Socaldualer

Right!?

I looked into the SDAR history and found some vague references, just looking for some good leads on what authority park rangers have-Federal(USFS) not state. I dont use Wikipedia for obvious reasons and im looking for actual-not anecdotal-facts. There has to be some document outlining what their authority is. I know every situation is unique and the devil is in the details but does anyone have some good fact based resources? Planning ahead for the inevitable conflict...

Well duh... So called Bureaucracy?.... Im not a super skilled rider so i do pretty much stay on the straight and narrow but lets face it-millions of acres of rideable land have been confiscated by Special interests who sole mission is to keep the land from the public interest. This point is in-arguable. Land that was Free ride has suddenly changed overnight to super sacred-cant be touched-we know better than you-what are you going to do about it- we just turned it into hiking only because we got a big donation from this" Public Interest" group-Land. Us clever fellows i guess are just tired of the so called bureaucracy so called trying to protect our so called interests...

Its known as the Peoples Encyclopedia-often wrong-anyone can contribute-very little if any fact checking. In context-a rabid Sierra Club member who hates motorcycles can hop on and inject their opinion-quote false research or just flat make stuff up. Its not trustable, and too many use it for research thinking its factual. Its also very anecdotal. I was looking for actual documentation.

Thanks i will check it out Spyder!

I recently became a lifetime member of CORVA and was noticing they had no real presence on Instagram. Instagram is hugely popular and is a great tool to spread the message. I got in touch with Amy and got permission to start an Instagram account-you can check it out the account is @c.o.r.v.a I had some trouble with it probably due in fact that, fun fact, Corva is Yiddish for.... wait for it.... PROSTITUTE! You cant make this stuff up... I emailed Instagram and asked them to look into the issues and they seem to have cleared up. Trust me i am a bit of a technophobe and it was no small task but it is up and running. Check it out and please spread the CORVA message. Please use the hashtags #CORVA #nomoreclosures (that i stole from Ed Stoven) #publiclands #ohv and #righttoride Please ask if maybe local CORVA/SDAR related facebook accounts can include our Instagram account link. I am sure there are a ton of other great hashtags out there that are theme related so feel free. At some point i am looking for someone at corva to take this over but it is fun to get it started, their message is an important one and needs all the support it can get. Many thanks to Ed, san diego off road coalition and a few others for their help. I posted a screen pic of SDAR recently as well. I am also trying to include the Jeep-snowmobile-atv community as well so please spread the word that way as well. Keep things positive, i have already been tempted to slam various agencies and people etc.. that i consider anti access but ive tried to keep it civil and go more for a stoke/education style. The last thing CORVA, or our community needs is yahoos posting pics of tortoise-stomping/gate hopping idiocy. I know i did not really need to say that here but there you go. Enjoy the ride people and lets get those tags-follows-likes and hashtags going!

By the way-any way we can get the Instagram link here on the SDAR site. Maybe i missed it is there an SDAR Instagram?

Bingo....

Wow-just went through the entire thread-im just getting back into riding and heard about this from a friend. Is there any update on the California BDR?

The ones i have met on trails so far have been generally very cool, the ranger for the Trabuco District here in the OC i have not met but have spoken to on the phone and after i got nowhere being congenial when discussing closed gates i changed my tact to being what he most likely thought of as an asshole. It happens, but i tire of some of the attitude of certain individuals whose anti moto sentiment is veiled at best and when they discover your are of the moto ilk they are not shy about revealing their true colors. No worries i work around it and id rather encounter an idiot on the phone than on the trails.... Ive been known to bend the rules here and there but again im an easy going mellow rider and do my best to avoid conflict. Im currently exploring an area that may or may not be completely legal so just arming myself with the facts.

Great stuff gentlemen-i really appreciate the insight. Im a laid back basically rule following kind of guy but ive run into some of the Parkies with the attitude you mentioned M777. I just want to be armed with the facts in case any of my run ins should escalate. Great link thank you M777 and Uncle Champ.

just found this thread-great work-thanks to all. FYI a new CORVA Instagram account has been activated-check them out and tag them in your photos and use the hashtags #nomoreclosures #CORVA #corva and any others that fit the message. Instagram account is @c.o.r.v.a

Nice! Thanks Ed and Kathy for all you do-as mentioned in my last post please check out the new CORVA instagram account and spread the word!

