Recently in one of my posts I listed a couple of links to web sites where OHV's can legally be ridden. There wasn't much comment on it, (if any at all), and it was just brushed aside. I was wondering why that was given all the complaining here that there's no place to ride and everything's being shut down to OHV's. Tonight I did another little search and found the site that I was looking for. It appears to be quite a comprehensive site that lists legal riding areas across the country. As I mentioned in my other post there are many sites similar to this if you do a search. So with that information in hand I have to ask why do some find it so difficult to find areas to ride?

Oh and BTW...California has a boat load of available areas.

http://www.riderplanet-usa.com/

The problem with that is they still control you. U can have the green one but dont touch the red one. Cant you see that? Like the Neil young song says "they give you this but you pay for that" I see thru their little attempt to control more and more of our lives. The tea party is a step in the right direction, I have been saying for 30 years we need one. Really, I have. But we need more of them, not just this one and say "yeah, we showed 'em" NO! keep the pressure on. Take back the country. This OHV control is just a similie of their real intention, IMO, which is to control every aspect of our lives, IF we let them. Look at the kids in school. Totally brainwashed except for a few who have it figured it out.Dont let 'em fool you bud.

All legal lands for OHV use in California comprise less than 2% of total landmass, and less than 5% of public lands. Today, most of that is fractured and divided in very small parcels, connected only by highways that require truck or trailer to haul most of the OHVs between areas. Most of the OHVs in California are green and red sticker vehicles, which cannot legally be ridden/driven on those highways.

If you want to know why there are complaints about loss of OHV opportunities, just do the math. The number of OHVs in California has doubled in the last decade. Legal OHV opportunities are shrinking at a blinding pace. BLM now considers any existing trail in a Limited Use Area not specifically marked open to be now illegal, when it used to be exactly the opposite. The number of households owning at least one OHV hovers around 18.5%. And the estimated number of miles of OHV use driven in the state, specifically for recreational OHV use, is larger (54%) than the miles of OHV use for other purposes combined.

Every time some environmental organization threatens a lawsuit, BLM cowers in fright, and settles out of court to further restrictions on OHV use in the state. The agency has nearly zero budget for litigation. It's why off-road groups had to enjoin a recently filed lawsuit ON BEHALF OF BLM, and we paid the fees! To defend a federal agency against a frivolous lawsuit.

The sleeping giant is awakening.

OHV Bill SB-615 sponsored by State Senator Ashburn, which would give cities the power to work with the OHV community and in certain cases, open streets for licensed OHV’ers.

In looking at the web site I provided above this appears to be mostly a California thing, and California's always been the leader in creating oppressive laws. Oh sure, other states have a permitting process but not nearly as restrictive as California.

So three choices come to mind:

1. Follow the laws - buy the stickers and ride in the permitted areas - there's plenty of them

2. Petition state lawmakers to change the laws in favor of more riding areas and lesser restrictions

3. Get the hell out - I did

Personally I don't feel that #2 will get you very far - you may win some battles (as Ken alluded to above), but the war will not be won.

You'd think so after so much money and attention has been directed towards OHV management. Yet the nature of the "sport" is that most of the riders and irresponsible riding is done by younger men. These kids ride to show their disrespect and weariness of laws in general. Getting them to sit down and write a letter or to attend a public meeting is contrary to their nature.

sleeping giant indeed!

When OHV riders attend public meetings, Sal, Sandman accuses them of stalking. When we speak out in public internet forums, he accuses us of retaliation, abuse, and threats. When we defend freedom, he accuses us of defending illegal activities. There is no reason for that, other than to discourage public participation and squelch dissent and free speech.

That is patently dishonest and un-American, don't you think?

What is "patently un-American" is to attend public meetings with the sole intent of gathering information to later ridicule those who identify themselves as standing up for a cause in which they believe.

EZ

I don't know about you, EZRider, but I attend public meetings so I can understand what my elected and appointed officials are doing to fulfill their duties to the American public and taxpayers. You're beginning to make similar wild accusations as Sandman does, with no facts, even less wisdom, and a distinct agenda.