The Hammers are in trouble...you can help

[leorn]

Linky http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=664229

There will be a post used to present to legislators. There is a planned military expansion that would close most of the trails. A map is posted in the link above.

This thread has more info about it. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=663789

I have been once. I can't believe they are in jeopardy!!!

 

[SAMI]

That's pretty cool. Really though, and i doubt i'm alone in this thought of mine.. But i'd rather put effort into my backyard (Utah) rather than someone else's backyard(i know, i know, i have been slacking lately)... Not to be selfish about it, but i've never been there so i feel it has little to do with me.

I'm interested to see how their approach works however. I think it's great that big companies are going to be getting involved. I think the big companies can really do alot for things like this as far as funding and exposure are concerned.

 

[richpblaze]

That's a great attitude

Go ahead close everything but Utah. If things continue the way they are going you'll never be able to visit the Hammers. :-\

 

[SAMI]

Go ahead close everything but Utah. If things continue the way they are going you'll never be able to visit the Hammers. :-\

i have no clue what the hammers are... after they save the hammers are they gonna come focus all that media power on the utah area? doubt it. I'll put my focus around these parts.

I think it's great that people who enjoy where they wheel and adventure, fight for those areas. I never did say that was a bad thing, did i?

 

[leorn]

What's so hard???

I'm grew up in Roy, Ogden and Layton. I appreciate all the effort that goes into Moab and other places in Utah. Now I live in vegas I still visit Moab every year. Having said that the hammers trails are unique to anything I have done in Utah, and are worth a long drive for somebody in the SLC area just as moab is now for me.

What is being asked is to write a post regarding the importance of the trails to you. I don't see what is so hard to support???

 

[offroadlogan]

United we stand Divided we fall

 

[Herzog]

That's pretty cool. Really though, and i doubt i'm alone in this thought of mine.. But i'd rather put effort into my backyard (Utah) rather than someone else's backyard(i know, i know, i have been slacking lately)... Not to be selfish about it, but i've never been there so i feel it has little to do with me.

I'm curious... how would you feel if everybody out of state said the same thing about Moab?

 

[SAMI]

I'm curious... how would you feel if everybody out of state said the same thing about Moab?

'backyard' is more of a figurative word in the way i meant it. As in, it's the place i like to go, so it's my playground. If someone from California loved Moab as much, he too can call it his backyard.

What i meant was, people that enjoy a specific area should get involved with that area. I think that's a great thing.

I think i came off too negative.. my bad

 

[1993yj]

Why am I doing this if I have never been to the Hammers? During the ELDO fiasco last summer, I asked for help in chit-chat. People asked me, “Why should we help you guys? Where were YOU when OUR trails were being closed?” After I though about it, they were right. Where was I? It seems that we only fight for our own backyards. Not anymore. I promised the PBB in that thread I would fight route closures EVERYWHERE. So I am.

I think this should answer anyone's questions about why not to fight for land in other states. I have never been to the Hammers. Will I ever go? Who knows, but trail closures everywhere affect us all. Any victory for a trail closure anywhere gives groups like SUWA, Sierra Club, etc. more power. They have people from NY who have probably never even seen Utah trying to shut down our trails, so why can't we try to keep trails open in places that we have never seen? And how hard is it to do one post on another forum? There are people on RME that don't seem to even have jobs and post here all day long. I am sure that their web browsers allow them to visit other boards and post there as well. Will a post rally work? Who knows, but it is EASY to do and anything to keep trails open is worth doing in my opinion.

 

[Seth]

I write ton of letters to public officials. I am happy to write another. During the last series of RMP's we got letters form all over the country and world in support of U4's position on the plans. Turnabout is fair play. I think a united front is the best policy.

That being said Steve posted a thread about the trouble the snakes are in a while back. I haven't seen the ground swell of support in Utah or on RME to fight that closure that pirate has generated for the Hammers. People will freak when that area is closed. Why not do something now while we might still have a chance?