FYI-just launched for those on Instagram is a new CORVA account-check it out and follow and tag corva and please consider becoming a member. c.o.r.v.a is the name of the account-tried to get all capital or just corva with no periods but it was taken.

Have not been here in a while and just looking for some input. Im a recent life time member of CORVA and i was wondering if anyone had some honest feedback about them. I am well aware the constant fight against the incessant regulations is very demanding of ones time and efforts and i have tremendous respect for all of those that try and keep our land-trails-gates open. I have had very few dealings with them and i have no axe to grind. Ive spoken to Ed Stovin and a few others and was just looking for some opinions concerning CORVA's effectiveness-communication with them-just an overall opinion of how you feel they are doing and if you are a member etc.. Background- i mainly ride up Hwy 74 in Orange County in the Cleveland National Forest area up on Divide Trail-Maple Springs-Silverado Canyon as far north to Sierra Peak overlooking the 91 into Chino. Came across an infamous gate/trail called Skyline in a neighberhood in Corona and it pissed me off enough to at least become a member and look into the matter to support our riding/access rights. Im looking into whose gate is it etc... My local USFS ranger gave me the brushoff-shocking as it were-and basically said its not their gate its Riverside County. Calls to Riverside county pointed the finger right back to USFS. I can see you smiling and nodding your heads from here-sounds like standard operating procedure.... Anyway thanks for taking the time to read and i look forward to your comments and opinions. Jon

Thanks for the input gents. I agree Randy, Amy seems like a great lady and a great source of info-i particularly liked her no nonsense reply to my locked Skyline Gate dilemna "well, if its nobodys gate just cut the lock and open it, if its no-ones than it must be illegal!..." HAHA! We had a long conversation and its seems to me CORVA is like so many other great groups out there that are for great causes and basically run on donations, are under-funded but just keep plugging away in a David vs. Goliath way except i dont see any heads being lopped off. She actually said something that was very insightful and really smart about CORVA keeping up with the times especially with social media (Spoiler alert-look for a CORVA Instagram account soon...) She said, " everyone posts pics of their vehicles, and unfortunately not always in the best way", ie...in front of a locked gate proclaiming how they went around it, or on top of bushes or in just a way that shows a little too much trampling of the environment, and she continued,"we need to show more of the incredible environment our vehicles take us to..." I thought that was pretty smart. In other words no we dont have to be a bunch of ass-kissers submissively bowing to the likes of Sierra Clubbers or NRDC zealots, but if we change our message to reflect how much we enjoy, protect,and value these spaces instead of our apparent glee in allegedly destroying them, we may be more successful in our goal of preserving access to those places. Its a different world out there than back in the 70's when i was shredding all over the desert with friends and family, and if we want a seat at the legislative table, as much as id have to restrain myself from leaping over it and slapping the Feinsteins and Browns etc.., we have to get an invitation. Its of course a much more nuanced and complicated issue and im speaking in generalities but i think most of us older guys/gals on here know its true. I also unfortunately have to agree with your last line-ive gotten in the habit of riding with a few CORVA stickers in my bag and as i chat with new people i meet on the trails i drop a quick mention. It dosent take a whole lot to support and you can donate on their website, snag a cool Cal-Trans Orange shirt and slap a sticker on your ride(s). Much like surfing being out on the trails and riding is like therapy and unlike the Psycho/couch kind, its cheaper and a helluva lot more fun... Ill try to hop on once in a while and provide some updates on the Skyline gate issue, i know Randy and some others are well known and rightfully respected here at SDAR and are more knowledeable about CORVA and related issues and ill leave the big updates to them, theres another gate called Blackstar Canyone here in the OC that, with any Skyline gate success, i may tackle next. Hope everyone has a great weekend of riding.

