KTMrad

Got this at the last SDORC Meeting.............PLEASE SEND IN LETTERS, it only takes a few minutes of your time and the difference we can all make is dramatic ! USPS mail makes the best impact when sending letters....... Dangerous New Precedent Could Close Access to Multiple National Forest Recreation Areas Stop the Closures…Act NOW ! -- Instructions Below -- Original Deadline for public comment extended to January 31, 2007 Cleveland National Forest is proposing seasonal closures to ALL forms of recreation at 1) Corte Madera Mountain & El Cajon Mountain 2) Rock Mountain & Eagle Peak. Though the Forest Service did not originally make this information available to the public, due to considerable pressure being brought to bear, they have now extended the comment period from January 12th to January 31st, and posted the proposals HERE It is important to note that the Forest Service did not previously make these proposed measures available to the public because they apparently deemed them to be of insignificant consequence to the public . . . these proposals actually state: “This closure order is considered to be a routine administrative action that normally does not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment and therefore may be categorically excluded from documentation in an EIS [Environmental Impact Statement] or EA [Environmental Assessment] unless scoping [public comment period] indicated that extraordinary circumstances exist.” This premise is unacceptable. If you feel YOUR National Forest IS part of your “human environment”, than let the Forest Service know you disagree…the public should ALWAYS be made aware of this type of “administrative action”. Unless challenged, these proposals will ban ALL human activity within 2,640 feet in all directions of any current or future golden eagle, prairie falcon, or “other cliff-nesting species” nest, even though these “other” species types are not identified. These measures are partly based on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which includes over 800 birds, some as common as the swallow & hummingbird. Make no mistake, these proposals will establish legal precedent allowing for similar closures to be enacted on all public lands! These proposals affect climbers, hikers, backpackers, mountain-bikers, horseback riders, and off-road enthusiasts alike, closing off areas of YOUR National Forest!!! Please list the following reasons when telling the Cleveland National Forest that you oppose these closures because you feel these measures WILL “have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment” . . . ACT NOW!!! 1. These closures are inconsistent with the USFS multiple use mandate, “as set forth in law…to meet the diverse needs of people,” and as such do not adequately take into consideration the unique value of climbing, hiking, backpacking, mountain-biking, horseback riding, and off-roading within the National Forest areas in question. 2. The USFS is misinterpreting its legal authority to use the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), together with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, to close access to our public lands for non-threatened species. This is a radically extreme method to limit passive recreational use on our public lands given that the MBTA was signed by Congress in 1918 to prevent over-commercialization of migratory birds. 3. The Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, and “other cliff-nesting species” are not listed on the USFS Sensitive Animal Species list for Cleveland National Forest and do not require drastic protection measures. 4. The Corte Madera proposal is extreme, onerous, and scientifically unsound as it is being based on the “historical” presence of eagles. According to the proposals contributing author, Dave Bittner, Executive Director of the Wildlife Research Institute, golden eagles have not nested at Corte Madera since 1991. 5. Also particular to Corte Madera Mountain is the arbitrary closure limit distance: this distance is not based on exact nest locations, not accurately depicted on USFS closure proposal maps from well known cliff-face nest locations, and if applied per these proposals criteria would unacceptably close off the popular Espinosa off-road trail. 6. Climbers, Hikers, and other passive National Forest users have co-existed with wildlife peacefully for decades; therefore, among other factors, changing climate conditions and decline of natural prey populations are more likely to blame for any suspected bird loss. 7. These proposals are inconsistent with highly effective closure precedent already established nation-wide. Oppose these closures…write a letter (or e-mail), title it -- Comments to proposed seasonal closures at: Corte Madera Mountain, El Cajon Mountain, Rock Mountain, & Eagle Peak Send it directly to the Cleveland National Forest at the following address (e-mail is fine, hard copy is better): kwinter@fs.fed.us Kirsten Winter-Cleveland National Forest, 10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd #200, San Diego, Ca 92127

Here's a link to Julian Lodging ....Julian is about 20 miles away..... Borrego Springs Lodging is about 25 miles away. Also, check with Butterfield Ranch.....I haven't been there lately, but heard they have some primitive, small cabins you can rent. The showers and facilities at Butterfield are nice. Maybe some of you from last year can chime in about this.

Hey Roxus, I thought you look familiar in the photo....you're over at San Diego BMW ? Welcome to the forums, and we're always looking for more people to join in to post photos and write-ups.

