BigDaveZJ
07-23-2004, 02:51 PM
This was written by Del Albright. For those of you who don't know who Del is, I've NEVER heard of anyone who puts more effort into keeping our trails open. So read what he has to say, and then DO SOMETHING!!!
A Call to Quills!
(An Alternative to Closures)
By Del Albright
No more Mr. Nice Guy. I've had it! Our recreation is in serous jeopardy, I
don't care what you ride. Whether a dirt bike, buggy, 4wd, ATV, PWC, sled,
or wake skates behind a boat, WE are in trouble.
I am writing this as me, Del. I am not claiming to represent any group or
organization that I work for, represent or am a member of. This is from my
guts telling me we had better change the way we’re doing business, or we're
gonna lose our motors. I am getting firmer and staunched in my positions on
land use and access. But we need an army of people getting in the game so
our voice can be heard.
Now I'm not playing Chicken Little here, either. The sky is not falling.
But from my experience around the continent, the atmosphere is sure shaky.
Tune in here and see what I think we need to do before it's just any further
down the road, too late.
To make a long, bring tears to your eyes, story short, this is the gist of
the problem:
1. Our image is so tainted we're an easy target for bad press and closures
due to the few yeh-hoos and dip-wads out there.
2. We deserve some of the bad press - we are not policing our own.
3. By not showing up and speaking out as much as our opponents, we are the
vast minority, under dog, get stepped on groups.
4. We are a HUGE army waiting for the call to help manage our public lands,
but we're not there in mass.
5. We wait until the gate is up before we ask for help or get involved.
Now with that in mind, I have some fixes. If you've read this far, I am
HOPEFUL that you will do more than read. ACT. Act now. Get your friends
to act. Do not take my gut instinct, based on 22 years in this business,
lightly. Stand up and quit rolling over! Get aggressive and assertive about
your recreation. Here's how in simple terms:
FIRST: Let's clean up our web sites and bulletin boards where some people
think they can talk like inmates and make us look like idiots. Clean them
up now. Change the rules of posts if you're a moderator. Get rid of the
idiot behavior and let's start showing some responsibility towards shaping
our image. If you're posting to BBS's, then post like an adult. Get a
private list somewhere if you need to launch out; but not where our
opponents can see you.
SECOND: if you're not a member of EVERYTHING you can afford to be, then
you're not in the game all the way. JOIN every local, state, and regional
organization you can. And JOIN BlueRibbon Coalition. It is through
membership that we build strength and find money to fight the battles.
THIRD: Be an advocate for your sport. Include others. Do ride a longs.
Get political. Do not think you can let someone else do it for you. Get
some training. Get some help. Do whatever it takes, but do it now, before
YOUR gate goes up. Get a Trail Patrol or Neighborhood watch started on your
trails. Advocate for responsible use; dump the dip-wads.
FOURTH: Set the example in everything you do in your sport. Ride
responsibly. Camp responsibly. Drink responsibly. Behave like EVERYONE in
the world is watching and evaluating your actions. Have fun, yes. But
realize we are threatened like never before. I've never seen so many
closures and potential closures on the horizon. I've been at this a long
time. Please take heed and act now.
FIFTH: Pick up your pen. That's why I called this article a "Call To
Quills" (pens). Pick it up and write a letter. I don't even care to whom
you send it. Just start to write. Tell your congressman how you feel about
multiple uses of public lands. Tell your Commissioner/Board of Supervisors
how you feel about your right to ride responsibly. Tell somebody something.
Get your voice out there. Be heard. Be in the game. Tell them you're tired
of rolling over and compromising. Tell them you want no net loss of public
land riding opportunities. Tell them no more unreasonable compromise that
means loss for us.
We are not well-represented when the letters are counted at the end of the
day. We have to change that, or just give up the effort. I for one am not
ready to roll over or give up any more. I'm in there with teeth barred now.
On the other hand, continue to work with the great land managers who ARE
working with us, trying to help us, and seem like they have a balanced
approach to their job. Even if you don't get your way every time, do
support those land managers who you know are trying and fair. Support those
good politicians who believe in giving us a chance to recreate on public
lands. And in both cases, where there are bad land managers, or bad
politicians, put them in the dip-wad category and work to get them dumped!
Do it now. Do something. Please do not sit by and wait. We can't wait.
Emergency closures should be reserved for when management fails. Well, if
you're not in the game, then chances are, management will fail. Pick up
that quill.
