i know i need to do more

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
let's get more involved James. I'm going to start attending the monthly U4 meetings. Last Thursday of every month. I'll give you a ride.

I do think that suwa, for the most part, works harder than us, or at least that they have more active participants. I'm not in touch enough with the weaknesses of our current movement, but it sounds like we could use some help. I'm going to start getting more involved, and I invite you to join me.
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
I think suwa is effective because they have individuals who are willing to donate their time and energy to the cause. They do more than post about how frustrated they are. They take time out of their busy lives and do things that aren't fun, like hold meetings, get petitions, talk to lawyers, send out communications, send out post cards, etc.

I think it's awesome that so many wheelers are becoming aware of our land issues. I know that I, for one, need to move beyond posting about how pissed I am to loose my trails. Even if every wheeler in the state were as fed up as I am, we still wouldn't match SUWA's efforts, because I'm not doing squat aside from picking up trash, staying on the trail, and writing letters to my representatives supporting them to keep our public lands open. I'm not making commercials, conducting environmental studies, posting on facebook, getting petitions, trying to get businesses to join the fight. Suwa is effective because they're offensive. I only act in the defense, and unless I become more proactive, I'll always be one step behind trying to save our closing trails, instead of trying to open new ones.

But I feel your pain. We've gotta do more. I think that as I learn more about U4 and attend their monthly meetings I'll be able to channel my enthusiasm in a more effective manner.
 
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DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
I think suwa is effective because they have individuals who are willing to donate their time and energy to the cause. They do more than post about how frustrated they are. They take time out of their busy lives and do things that aren't fun, like hold meetings, get petitions, talk to lawyers, send out communications, send out post cards, etc.

I think it's awesome that so many wheelers are becoming aware of our land issues. I know that I, for one, need to move beyond posting about how pissed I am to loose my trails. Even if every wheeler in the state were as mad about it as me, we still wouldn't match SUWA's efforts, because I'm not doing squat aside from picking up trash, staying on the trail, and writing letters to my representatives supporting them to keep our public lands open.

But I feel your pain. We've gotta do more. I think that as I learn more about U4 and attend their monthly meetings I'll be able to channel my enthusiasm in a more effective manner.

I suggest you spend you money/ time and join some other group than U4, they do more trail rides than anything else, more of their time is spent preparing for trail runs and operating trail runs than at doing anything to bring together land use issues to the table so that people that are interested in helping but don't have the time to go to a meeting and listen to how they want to give away member information can do so. <insert popcorn emoticon here>
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
i know it would be hard and blah blah i say we set a up a trail ride.. called take a hiker wheeling.. they hike for the same reason we wheel.. if we could get more to realize we stay on the trail and care about the same things as they do this fight between the too could become less of an issue
 

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
doss atleast there doing something and arguing between our groups isnt going to get us anywhere.. it sounds lame but facebook could be a great tool... there is a utahns agains SUWA on there.. and one against the red rock wilderness
http://www.facebook.com/utahlandgrab?ref=ts&sk=info

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Utahns-against-Southern-Utah-Wilderness-Alliance-SUWA/142397239159043

its just facebook but my week efforts have added 3 likes today to the utahns against suwa..

Discussions and opposing opinions are what keeps people on their toes :).. I like the Facebook Idea (it is even about land use and not a trail run WIN).. but what about Utahn's FOR something instead of against.. SUWA gets lots of people involved by "saving" something, we seem to fail at getting people involved with "stopping" everything they do.. maybe we should start focusing on saving things instead of Stopping things? - Americans like to save things and free people from oppression its a social thing and we should work with that in mind.
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Great idea James! Maybe we wheel to a site, then hike from there.

I like your line of thinking Doss. We should be a group that's "for" something instead of "against" something.
 
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Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
I suggest you spend you money/ time and join some other group than U4, they do more trail rides than anything else, more of their time is spent preparing for trail runs and operating trail runs than at doing anything to bring together land use issues to the table so that people that are interested in helping but don't have the time to go to a meeting and listen to how they want to give away member information can do so. <insert popcorn emoticon here>


I welcome opposing viewpoints, but it behooves you to be accurate. :D

U4's member clubs plan and operate "trail rides"-- which, it should be noted, I don't like all that much, because they don't do much to keep trails OPEN. :D

I realize the potstirring intent of your post, and appreciate the instigation... ;)
 

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
I suppose I should take a minute here and restate my wish for exactly what Sixstring wants: A group that is FOR something instead of against. That has to come from the basic principles though, which have been shuffled off into the weeds: EDUCATION, STEWARDSHIP, STRONG CLUB PARTICIPATION IN LAND USE ISSUES.

None of that stuff is fun, or easy, and historical membership numbers and involvement, in whatever sport/hobby/etc you want to look at bear that out. But it's what keeps things going, and is critical to having a chance at fighting The Man.

/off
 

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
I welcome opposing viewpoints, but it behooves you to be accurate. :D

U4's member clubs plan and operate "trail rides"-- which, it should be noted, I don't like all that much, because they don't do much to keep trails OPEN. :D
Fine.. you and your accuracy.... U4's member clubs plan and operate trail rides.. U4 just promotes them more than they 'seem' to promote anything else.. still as you said trail rides don't actually do anything and don't have a history of being the seed to keeping more trails open :)

I realize the potstirring intent of your post, and appreciate the instigation... ;)

how dare you accuse me of such a thing.. ok yeah.. your right but if the pot isn't stirred all the crap settles to the bottom and doesn't get seen until you scoop out a big pile of crap and plop it on your plate :greg: -- anyone heard from crabtree recently ?
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
i think trail rides are great.. we get people out to the trail with a group of people with education and ethics.. it will wear off on them and maybe next time there tempted to try an illegal climb or bypass they will the wwu4d (what would u4 do) :)
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Working against their name is about effective as Max Hall calling out Ute fans ;) Proof is on the scoreboard. SUWA has an objective and for arguably the popular majority their objective is at least in part altruistic and needed. I like Wilderness... I just don't like as much of it as they do. So do we attack the name or embrace the logic and work on our own proposal that considers recreation, economy and preservation into the mix. There used to be a 4x4 club called something like 'Wheelers for Wilderness', as much as I scoffed at the idea then, its a Facebook page I would join now.
 

jackjoh

Jack - KC6NAR
Supporting Member
Location
Riverton, UT
What zukijames and sixstring say is what will make U4 work in keeping trails open. We do not have Suwa's 2 million dollars and I think 17 employees to do the job for us. So we need doers not talkers. Thanks you guys for speaking up with ideas that will help and now you have to come to the meeting and present your ideas and back them up with action.
 

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
IMO, the RME Noob Run ought to remain the RME Noob Run. There is no sense in meshing it into the U4 just to be branded as a U4 event. It would be great to have the U4 sponsor/endorse the Tread-Lightly training, and be prepared with hand-outs, fliers, cookies and punch; etc... :)
 
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