Interesting idea for EJS 2007

[notajeep]

If you want to charge to go to Easter Jeep Safari, have part of the registration money (even if the cost went up slightly) to purchase a trash bag that can be brought along with every vehicle that registers. This would be given out with every registration packet and each trail leader would have a chance to remind and have a clean up period along the trail while waiting for someone to clear an obstacle.

Make it part of a cleanup day or something, but I don't think it has to be a fee for everyone that passed through town on that day.

Just my 0.02

I (ALCO) will donate enough trash bags to cover all registered participants for this years EJS.
Dan

 

[waynehartwig]

I (ALCO) will donate enough trash bags to cover all registered participants for this years EJS.
Dan

I was just thinking that this would be a great idea even now to hand out to everyone - no need to raise fees, etc. either.

 

[waynehartwig]

Any of you old guys remember going to Widow Maker hill climbs when they were held at Draper? Towards the end, wild drunken brawls ...

I do! I don't remember the drunkenness, but I do remember the great times!!

 

[notajeep]

Even better. Free garbage bags at ALCO.
Come in and ask for me (Dan) and I identify yourself as a fellow wheeler and I will provide garbage bags and all the free firewood (pallets) you need.
Dan

 

[Bart]

Way to go Dan. Like has been said, it's not the EJS participants that are the problem, it's the spring breakers. But that is also part of what the week has evolved into. Education and diligence is working and will eventually help and I don't think the problems should be ignored.

More importantly, and this is my biggest problem with the guy and his letter, is that new people will move into a place like Moab and then try to change it to fit them. I watched it happen in West Yellowstone Montana and in Huntsville Utah. Newcomers moved in and then wanted to close it off so other people couldn't move there or tried to change it to fit their needs.

I say if you move to a place, be prepared to live with it. It's okay be part of a solution to a problem, like handing out trash bags or educating, but don't try to make it into something it's not.

 

[allterrain]

Bart, I know the same thing happened in Wallsburg and Woodland when the $ folks moved in. "Man, it really stinks around here in the spring! And the noise! Can't you people get rid of these awful cows and horses and stop running those tractors so early?"

 

[JoeT]

What about sponsoring a large trashbin on a trailer by PSH? Or as you go into certain areas/trails? Or in several locations around town with a RME banner on it?

Dan I hope you notify the local paper about your offer.

 

[Cherokeester]

I enjoyed last years safari a lot even after all the changes were made. I read this guy's editorial when I was down there for Christmas. He is biting the hand that feeds him. Overall the direction the ejs is heading is a positive one thanks to websites like this and others. It is the responsibility of the old time wheelers to educate the noobies on what is right and wrong. "Bring em up right" is what the old man used to say. Interestingly enough, I read in a current mag about Moab. It said "do Moab soon before it all goes away." I don't think we are close to that yet but I think the area needs to be treated as a resource and taken care of.

 

[wipedawg]

guarantee the restaurants, gas stations, businesses, etc, dont mind the ejs because of the revenue it brings each year.

I have been down three times, and never left trash, never went off trail, never broke the rules in any way. Just because one asshole out of 500 leaves a can on a trail isn't reason to tax everyone. If you don't like ejs in your town... plan your vacation out of the city during that week.

 

[Seth]

What about sponsoring a large trashbin on a trailer by PSH? Or as you go into certain areas/trails? Or in several locations around town with a RME banner on it?

This is the right idea. Turn lemons into lemonade. Dumpster rental and dump cant be more than $300 bucks for the entire week. And that would go a long way to quieting some of the loud mouths.

Maybe I just don't see the trash when I am there but I have gone for the last 6 years now and take a bag for trail trash. I never see any. I have run almost every trail over the years and the dirtiest place I saw was BFE last year. Xrra had a great turnout, probably better then that thought was going to be there And did not have enough garbage cans to go around. That was the parking area but the trails we clean as can be.

 

[Jinx]

Just a quick note to restate a good point about all the good that happens down there that weekend.

I think the main key here is to play "their" game, to illustrate.

-Make sure Dan's offer "of free garbage bags for litter control" is in the paper,
-Hang signs all through town advertising clean up times and locations

-run thank you's in local and not so local papers saying thanks for all those who participated the clean ups

The main point to talk loud enough that the good things that happen are louder then the whiney tree huggers.

I don't think most people have a clue about all the good that goes on.

 

[N-Smooth]

These jeepers come to Moab for one week and rip it to pieces like my dog and a stuffed animal.

that stuffed animal has rights too...
its hard to even read the rest of it after the writer stereotypes everyone who has a 4x4

 

[drtsqrl]

First off, let me say that I am proud to be associated with the people on this board. If more of the wheelers who come to Moab had the same strong ethic that so many RME'ers have, we wouldn't have near the problems that we do!

