Thrillcraft

[SinCityFJC]

Here is a e-mail I got from Stacie today & something I encourage all to check out. Stop Thrillcraft - it's deceptive & looks like the usual BS of emotional based plus a lot of lying with statistics.

Hey at least for once they are being honest in that there goal is complete ban on Thrillcraft aka OHV use on all public lands.

"I’m sure you’ve already heard about “Thrillcraft”. If not, here’s the info (and prepare to get mad): www.staciealbright.blogspot.com

Stacie Albright
Life Member BlueRibbon Coalition
Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR)
Friends of Eldorado (FOE)
Motherlode Rockcrawlers
CA4WDC
www.staciealbright.blogspot.com "

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2008
Thrillcraft
I'm sure that most of us have already heard about the dastardly 'thrillcrafts' that are out there destroying our public lands. The book "Thrillcraft" goes above and beyond pushing the environmental agenda and bashes any sort of off road vehicle use. Be prepared to get mad. Go here for more:
http://www.stopthrillcraft.org/index.htm

 

[KG6BWS]

yeah. ive seen this before. its such a bunch $%^@!!!!!!!!!!!! amazing how the guy just happened to be standing next to this sign, after he drove his prius up there and waited for a jeep to come along......






wonder how many bushes he ran over to get turned around for that picture???

:violent-smiley-031: :violent-smiley-031:

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

We have had quite a laugh about this over at PV.com.

So....

I bring to you....

The SWR....

Your Resident...."Thrillcraft Scenic Placement Specialist"!

Bring It......!

 

[kcowyo]

Blah, blah, blah......


"thrillcraft:.... "noise litter"... "motorized abusement parks".... "obesity crisis"

Geeze... He has all the right buzzwords doesn't he?


I was rolling my eyes at 30 seconds into their video when they showed a pic of the upper Falls in Yellowstone NP, where there is no off-road use or trails. His argument that snowmachines in Yellowstone chase off other users, and thus cost the local economies revenue, is completely false.

Who knows how many of the other photos were taken out of context? Sure there are problems, but this book's suggestions that complete OHV bans & total trail closures is what is best for everyone is arrogant and desperate. I don't see how a book & video like that could be taken anymore seriously, than the 4wd owner who blames all of the destruction on ATV users.

Only as soon as supporters from both sides stop dealing in absolutes, can a compromise be reached. And it's going to take a compromise to resolve trail abuse and promote conservation.

Arrogance, desperation and absolutes aren't going to get anything done. No matter which side of the fence you're on....
.

 

[sandalscout]

Only as soon as supporters from both sides stop dealing in absolutes, can a compromise be reached. And it's going to take a compromise to resolve trail abuse and promote conservation.

Thanks, this is my stance exactly. Unfortunately, where I live, I have first hand experience with people who really due own Thrillcraft, and it's a shame. I think that there are lots that can be done on both sides of the fence, but fortunately, people on both sides recognize the extremities that get the bulk of airtime.

I honestly struggled for a long time before buying a 4wd vehicle, mainly because I was a foot traveler for so long beforehand, and the "rednecks" around here where making all 4wd owners look like idiots. I now realize that is not the case, but a handful of individuals can make everyone look bad.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Only as soon as supporters from both sides stop dealing in absolutes, can a compromise be reached. And it's going to take a compromise to resolve trail abuse and promote conservation.

As I see it, the OHV community overall is willing to compromise (and has been compromising for many years, whether we wanted to or not). It's the other side that does not want to budge in most cases.

 

[sinuhexavier]

I think there is a distinct difference that separates what 97.4% of the people on this board do to what they talk about in Thrillcraft.

I have flipped through the book and can safely say anything I have done does not remotely come close to anything in the book.

 

[cnynrat]

I think there is a distinct difference that separates what 97.4% of the people on this board do to what they talk about in Thrillcraft.

I have flipped through the book and can safely say anything I have done does not remotely come close to anything in the book.

Very true, but too often we pay for the sins of those that do abuse their off road privileges.

 

[Taz]

Wow.........................that is all I can say right now...............Wow..........

 

[sandalscout]

As I see it, the OHV community overall is willing to compromise (and has been compromising for many years, whether we wanted to or not). It's the other side that does not want to budge in most cases.

It's easy to say that being on "this side" and not knowing what's going on "behind closed doors" on the other side. That being said, when the VERY VERY small group of bad apples does horrible things, it makes all offroaders look bad. Honestly, I think that the offroad community has more work to do to accomplish it's goals, but the majority of the work needs to occur within that community, or at least with the fringe of that community.

 

[Sloan]

Disturbing watersheds and soil compaction are huge problems. A friend of mine is the American director for a permaculture group and here are a couple of pics from a project they are doing in New Mexico down near the Mexican border. The first pic is from the summer of 2007, taken right before they spent a couple of weeks doing off contour keyline plowing and NO seeding. The second pic is from Oct. 2008. For the past 20+ years the property had been a cotton farm using traditional farming techniques. Not bad for one year, any land can be turned into a desert and vice versa.