Ive heard mention of a gentlemen in SD that gets rave reviews for suspension work, and seeing that i need to lower two bikes i was wondering if anyone could let me know who it is? Much appreciated!

I like that Trophy!- inseam challenged! I think i jiggered with mine too much and now the front feels light and seems to wash a little-with my fork raising-bar rising-SC seat adding and rear sag adjusting i think i screwed up the ergonomics and it sounds like i need to possibly respring the forks to get it right-talked to George on phone-he had lots of great answers and obviously knows more than i do so thanks again everyone im headed to see George!

Well then George it is! Thanks for the quick response and recommendations i really appreciate it! Sucks being short....

Im not the biggest user of social media-mostly Instagram and no facebook. Found these guys a few months back-made a few comments-liked the vibe i got (not crazy beer swilling bro star types-not that theres anything wrong with that..its just not my thing) But it seemed like a mellower crew and i hit their website to check them out. Turns out they give most of their sales proceeds to local charities like Silly Sisters (donate new shoes to foster kids) and others. They sent me a sticker pack but i felt strange slapping it on and cruising around like i was part of the wolfpack. So i showed up a few weekends ago along with nearly 40 others and my newby wife, i bought a cool Smedium shirt and we hit the trail that mirrors the 330 out of Highland (Old City Creek Rd.?)and ended up at the Broadway Cafe in downtown Big Bear for lunch. There was a more technical loop on the way back for the good guys that went thru John Bull and ended up back in the parking lot at the start of the ride. We put on about 90 miles and it was hot as a pistol. Really fun ride and a great bunch of guys. The wifey didnt crash and she went up some more technical terrain than she was used to but she made it-great to have her on her Husky. They had walkies and had a few guys riding around checking up on us slow folks. Couple guys taking pics-you can check em out on their site. Whole cross section of bikes and folks-young dudes on KTM's and Huskies-couple gnarled vets on their KLR's-fun to stop and jump in or dip your head in the stream half-way up and check out everyones gear and what they ride. Chatted it up with the crew at lunch and rode back the same way with about 5 other guys and just had a great time. Its not a technical trail and it was perfect for the wife. I downloaded the track for the first time ever on my Garmin Montana 600 and it worked great but i was unable to figure out the Backtrack feature and luckily a good dude knew the way back. Almost ran into a few jeeps as it turns up the trail (i forget the name) that eventually hits Skyline and drops you into town near the Cedar Lake Christian Camp area. I surf quite a bit and its easy to draw the same comparison between a great surf sesh with good buddies and the same feeling you get riding. Theres some good accounts to follow on InstaG if thats your thing- DualsportCanada-DualSportlife-OCDualies-theenduroshop-dirthammers and others. Just thought i would give them some love and if you like what you see feel free to join us on one of the rides. Great crew of guys. http://www.wolfpackendurox.com/

Wife and i are ready to roam, looked into the old Franko Maps and was looking for something like the one they have for Big Bear but i didnt see one. Have a free place to stay in Crowley lake area to use as a base and interested in med-long rides. Anyone know of a good map or a good place to start researching areas to ride?

great post-man you are an animal thats a long way. Diggin that tank on that bike-is that the 4.2? Have it on mine and thinking of putting on wifes-you gave me a great visual of what it will look like.

Thanks Honda-did the mammoth loop and the june-great recommendation-also went up to Minaret-wow there is a killer little trail that ends where you can see for miles.

after many days of $$$$ and newby frustration things are progressing-finally figuring the Garmin Montana 600 out. I have officially passed the stage where i wanted to throw the thing out the window and kill everything in a hundred yard radius. Huge thanks to Randy! The guy dosent know me from Adam, im a newb on this site and he just sends me this cool wiring setup to make this thing work. Plus he takes a cold call and drops more GPS knowledge on my pea brain than i can handle, and offers to hook me up with some maps. I just about have it all working and i couldn't be more grateful, thanks again Randy! And thanks again to all that chipped in-heading to Mammoth in a few hours-gonna be fun.....

no worries Randy-had my own crazy week-got your PM-i will contact you later Friday night when things calm down a bit and the wine cooler kicks in!