GETTIN’ OFF 4WD Off-Road Club – Jan 12 Meeting Minutes
Website: http://www.gettinoff4x4.com . We meet monthly, every 2nd Tuesday in the patio area at Antonella’s Ristorante, 1701 Park Avenue, San Jose , CA 95126 (408) 279-4922. Park on Naglee Ave or in the parking lot across from the restaurant. Meeting minutes are distributed a few days after each club meeting.
7:00 PM – BUFFET DINNER: Salad, Pasta, Pizza, Bread & Soft drinks ($10). Attendees are encouraged to enjoy the buffet dinner or order from the menu to help Antonella’s recover the cost of using the patio area.
7:30 PM – Meeting start
WELCOME and BOARD REPORTS
President – Terry: Welcomed several new & returning guests & explained annual dues $60 ($15 to club, $45 to trial access orgs).
Vice President – Brian: no special news
Treasurer – Don: no special news
Secretary – Paul: Noted that comments from the public are needed to help guide Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit on recreation in the National Forest lands there, to keep you favorite motorized trial open to public use (See ‘Saving Our Trails’ below).
Members Attending – Brian, Chris S, Don, Eric, Gary,Joe, Lyle, Marco, Mario, Michael, Paul E, Paul H, Randy, Roger, Ron, Terry, Tom K.
Brand New Members this month –
Guests Attending – Mark (FJ), Grant (TJ), Stan, Erik & Heidi — Welcome all!
NEWS, ACTIONS & IDEAS
1) Ongoing: A few of our Yahoo Groups recipients may not be getting club emails, so perhaps check your spam folders. It was announced to contact or see Eric at the meeting if this is the case.
2) Fire Permits are available at http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfire-Permit/ for fires at developed & undeveloped camping spots. You must also check with the current local forest rules-in-force also.
VEHICLE PAINS & PROJECTS, STUFF FOR SALE
1) Joe: Fixed engine check light but needs new head due to bad valves. (wow, on a relatively new LJ?)
2) Chris S swapped in D60 & Sterling axles, preparing for 40″ tires. Has Rubicon axles for sale now. So he’s now ready for Fordyce, The Hammers or just about anything.
3) Eric has a set of 5 tires for sale, in good cond.
4) Brain: clutch parts broken, hard to order these things individually,etc.
5) Grant: Bought a new Warn “Zeon” winch.
6) Terry: TJ back from shop, works great.
RECENT RUNS & ‘CHANCES TO LOCK AXLES’
none reported.
UPCOMING RUNS
1) January 23 – Snow Run to Wentworth Springs Road (meet-up in Georgetown). Participants are invited to stay over Saturday night at Terry & Alane’s cabin in south Tahoe after the run. Look like we have about 12 rigs participating! – will be fun ! See email from Terry, just a few days ago.
2) Jan 31-Feb 5th King of the Hammers Race – Not a club run or destination this year, but noted for those interested. Watch full-on professional rock-crawling action in super race-built rigs, and wheel those some of the same trails with your rig on non-race days. There are extreme trails, but many others are not. (note: BLM has created some special rules for this year’s Hammers race)
3) February 12,13,14,15 – Join Randy & Lyle for overnight runs to Panamint Valley and explore trails & mines. Includes Defense Mine, Goler Wash and others. Camp at Area 53 along Slate Range Road off of Nadeau Rd at N 36°07.552′ W 117°19.250′ , or stay in the luxurious town of Ridgecrest (hey, it’s fine, actually) at one of many motels. Runs will be on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Arrive Thurs night and leave Monday or set your own arrive/leave schedule. More info from Randy or Lyle coming. Trivia: Mining rights to Defense Mine are have or are being sold for ~$5K – this may be interesting.
4) Feb 20 (or was it the 27th? or March?)- Hollister Hills – ~~clarification requested~~. During dry weather only.
5) March – tbd.
~8:15 PM – Meeting adjourned.
If there are any corrections, clarifications or updates, please chime-in. If you are an active member your name should be on this list:
Aaron, Alicia, Brad, Brian, Chris W, Chris S, Dimas, Don, Eric, Gary, Genna, Jon, Joe, Lyle, Marco, Mario, Matt, Michael, Paul E, Paul H, Rahul, Randy, Roger, Ron, Steve, Terry, Tom K, Tom W.
