the last two months straight, and I'm legit surprised that they were allowed to hold KOH. That state has been so locked down since Covid came in, I have to make sure I carry extra food and water because I cannot easily buy it there. Their Covid rules encourage people to use drive-thru or food delivery, and that doesn't work for truck drivers.

This. Disneyland and other theme parks to name a few that have been closed.

 

[lhracing]

The council has 3 of 5 environmentalists on it, and a lot of people that have moved into town or purchased housing in Moab are retired, environmentalists, etc. They want a nice quiet town to retire in.

I agree with the above. When does the same happen to St. George, Hurricane, Kanab ...

 

[Shawn]

Everyone has a story about Moab whether its about 4x4, motorcycles, AVT's SxS, etc. The real problem is over population. I have been going to Moab for 40 fish years and like BC said it is always about this vs that. Jeeps vs bikes, 4x4 vs SxS, etc. Last time iI went to Moab I was shocked at the sheer number of SxS on the street and I really didn't see many jeep type vehicles.

The town people always seen to be street out, and I can fully understand why. They are so busy that the great customer service can be lacking. Many times I have had local people tell me that I shouldn't be there, that they wish the 4x4's would just go away.

I own several AVT;s, couple SxS, Boat, Motorcycles blah, blah, blah and I can tell you that no matter what recreation I decide to do there are just so many people out recreating it is almost scary. Covid has made it worse. Now more people can work remotely and can do it from their camper or boat. With more people out recreating a town like Moab is having a hard time with all of the visitors it is seeing.

I can tell you this, when I do go to Moab, I don't go into town anymore.

 

[RockChucker]

The irony of Moab wanting to really clamp down on any "ATV" type vehicles (SXS, rock crawler, etc) on the street is that the street legal ATV law originated down that way if I remember right.