Check out this movie trailer..........I'm probably going to order the DVD. Would love to go there someday. Video Link HERE

If I don't have to go out of town for work, then I'll make it.

I gotta add some Elefant Dakar action shots from the 1990's.........no, I'm not taking over the thread

OK, can I add a photo ? You guys haven't seen my Elefant yet, but here's what one looks like fitted to run in the Dakar.....from the early 1990's.....

More Dakar pix, more, more !!

Most are camping at the campground listed....Butterfield Ranch, that's where the ride starts. Don't think anyone's reserved a bunch of spots together, unless it's the group helping me out with the ride...we're all staying together. The campground is keeping all the people for the ride in a couple of rows, so you'll be surrounded by riders. It's easy to hook up with others and make new friends. See ya out there,

You know that KLR has gotta be heavily modified.

Sierra, are you planning on building your own engine, or using one from another bike ?

Thanks for the links !! I love the Dakar, wish they had better coverage.

Per previous topic post, DO NOT MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR THE DESERT DASH ONLINE IF YOU WANT THE GROUP DISCOUNT. See previous post.......you must call the campground for the group discount for the Desert Dash Dualsport Ride. Thanks,

From the D37 messageboard..... Check out the last line of the article. Parks see spread of 'nature deficit disorder' Effort underway to attract young people, minorities By Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times | December 3, 2006 LOS ANGELES -- As the National Park Service begins planning for its 100th birthday in 2016, the venerable agency has reason to wonder who will show up. By the service's own reckoning, visits to national parks have been on a downward slide for 10 years. Overnight stays fell 20 percent between 1995 and 2005, and tent camping and backcountry camping each decreased nearly 24 percent during the same period. Visits are down at almost all national parks, even at Yosemite, notorious for summertime crowds and traffic jams. Meanwhile, most of the 390 properties in the park system are begging for business. "Most days, we'd be delighted to see 10 people," said Craig Dorman, superintendent at Lava Beds National Monument, a seldom-visited site near the CaliforniaOregon border that is even emptier these days. "It was pretty crowded around here during the Modoc War," he said, referring to the 1872 Modoc Indian uprising. "But there probably haven't been that many people here since." Typically, families with children recede from the parks in the fall. Now, the retirees who traditionally take their place in the fall and winter are choosing to go elsewhere. Last year, about 568,000 vacationers went to Yosemite in July, nearly 20 percent fewer than in the same month in 1995. In January, there were 94,000 visitors, about 30 percent fewer than in January 1995. Agency officials admit that national parks are doing a poor job attracting two large constituencies -- young people and minorities -- causing concerns about the parks' continued appeal to a changing population. A study commissioned by the park service and released in 2003 found that only 13 percent of the blacks interviewed had visited a park in the previous two years. For more than a year, the appropriations committee of the US House of Representatives has been asking the park service to explain how it intends to attract more minorities to parks. "Let me assure you that the leadership of the service is talking about this and spending a fair amount of time trying to understand the trends," said Jon Jarvis, director of the park service's Pacific West region. "You don't have to have statistics and surveys to recognize that the visitors we are seeing do not reflect the diversity of the United States." Meanwhile, the parks' most loyal visitors over the last several decades are vacationing elsewhere. Baby boomers are changing the way they play. Some of the more adventurous have embraced mountain biking and similar sports that are not allowed in many national parks. But as they age, most boomers are less interested in pitching tents and sleeping on the ground. "I do believe that there is a significant trend, 'Done before dinner,' " said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association. "Baby boomers want hard adventure by day and soft adventure by night. They want to paddle and rock-climb and also their Cabernet and almond-crusted salmon with asparagus. And a nice bed." Many young families, too, are spurning the parks. According to Emilyn Sheffield, a social scientist at California State University, Chico, on loan to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, children have more say in family vacation destinations than ever before and, if they must be outdoors, they prefer theme parks. A Nature Conservancy study funded by the National Science Foundation and released last July concluded the drop in national park visits was connected to the popularity of video games, hand-held devices, the Internet, and other electronic media. Author Richard Louv writes of a "nature deficit disorder" and suggests parental fears about kidnapping and crime are keeping kids off neighborhood streets and out of parks. "We're talking about a generation that's being raised under virtual house arrest," said Louv, whose 2005 book, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder," is being used as a study guide at some national parks. "We scare them to death with signs and pamphlets warning them about bears, snakes, spiders, poison oak, drowning, driving on ice and in snow, and all the other disclaimers we provide," said Alexandra Picavet, the spokeswoman at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. "Small wonder they are terrified." Some parks are using technology to draw teenagers in. Officials at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area are experimenting with a Pocket Ranger game that simulates activities available in the park. The game can be downloaded from a website to iPods and other devices and continued in the park as a kind of scavenger hunt. Some members of Congress have offered solutions they say would put parks more in step with what Americans want, including more commercialized activities and businesses. With the backing of industry, some politicians have called for opening more parks to motorized recreation. © Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.