Paul
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SAVING OUR TRAILS
Updates and New info in BOLD type. If you have new information feel free to send out an update. Though some are several months old, they are still active projects waiting for an official decision or completion.
1) Lake Tahoe Basin OHV. There are lots of OHV trails around and overlooking Lake Tahoe. The Forest Service is looking for public comments on future projects and management for the LTBMU, forested areas. You secretary has traveled many Lake Tahoe OHV trails with family, friends and the club. There are some real gems out there, with great views of the Lake, etc., besides the Rubicon.
To send comments before Jan 22. Check out:
http://www.cal4wheel.com/access-issues/northern-california-access-issues/675-input-on-eldorado-due-january-22 , and
http://www.corva.org/news/3746425 , and
https://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2016/01/05/california-send-comment-letters-fs-improving-ohv-recreation-ltbmu
2) There are several other urgent California issues bubbling up, that need public comments too; check out BRC & CORVA:
https://www.sharetrails.org/ (scroll down), and
http://www.corva.org/news
3) Popular Eldorado Trails still closed by the 42 Routes lawsuit (!!)
Deer/Clover Valley- expected to open Summer 2016
Pardoe’s/Squaw Ridge (‘Squaw’ renamed ‘Hungaleti Ridge Trail’) mitigation work starts Summer 2016.
Strawberry Ridge- expected to open Summer 2017
ENF’s overall route status is at : http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado/home/?cid=fsbdev7_019037 . & http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado/home/?cid=stelprdb5362046
A June 2015 update on the 42 Routes initially closed is at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3843438.pdf.
Many lessor-known routes are re-opened, but the best ones remain closed. Some of the route status in this update appear to be in conflict with Cal4’s Fall 2015 assessments. Deer Valley Route closures are now from Jan to July 31 due to Yosemite Toad (see previous Saving Our Trails and latest Eldorado 42 Routes closure news above) http://cal4wheel.com/access-issues/northern-california-access-issues/541-forest-service-proposing-seasonal-closure-on-deer-valley-trail & http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/land-use-issues/1909145-forest-service-proposing-seasonal-closure-deer-valley-trail-yosemite-toad.html
4) Potentially best president for public lands access: Jeb Bush. He is the only one who has formally stated any favorable federal-public land & recreation policy:
https://jeb2016.com/western-land-resource-management/?lang=en If you know of any others prez candidates with a similar public lands statement, let us know.
5) California Desert:
This is an important opportunity to contact the president & legislators about preserving multiple-use public access to areas in the California desert. CORVA, Cal4, BRC, and ARRA have sent out action alerts on this. Each has a slightly different take on the issue :
CORVA Background info & links: http://www.corva.org/email
CAL4 Background info: http://cal4wheel.com/access-issues/southern-california-access-issues/647-feinstein-to-host-public-meeting-on-proposed-desert-monument-designations
Action Link: http://cqrcengage.com/cal4wheel/app/onestep-write-a-letter?11&engagementId=136354
BRC- (BRC is using ARRA’s action alert page for this) Background info & link:
https://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2015/10/08/urgent-letters-needed-oppose-going-forward-designation
You can create a brief or extended comment using the CORVA links, and/or read the talking points from the Cal4 & BRC/ARRA links which have other detailed information. Keep comments respectful & professional. I took the suggested text from Cal4 & BRC/ARRA, re-wrote the text in my own words, and sent comments using CORVA’s links. CORVA’s links are generic, direct to Pres. Obama, Sen. Mukowski, etc, whereas Cal4/ARRA copy & forward your text & basic personal info to the president & legislators. I also copied Dept. of Interior.
