Posted on 07/05/2004 6:34:20 AM PDT by John Jorsett
LOS ANGELES The Bureau of Land Management substantially increased the amount of public land open to off-road vehicles in Riverside and San Bernardino counties by approving 1,500 miles of roads in the Mojave Desert.
The decision made Friday affects 1.3 million acres in the Mojave Desert and covers a large portion of critical habitat for the endangered desert tortoise. But officials said they made efforts to avoid sensitive areas.
"We don't have to close every road in critical habitat, but we do determine how sensitive the area is and what the impacts are," said Jan Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for the bureau.
Conservationists said the ruling recognized illicit roads that only exist because recreational vehicle users went off-road illegally, and predicted it would hurt the delicate desert environment.
"Everything that was out there on the ground was designated as open, and a lot of it was created by illegal roads," said Daniel Patterson with the Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson, Ariz.
Environmentalists and off-road enthusiasts have long butted heads over whether more desert land should be opened to recreational vehicles.
Owners of all-terrain cycles and other vehicles complain sensitive desert land is all too often off-limits to them, while environmentalists argue the BLM caters to off-road vehicle users at the expense of protecting habitat.
Like it or not. Public lands under the present adminiatration have been designated for "multiple recreation use" to include esquestrian and motorized travel whether it be for scenery or physical challenge. Not everyone wants to stop and smell the daisys and you need to get over your idea of your form of outdoor recreation as what is holy and valid.
If you have a local issue with off-roaders breaking the law, then report them. Go to the BLM, the NFS, Sheriff etc.
That's a rather polite description of those folks
;^>
I realize ~you~ are not personally at fault for our own local turf battle in Washington, but I think it is symptomatic of a notable culture clash, and a personality characteristic of people who like their own engine noise more than they like the scenery they ride through. The horse people don't invade the bike side, the bikers invade the horse side when their side gets all tore up. The bikers should respect our desire for quiet on our side as much as I respect their desire to make noise on theirs.
Of course we reported slashed tires.... They said there were lots of other reports just like ours, always horse trailers. No witnesses.
~smiles~
I am ~really~ trying to remember I was young once, and fighting the temptation to say "kids-these-days".
My husband used to ride and do CC dirt bike racing. I never cared for riding but enjoyed watching , the camping out and peace and quiet with them in the distance but the rebbing, drinking (after riding), and music in the evenings never bothered me either.
Maybe it's just the crowd hanging out where you are. My husbands group would never have even considered riding near horses and non riders would visit our camp as we would theirs. I heard my husband mention many times "If we get too loud or bother yall, let us know". It was kind of fun actually. His only enemies were the rattlers. The good ole days! :')
Maybe it is one generation down from when you were there too. I don't think any part of our society is seeing better manners with each generation. ;~D
There is a balance.... I'd describe it, but I gotta go for the day. More later, if the thread is still interesting tonight!
You bet we are.
We routinely go on two and three day expeditions into the back country of the high desert. We generally have two or three 4-WD vehicles and 4 or 5 dirt bikes. We follow these back roads for hundreds of miles, and sometimes don't see another human for two or three days!
We have found old mines, ghost towns, canyons that are not even on topo maps, natural springs, and even ran across an old miner once, with his pack mule in tow. We spent the night around a big ol fire and turns out this guy bailed out of the high tech field and now prospects and wanders around the high country with his mule and dog. It's way cool.
We found a road that goes from the high desert to the 9000 foot level of the Sierras with unreal views and vistas. It a real adventure, and we make the trip often.
I am with you. This is not good news. Truly, I do not favor this thing.
It's an ethical problem. Some come to a quiet spot and have to make noise even when there are quiet people all around. Do they get the hint that it is quiet on purpose?
GRRRRRR!!!!
Lucky SOB (see my private email)
I ride my ATV here in CT on private land. Several towns located very near my town have the highest "horse /people per capita" ratio in the US. Cheshire CT, Newtown CT. We share the same trails. Whenever I see a person on a horse....even if he / she is 300 feet away, I'll pull of to the side of the trail and turn my bike off until they pass. I STILL get an attitude form the horse people.......this is riding on private land to which I have permission to ride on!
I've had my tires slashed on my truck also.
That axe, apparently, swings both ways my friend.
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