Del
Visit my web site for more help:
<http://www.delalbright.com/>www.delalbright.com
A Call to Quills!
(An Alternative to Closures)
By Del Albright
No more Mr. Nice Guy. I've had it! Our recreation is in serous jeopardy, I
don't care what you ride. Whether a dirt bike, buggy, 4wd, ATV, PWC, sled,
or wake skates behind a boat, WE are in trouble.
I am writing this as me, Del. I am not claiming to represent any group or
organization that I work for, represent or am a member of. This is from my
guts telling me we had better change the way we’re doing business, or we're
gonna lose our motors. I am getting firmer and staunched in my positions on
land use and access. But we need an army of people getting in the game so
our voice can be heard.
Now I'm not playing Chicken Little here, either. The sky is not falling.
But from my experience around the continent, the atmosphere is sure shaky.
Tune in here and see what I think we need to do before it's just any further
down the road, too late.
To make a long, bring tears to your eyes, story short, this is the gist of
the problem:
1. Our image is so tainted we're an easy target for bad press and closures
due to the few yeh-hoos and dip-wads out there.
2. We deserve some of the bad press - we are not policing our own.
3. By not showing up and speaking out as much as our opponents, we are the
vast minority, under dog, get stepped on groups.
4. We are a HUGE army waiting for the call to help manage our public lands,
but we're not there in mass.
5. We wait until the gate is up before we ask for help or get involved.
Now with that in mind, I have some fixes. If you've read this far, I am
HOPEFUL that you will do more than read. ACT. Act now. Get your friends
to act. Do not take my gut instinct, based on 22 years in this business,
lightly. Stand up and quit rolling over! Get aggressive and assertive about
your recreation. Here's how in simple terms:
FIRST: Let's clean up our web sites and bulletin boards where some people
think they can talk like inmates and make us look like idiots. Clean them
up now. Change the rules of posts if you're a moderator. Get rid of the
idiot behavior and let's start showing some responsibility towards shaping
our image. If you're posting to BBS's, then post like an adult. Get a
private list somewhere if you need to launch out; but not where our
opponents can see you.
SECOND: if you're not a member of EVERYTHING you can afford to be, then
you're not in the game all the way. JOIN every local, state, and regional
organization you can. And JOIN BlueRibbon Coalition. It is through
membership that we build strength and find money to fight the battles.
THIRD: Be an advocate for your sport. Include others. Do ride a longs.
Get political. Do not think you can let someone else do it for you. Get
some training. Get some help. Do whatever it takes, but do it now, before
YOUR gate goes up. Get a Trail Patrol or Neighborhood watch started on your
trails. Advocate for responsible use; dump the dip-wads.
FOURTH: Set the example in everything you do in your sport. Ride
responsibly. Camp responsibly. Drink responsibly. Behave like EVERYONE in
the world is watching and evaluating your actions. Have fun, yes. But
realize we are threatened like never before. I've never seen so many
closures and potential closures on the horizon. I've been at this a long
time. Please take heed and act now.
FIFTH: Pick up your pen. That's why I called this article a "Call To
Quills" (pens). Pick it up and write a letter. I don't even care to whom
you send it. Just start to write. Tell your congressman how you feel about
multiple uses of public lands. Tell your Commissioner/Board of Supervisors
how you feel about your right to ride responsibly. Tell somebody something.
Get your voice out there. Be heard. Be in the game. Tell them you're tired
of rolling over and compromising. Tell them you want no net loss of public
land riding opportunities. Tell them no more unreasonable compromise that
means loss for us.
We are not well-represented when the letters are counted at the end of the
day. We have to change that, or just give up the effort. I for one am not
ready to roll over or give up any more. I'm in there with teeth barred now.
On the other hand, continue to work with the great land managers who ARE
working with us, trying to help us, and seem like they have a balanced
approach to their job. Even if you don't get your way every time, do
support those land managers who you know are trying and fair. Support those
good politicians who believe in giving us a chance to recreate on public
lands. And in both cases, where there are bad land managers, or bad
politicians, put them in the dip-wad category and work to get them dumped!
Do it now. Do something. Please do not sit by and wait. We can't wait.
Emergency closures should be reserved for when management fails. Well, if
you're not in the game, then chances are, management will fail. Pick up
that quill.
Del
Visit my web site for more help:
<http://www.delalbright.com/>www.delalbright.com