 

[KG6BWS]

As I see it, the OHV community overall is willing to compromise (and has been compromising for many years, whether we wanted to or not). It's the other side that does not want to budge in most cases.

i agree with this. im completely willing to compromise. i do believe that there are areas that require protection. my biggest problem with the other side is that they are not, for the most part, willing to compromise. its their way or the highway. i see nothing wrong with keeping existing trails open. keeping trails open, that have been that way for years, is not going to do any damage.

the biggest problem with socalled "thrillcraft" is mainly the dirtbikers and atvers. if people would stay on the damn trails there wouldnt be any problem. but they feel that if they move over 2 feet, they can climb a hill better. pretty soon, the damn hill looks like a zebra!!! just the other day i was out prospecting and saw 2 guys in a rhino, that, for some reason, just had to drive in the creek bed that i was panning. when i said something, very politely i might add, they give me this blank look like id just grown a second head. i get the same thing any time i try to say something about staying on the trails.

i see very little problems with the majority of 4wd users. for the most part, i think they know that they need to keep it together on the trail. aside from mudders that is. i have no use for them.

personally, and ive said it before on another thread, i think that what this state, if not th country, needs is an offroad endorsement for the drivers license. just like you have to get a motorcycle endorsement, their should be an ohv test. should be mandatory to register, or buy, any 4wd vehicle, dirt bike or atv.

 

[Clutch]

the biggest problem with socalled "thrillcraft" is mainly the dirtbikers and atvers. If people would stay on the damn trails there wouldnt be any problem.....

Sort of a blanket statement, don't you agree?

Not all ATVers or Dirtbikers, are like that. One could argue that an ATV or a dirt bike has a smaller footprint than a 4WD vechicle. I know with my dirt bike I can ride on only a 18" wide peice of trail, that is by far, less gurth than your Tacoma.

Take a gander at this response letter I wrote to the Tucson Weelky.

Scroll down to "Don't assume..."

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Opinion/Content?oid=108187

 

[SinCityFJC]

Sort of a blanket statement, don't you agree?

Not all ATVers or Dirtbikers, are like that. One could argue that an ATV or a dirt bike has a smaller footprint than a 4WD vechicle. I know with my dirt bike I can ride on only a 18" wide peice of trail, that is by far, less gurth than your Tacoma.

Take a gander at this response letter I wrote to the Tucson Weelky.

Scroll down to "Don't assume..."

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Opinion/Content?oid=108187

Great article I also liked the one before it about hunting.

As for ATVers & Dirtbikes on my local club's run last Saturday to Logandale Loop/Dunes http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22742

We as usual this weekend encountered ATVers & dirtbikes treading lightly. They were gracious & a pleasure to share our trails with.

We also encountered rude ones that were riding cross country in closed areas destroying plant life & blazing new trails.

Thanks to establishing a relationship with the local BLM's rec planner I have his personal cell #. I was able to advise him of the situation on a Saturday night. I also offered & asked if we could help, is there a program or training so we can volunteer?

I'm pleased that at this weeks club meeting the BLM is giving a presentation & leadership from other clubs are scheduled to attend.

This is one way I like to promote respectable use of our trails.

ps: yes I'm still here on ExPo, last week & S.22 were a learning experience for me! I've changed the nature of my posts & the few PMs I've had with Jonathan Hanson help me understand were the core group is coming from. Cheers

 

[KG6BWS]

Sort of a blanket statement, don't you agree?

Not all ATVers or Dirtbikers, are like that. One could argue that an ATV or a dirt bike has a smaller footprint than a 4WD vechicle. I know with my dirt bike I can ride on only a 18" wide peice of trail, that is by far, less gurth than your Tacoma.

Take a gander at this response letter I wrote to the Tucson Weelky.

Scroll down to "Don't assume..."

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Opinion/Content?oid=108187

i agree wholeheartedly with you on that...to a point. i used to ride my bikes on tiny little goat trails up in the sierras that were a foot wide if that. in my experience, however, (and this is from spending MANY hours in the desert around dirtbikers) the vast majority of dirtbikers that i have run across either dont care or they think that since their tires are so small that the track just doesnt matter - the sentence hilighted in red is exactly what im talking about. ive also tried to mention something to them when i see that kind of behavior and i tend to get more crap from those on db's and atv's then i do from 4x4's. then you go to places like hungry valley svra or san gabriel svra and the general consensus is that people who want to stay on trails and keep the trails open to ALL are all queers and have no business being around them. i always attempt to be polite when doing this but it obviously was not an appreciated viewpoint.

so that noone gets too butthurt i want to make sure everyone understands that these were MY experiences. there are bad apples in EVERY barrel, just most of the ones ive run across have been in the db and atv categories. personally, i do think that we all (we being ALL OHVers) need to "band" together and fight this. but until something, along the lines of legislation in that direction, is done about it...it will never happen.

im a firm believer in the need for an OHV license endorsement. that would allow for something to be actually be done about those who break the law, tear things up, and generally ruin it for the rest of us. you can be arrested for driving a car without a license, why shouldnt it be the same for some moron whos tearing up a meadow just for the fun of it???