Elsewhere Offroad: Take Back Utah, Gold Butte and Havasu

The time has past when it was sufficient for you to simply work your job, attend to your family, and participate in church and local civic functions and just "expect" others (especially your government) to leave your recreation rights alone.

There are battles being fought against the double-talking "fiends" all across the country, who are frenetically pushing the government to "own" everything that isn't paved and basically close it off to everyone except the "elite" who can hike into it.

These three, that I've listed below, are all at different levels of involvement – they are battlefield reports from the "front lines."

2010 Take Back Utah: Parade & Rally

This is a well established and effective grass-roots effort undertaken by Utah citizens who are appalled and still reeling from the "exit strategy" of former president Clinton and his under-handed land grab and who are recognizing the tell-tale signs of yet another grab from the current administration.

This week offroaders from all over will meet for a public rally which has proven to truly arm-wrestle legislators attention. Take Back Utah has become an annual event and this year will be the largest. IT HAS THE FULL SUPPORT OF OFFROADING HOME and we urge you to participate, it truly doesn't take much effort to join this "already made" endeavor and, in fact, may even be quite fun.

Events this Saturday include a parade and rally. Those not desiring to ride may add their support to the rally. Previous years rallys have literally made state politico's pause and take note.

Event Date: Saturday August 28, 2010
Parade line-up (no registration required):
Time: 5:00 AM - 9:30 AM (first come, first in line)
Location: Liberty Park (Around 900 S 700 E) and surrounding streets in Salt Lake City, UT.
Parade Start: 10:00 AM
Rally Start: Around 12:30 AM (or when parade is over)
Contact: http://www.takebackutah.org/

Gold Butte Land Grab: Personal Lobbying

The federal government owns nearly all of Gold Butte now - but the word "multi-use" seems to be profanity to the Democrats of Nevada who are largely financially supported by "fiends."

Dustin Nelson and Stan Hardy reported on their blog "Save Gold Butte" that they personally took a legislative "delegation" from Dina Titus’s office on a trek down the Gold Butte Road and into the Treasure Hawk Mine area.

He says that he was able to speak to them about many aspects of poor and mis-management down on the Butte. No mention about whether or not the people's eye's glazed over or not.

What is desperately needed in Nevada is the kind of organization shown by the Utah Shared Access Alliance, the sponsor of the public initiative mentioned above.

The BLM's Travel Management Plan's: Becoming Involved

An Offroading Home reader, who still remains anonymous to me, wrote to me several weeks ago trying to find some "official maps" of the Parker and Lake Havasu area. He showed me that he had made extensive and good faith contacts with a variety of people in the BLM office who adamantly informed him that they "had no maps!" Several weeks later, he found that they had just put the maps he was requesting up on the web.

But, you guessed it - it was part of their Travel Management Plan wherein they are "requesting" public input about trails they INTEND TO CLOSE OFF! You see, this isn't just a Utah or Nevada thing! This is wherever land is owned by the US Government and NOT the state.

Truthfulness has never been counted among the political virtues, and lies have always been regarded as justifiable tools in political dealings.”
Hannah Arendt

The BLM and other government entities recognize that about the most onerous thing they can do is make the public WADE THROUGH THE PUBLIC RESPONSE FORMS – so this is how they limit "annoying" responses.

Having spent time in the government - PAPER IS THE KEY! You can attend meetings and even get up and speak, you can send emails or leave messages on hotlines; BUT NOTHING ACTS TO A BUREAUCRAT LIKE PAPER. It has to be dealt with – that's why they call it a "Paper Trail."

So, I'll make my answer to his question in this public venue – YES, you better respond. Be forever grateful that you've actually found out about it before it was too late (as they usually intend it to happen).

The way to do it is to simply get out a piece of paper and write a letter stating your dismay over their intent to close trails which are meaningful to you. Say how often you have visited the area, mention the relatives/friends you intend to bring in the future. THEN, list all the trails you don't want closed - specifically by name - and why. Just a short sentence or two on each.

It's not difficult or rocket science. Make a copy, mail it in (registered if you like). Then amplify the work you've put into it by sending copies to any offroad group or alliance that you support so they can know about it and use it. Post a copy of it on your own blog. [If you don't have one, consider setting up a free one on Blogger. Even if you only ever have one post (your letter) with a good title, it will be indexed by Google where others can see it.

And, because you now have a copy, you can cut and paste into other letters to the editor of your local newspaper   —   it's all good!