 

[Bart]

If you'd ever been to the Hammers, you'd link it right in with Moab. The area is a wonderland for extreme 4x4 routes, and there's tons of room to play for all ohvs. To loose it would be a catastrophy. I hope to make it down there a couple times on the next 12 months.

 

[SAMI]

This date is now in my Outlook calender

Here is the Plan:

1. We will issue a press release this Friday to politicians, media outlets, companies etc. announcing a virtual rally on Pirate4x4.com and invite them to come.


2. Lance will do a mass e-mail to ALL PBB members this Friday asking them to participate in the rally from 2-6 by posting their concerns in the thread.

3. We will come up with “sample” post to put in the thread to give people an idea of what we are looking for. (post them here please) Even people that have NEVER been to the Hammers need to post their concerns. This is all about showing how many of us there are and that we have a VOICE as a community.


4. The Rally will be on WEDNESDAY MARCH 12th from 2 to 6 pm Pacific Standard time.

5. Mustard Dog will start the “Rally” thread at 2pm that day. As of now, it will be in chit-chat, but we may be able to have it in all forums at once.

6. In the thread people will post their concerns about our trails being taken away, why the Hammers should remain open, pictures of them and their FAMILIES in the Hammers (appropriate ones!), etc. etc. People are encouraged to post multiple times.

ALL CHIT-CHAT BULLSHIT AND INAPPRIOPRATE POSTS WILL BE DELETED! We plan on having important people read this thread. If we are not on our best behavior, the OHV community will look bad.

7. As stated above, after the rally another press-release will be issued showing the number of people attending the rally, the number of posts, data on how fast the thread grew etc… We will also invite those in power that did not attend to read the thread.

 

[Herzog]

'backyard' is more of a figurative word in the way i meant it. As in, it's the place i like to go, so it's my playground. If someone from California loved Moab as much, he too can call it his backyard.

What i meant was, people that enjoy a specific area should get involved with that area. I think that's a great thing.

I think i came off too negative.. my bad

I know you were not trying to be negative about it, I was mostly ribbing you back. I've never been there either and I really don't see myself intentionally being there, but any loss of land use is a big deal and trickles down everywhere.

 

[Bart]

I know you were not trying to be negative about it, I was mostly ribbing you back. I've never been there either and I really don't see myself intentionally being there, but any loss of land use is a big deal and trickles down everywhere.

Shane, you should really consider a trip down there one day. You can do several trails in a day, and over a weekend not do the same trail twice. You could call it buggy heaven. You set up camp on Means Dry Lakebed and hit every trail from there. It's only 3.5 hours out of Vegas and well worth the trip.

 

[Paul R]

I'd rather put effort into my backyard (Utah) rather than someone else's backyard

any loss of land use is a big deal and trickles down everywhere.

I with agree Herzog here. I know you have changed your mind and are happy to support this issue, but I think Herzog hit it on the head. If there is any loss of land anywhere it is a big deal. Once a precident is set it is hard to go against. If the government takes land in NV, CA, CO, AZ, NM, etc. it could have negative legal effect on UT in the future. I know we ask others from different states to help us in our battles and I believe it is important for us to help others in their causes.

 

[JEEPGAL]

This is really important! Encouraging everyone to do this. If it can't save the Hammers, at least politicians will get the idea that thousands of people use trails in the USA! If you are not registered with Pirate 4x4 yet, now would be a good time. The day of the rally you might not be able to register to make a post.

The email I got today, with the specifics on the Pirate Virtual Rally:

Virtual on-line Rally to be Held by 4x4 Enthusiasts
Off Highway Vehicle enthusiasts organize to hold first ever online rally over trail closures

In a landmark event, thousands of Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) users across the world will participate in a online, Virtual Rally to voice their concerns over a popular OHV area in Southern California. On Wednesday March 12th, 2008 Pirate4x4.com, a leading website for the OHV community, will hold this rally from 2 to 6 PM PST.

The Hammers trail system in Johnson Valley, California is being considered for requisition to expand the United States Marine Corps training facilities, which would effectively eliminate public access to Johnson Valley's unrivaled OHV Mecca.