I believe that's going to take more than 4 hours, maybe more like 6, unless you don't stop at all.

I don't want to shoot you down, just giving my opinion. I don't know if you're going to have much of a market for this. Most dualsport riders have a bike that is capable of multiple types of riding, your bike sounds like it's geared mainly for single track trail riding. Most people don't ride just single track most of the time, and at the rate we're losing trails, there may not be much single track left. At that price, my opinion is you may have a small group of riders with extra money to blow who will want this bike. The general population may not want to spend that type of money on a bike that has such a specific use. At that weight, it also won't work real well for desert riding.....extremely light bikes don't work too well in sand. Again, this is just my 2 cents, or 3, and trying to give realistic input to think about. I have my flame suit on, so I want to hear if I'm way out there on this

There's been some confusion on the board between the 2 forums, so here's an explanation and some more guidelines to keep the forums on the right track. The Upcoming ORGANIZED Rides and EVENTS forum is to discuss events organized by ride promoters, clubs, racing events, getting together to go to these events, etc. Informal Local Rides / Who's Going Riding is for all other types of rides and get-togethers. Thanks,

I also recommend Garmin Roads and Rec, has a lot of off-road trails and dirt roads.

That's a strange one Carguy, don't know what's up wit' dat.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, etc., etc. For Christmas, I wish to GO FOR A RIDE !! Keep on ridin' in the New Year !!

Change of plans for me. I took the bike for a test ride last night and it was running like crap. I had to take the carb off to clean it. Didn't get it back together last night, so I'll be out there later today, but will miss the ride with Ride Orange and his crew. I'll be riding on Sunday and possibly Monday.

Change of plans for me. I took the bike for a test ride last night and it was running like crap. I had to take the carb off to clean it. Didn't get it back together last night, so I'll be out there later today, but will miss the ride with Ride Orange and his crew. I'll be riding on Sunday and possibly Monday.

Copy of post from the New Year's Weekend topic........ OK, my 640 is running, started right up with a new battery after sitting for months. Had to do a few maintenance things, now she's ready to go. So, here's the plan. I'm camping (I think Numbskull will also be with me) at Agua Caliente County Park on Hwy. S2 in the desert north of Ocotillo exit off I-8. Will leave the campsite Saturday morning about 8:00am the latest, ride some canyons and dirt down to Ocotillo. Then dirt to Superstition to find Rob (Ride Orange) and his crew. Anyone who wants to meet to ride with me in the morning, can either meet at Agua Caliente group campsite at 8:00am the lastest, on S-2, or meet at the gas station/store on S-2 on north side of I-8 in Ocotillo at about 9:00-9:30am. We need an hour to explore trails to get to Rob's at Superstition. Hope to see some of you. My cell is 619-818-8746. Can't guarantee reception where I'm camping, but should have reception at Ocotillo and Superstition.

OK, my 640 is running, started right up with a new battery after sitting for months. Had to do a few maintenance things, now she's ready to go. So, here's the plan. I'm camping (I think Numbskull will also be with me) at Agua Caliente County Park on Hwy. S2 in the desert north of Ocotillo exit off I-8. Will leave the campsite Saturday morning about 8:00am the latest, ride some canyons and dirt down to Ocotillo. Then dirt to Superstition to find Rob (Ride Orange) and his crew. Anyone who wants to meet to ride with me in the morning, can either meet at Agua Caliente group campsite at 8:00am the lastest, on S-2, or meet at the gas station/store on north side of I-8 in Ocotillo at about 9:00-9:30am. We need an hour to explore trails to get to Rob's at Superstition. Hope to see some of you. My cell is 619-818-8746. Can't guarantee reception where I'm camping, but should have reception at Ocotillo and Superstition.

I'll see what I can come up with for a night ride....Wildcat Canyon dirt trails then Ramona dirt to Mesa Grande. You're looking at about a 3 hour ride at minimum. I also would like to meet you and get together around a fire also. Depends on my work schedule during the week. We'll keep in touch more.