Now for a few random comments. One, the guy who wrote the editorial is a whiner who is just looking for any reason to bash jeepers. He complains about all the litter and trash, but I'd like to know exactly where he is finding it all! Sure, people litter, but it is no where near as bad as he makes it out to be. In reality, I am amazed at the lack of litter after EJS, considering the thousands of rigs out on the trails. And clubs like RR4W and Moab Friends-For-Wheelin' pick up trash every time we run a trail. Compared to other heavily used areas I have wheeled at, Moab is remarkably clean.

Now, maybe this guy does all of his hiking (or whatever) only at Potato Salad Hill?!!! If he were to go there during certain times of EJS, yes, he would see a lot of trash. But go there a week later, and he would find it perfectly clean! RR4W has provided a dumpster at PSH for years, and locals (both wheelers and non-wheelers such as the local group "Solutions") spend time during the week picking everything up. Last year, a guy from POR (can't remember his name) organized daily clean-ups at PSH, and got a lot of good press for his efforts! I assume he will be doing the same again this year.

Don't get me wrong, littering is still a problem. Many of the lesser-used routes are worse than the popular ones. Primitive camping areas and hunting areas can be especially bad. And I have seen plenty of trash on non-motorized trails too. But this is not a "jeeper" problem, it is a people problem!

There have been a number of very positive steps taken last 2 or 3 years to help promote a better image of 4 wheelers. We just need to keep it going! We need to police our own, and set a good example for others to follow. We need to promote the good we do to the media, and we need work with other groups to promote the positives and mitigate the problems.

Finally, let me say that litter is really one of our least problems. The number one problem by far (in my opinion), is people who don't stay on the trail!
Every time someone goes off the trail, to make a new bypass or to create a new obstacle, it gives the greenies more ammunition in their campaign to shut us out!

If I (or our club) can be of any help to anyone who wants to organize some of the positive ideas discussed in this thread, please let me know.

Jeff Stevens
Moab Friends-For-Wheelin'
RR4W

 

[mbryson]

.............Finally, let me say that litter is really one of our least problems. The number one problem by far (in my opinion), is people who don't stay on the trail!
Every time someone goes off the trail, to make a new bypass or to create a new obstacle, it gives the greenies more ammunition in their campaign to shut us out! ............

Jeff, any ideas on that? The only way I've seen results with that is through actual confrontation while the person who went off the trail is in the act of doing so. ....but then there's tire tracks and people will follow those......

 

[Andy]

I have actually had the same idea as the author. I mean after all what is ten dollars for a week of fun??? I mean really!!! You spend I don't know how much on your 4x4 and whats ten dollars to help support a town and an organization? Who knows how to better spend our interest in Moab than the RR4W?? I don't like to go on their trail rides but I support what they do. I don't see a problem with everyone who comes to town to go wheeling for a week to have to pay a toll to help our purpose!!!! It's ten dollars!!! After all that means even the idiots you see driving off trail or littering had to pay it too, and maybe with that money comes more personell to be able to police those people. Just a thought.... TEN DOLLARS X 5000? = Alot more resources to help keep it going.

 

[timpanogos]

Who knows how to better spend our interest in Moab than the RR4W??

I think you missed the point ... its not RR4W that would be collecting the funds ... it's some citizen organization collecting the funds, with talk of distributing the funds to the likes of “Drinks” for the locals, and pocket money for the T-shirt kids.

I’m a citizen of Utah. Have been for over 40 years. Paid taxes most of that time. These are public lands … Moab residents have no special, higher purpose ownership of said lands.

What I get a kick out of is that the guy implies that he is not a Native Moabite, and in fact the possibility exists that he may not even be there at some time in the future.

It’s like Heber … When I moved here (25 years ago) there were 5000 people in this valley, most decedents of the original homesteaders. Now there are 15,000. The last generation sold out Great Grand Dad’s farm for big bucks, and sub-divided it.

They love the money (in fact their very livelihoods depend on it), but they hate the end effect. And those that moved in, contributing to the overall decline of the very reason they moved in … now complain the loudest about others trying to do the same thing.

I say bullpucky.

 

[1993yj]

Jeff, any ideas on that? The only way I've seen results with that is through actual confrontation while the person who went off the trail is in the act of doing so. ....but then there's tire tracks and people will follow those......

As ugly as the signs are that have to get posted everywhere (the spray paint on the rocks is even worse), I think this has been the best solution yet in keeping people on the trails. Those who may not know what is the actual trail and what isn't don't have to have somebody around to police them. I think that unfortuantely the only solution would be to put the signs up in potential bypass spots prior to people running them. Even many of the idiots won't run over a sign (I hope).

 

[Andy]

As for the citizens group collecting a toll I don't agree, RR4W should be doing it.

 

[Andy]

Even many of the idiots won't run over a sign (I hope).

I wish that were true... I have seen it many times on Hells Revenge, everywhere.

 

[1993yj]

Hell's is a bad one... I wish I had a better solution.