Virtual Rally participants will be asked to post their experiences, photos and history recreating with their families in the Johnson Valley Area, and the concerns they have with losing this unique recreational resource. These comments will be posted and tracked in bulletin-board format, with a goal of creating a lasting record of how important this unassuming stretch of desert is to a vast number of people from many places -- some who visit Johnson Valley multiple times a year, and others who just dream of the opportunity of visiting the Hammers in the future. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the rally and read the thread, as this is a public rally, you do not need to be a member of Pirate4x4.com to read what is posted.

Families and clubs have recreated in this area for many years with OHV's, and competitive rock crawling, rock racing, motorcycling, and ATV events have been held there for more than a decade, with significant rewards for the area economy. In February, the famed "King of the Hammers" annual rock race crowned its king.

The Bureau of Land Management currently manages the Johnson Valley's varied landscape of steep red rocky mountains, rolling hills, open valleys, dry lake beds, dunes, and sandy washes. The main attraction for most visitors is family OHV recreation: trail-rides, competitive racing events, and general OHV free play. Johnson Valley sees hundreds of thousands of recreation days with users motorcycling, ATVing, 4x4ing, rallycrossing, camping, hiking, rock-hounding, and wildlife-watching.

"It is ironic that the BLM has OHV users recreate responsibly by staying on marked trails and not having campfires at certain times of the year, but now they sell the same area to the Marines who will tear all over the area and conduct live fire drills", said Todd Ockert, The United Four Wheel Drive Association Director of Environmental Affairs.

The link for the rally on Wednesday, March 12th will be http://www.pirate4x4.com/jv
More Land Use information is available at http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=85

# # #

If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Kurt Schneider the Pirate4x4 Land Use Officer, Please e-mail Kurt at kurtuleas@pirate4x4.com

 

[Kurtuleas]

That's pretty cool. Really though, and i doubt i'm alone in this thought of mine.. But i'd rather put effort into my backyard (Utah) rather than someone else's backyard(i know, i know, i have been slacking lately)... Not to be selfish about it, but i've never been there so i feel it has little to do with me.

I'm interested to see how their approach works however. I think it's great that big companies are going to be getting involved. I think the big companies can really do alot for things like this as far as funding and exposure are concerned.

I am the one that is organizing the Virtual Rally. (although many are pitching in to help me)

Let me make a few things VERY clear:

I have never been to the Hammers.

Most likely, becuase they are so far away from me, I never will.

Still, I am spending HOURS of my free time, away from my family, to fight this.

What does it have to do with you? EVERYTHING. The problem with the OHV community is everyone only fights for their backyards, so we LOSE.

This has to stop now. With EIS's coming down all over the US, it's time we all band together and fight for every little strip of trail on public lands.

All we are asking for is 3-5 minutes of your time to post up that while you support the USMC, you think it is wrong to take away yet MORE of our public lands. That's it. One comment.

The Sierra club comes together to get what they want, we can't we?

Win or lose this battle (and it don't look good)

We will at least show the powers that be and the general public that we CAN make a stand together AND that we have a HUGE voice.

I do not meen to come off sounding like an ass, I DO see what you are saying......

but when your trails get hit with an EIS and start closing, wouldn't you want us to speak up for you too?

KURT

The Friends of Eldorado.

 

[Seth]

Kurt

I think this rally could be a template for future action. If it works to any effect, (I sure hope it does) I would like to talk to you about the planning and execution so this style rally can be replicated again for other issues.

Seth

 

[Kurtuleas]

Kurt

I think this rally could be a template for future action. If it works to any effect, (I sure hope it does) I would like to talk to you about the planning and execution so this style rally can be replicated again for other issues.

Seth

I am MORE than happy to do that...

For ANY trail.

My organization is here:

www.friendofeldorado.com

You can e-mail me at kurt@friendsofeldorado.com

AND I write for CRAWL... If you have land-use issues that you want seen in the mag....e-mail me at kurt@crawlmag.com

 

[jesse]

bump. it's today

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=664229