Older Actions still in process
6) Carnegie State Vehicle Recreation Area near Livermore: UPDATE COMING; otherwise check CORVA.ORG
There have been attempts in the past to close it, but the riding public, CORVA, local Carnegie groups, and the Calif Dept of Parks-OHV Div have persisted to keep it open. A few years ago a new 4×4 obstacle course was created. Now, they plan to open up a new area, adding about 3000 acres with dozens of miles of new trails for motorcycles and 4x4s added to the existing 900 acres. CORVA created an entire web page for the expansion, which is chalk full of great resources and information: http://www.corva.org/Carnegie-SVRA-Expansion . It’s hard to know if this will be litigated, but it is moving that direction. In part these negative votes by Livermore & Alameda County were promulgated by the East Bay Regional Park District, who set up a false public expectation that this land could be acquired by them and converted to another regional (non-motorized) park. EPRPD has 120,000 park acres in Alameda & Contra Costa Cos, while Carnegie is the only motorized park in Alameda & Contra Costa Cos and is only 900 acres; (hopefully to be ~3900 acres). The SVRA owns the land, purchased by money from the OHV Trust fund, which comes from a tiny fraction of gasoline taxes and green sticker fees.
7) Plumas National Forest lawsuit. (for details see previous editions of “Saving Our Trails” and go to Corva.org) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jN3Xdy0CKM&feature=youtu.be and http://www.corva.org/FS.Lawsuit
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Know your Anti-Access Organizations – a sampler:
CSNC is the group that sued Eldorado National Forest and successfully convinced a judge to force ENF to close and/or repair trails. One of CSNC’s primary goals is to limit OHV. Website http://www.sierranevadaconservation.org/achievements/. While we generally have no issue repairing or re-routing routes around what have recently been identified as ‘sensitive’ areas, there was no need to close the entire lengths of all 42 routes for 2, 3 years or more. Many have re-opened, but many of the best still remain closed to public access until only small sections are repaired.
CBD is one of the most notorious and powerful anti-access organizations. They often tend to lump motorized recreation access in with all forms of habitat interference, even though 99% of OHV use causes very little or virtually zero affect on animal habitat & popluation. Sample: “… cumulative threats from our changing climate, predation, drought, disease, and off-road recreation; and other threats all support an endangered listing….” re: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/birds/Gunnison_sage_grouse/pdfs/Gunnison_sage_grouse_NOI.pdf and http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/off-road_vehicles/index.html. It’s very interesting they almost never mention other causes of habitat interferences such as: hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, camping, hunting, wildfires, highways, fences, etc. But apparently off-road recreation is “equal” with climate change, predation, drought & disease ! CBD are also well known for launching a plethora of lawsuits, using the “Sue & Settle” tactic, thus taking millions of taxpayer dollars from the Forest Service & BLM to pay their attorneys: http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=301242 and http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/staff/
PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) http://www.peer.org/campaigns/public-lands/off-road-wreckreation/news-releases.html and http://www.peer.org/news/news-releases/2013/01/07/court-orders-tighter-off-road-plan-for-stanislaus-forest/
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Let Amazon.com contribute a 0.5% of your purchase amounts to the Blue Ribbon Coalition. It costs virtually zero $. How do you sign up? 1) Sign-in to your Amazon account. 2) On another tab/window, Go to http://www.sharetrails.org/content/support-brc-while-shopping-online to read how it works. 3) Click on http://smile.amazon.com/, and you will see short list of charities. For BRC, type in “BlueRibbon Coalition” exactly as shown here, in the search box. The result should be “Blueribbon Coalition Inc” and “Categories: Natural Resource Conservation and Protection” and “Location: Pocatello, ID”. (Be careful–there are dozens of other ‘Blue Ribbon xxxx’ charities out there, be sure you have the right one.) 4) Click OK to sign-up, and BRC will receive 0.5% of your purchase amounts at no cost to you. To automatically donate, shop only at the “Smile” web address: https://smile.amazon.com/ (if you use Amazon’s normal web address, no donations are made). You can change charities or cancel anytime.
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There are dozens of other, mostly irrational public land & road closures in the works by the enviro-left/elite, so we encourage everyone to check Blue Ribbon Coalition, Cal4wheel, Corva.org, and Pirate4x4 websites for the latest access news. Contact land managers and government officials and tell them public land is for everyone. The info above can help with the ‘why, who & how’ to contact.
Paul E