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Redington Pass ……Red Alert

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  gsaxe 
#1 ·
Hey folks. Do you enjoy exploring in your offroad vehicle, testing your driving skills, getting out of the craziness of the city and getting back to nature? Well guess what my friends? There are organized groups that want to take your rights away from you. All over the country trails and recreation areas on public lands are being closed to our motor vehicles like ATV's, motorcycles and of course 4x4's. And it's all "in the name of the environment" or so they claim. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to help the endangered spotted cuddlefish right? Anywhoo….right here in Tucson we have the "Friends of Redington Pass" .You can find their website at www.friendsofredingtonpass.org. Please read their mission statement and like all agenda-driven extremist groups….READ BETWEEN THE LINES. Folks, this group has aligned with the Forest Service and is in the process gaining public opinion to deny us our rights. This Saturday November 2nd from 8 till 5pm a Friends of Redington Pass "Meet and Greet" will take place . The media will assuredly be there along with several dozen hikers, bikers, bird-watchers and any other "sympathetic ears" they can recruit to do their political bidding. Personally I like to hike and watch birds too but personally I prefer to drive my Jeep to a remote unknown destination and share the experience with friend's and/or family. If you are like so many offroaders I know, you always leave the place looking better than you found it.

I truly value my excursions to Redington Pass and all of southern AZ and will fight to maintain these rights for my friends, children and grandchildren. Off-roading is a way of life for me and probably you too which is probably why you are on this website. If it is taken away I may as well sell off my jeeps and motorcycles. My dad used to take me hunting in our CJ-5 decades ago and it's in my blood. We have never disrespected or abused the land and always left it cleaner than we found it.

Friends, It is very important that you spread the word and make an appearance at this meet and greet so that the public will hear our side of the story as well. Many of these folks are ignorant to the way of life we lead and dismiss us as wild reckless beer guzzling gun shooting hooligans which is what these environmentalist groups would like everyone else to think. Of course this message will be echoed by the media if we don't show up and defend our interests.

We are sportsmen, adventurers, history buffs, explorers and generally very responsible taxpayers. We do not endorse litter or stupid behavior. We stand for responsibly enjoying the trails on our public lands. However, we don't believe in exclusivity of only one or two groups enjoying the trails. We are for educating and enforcing current laws that already exist. We stand for organized clean ups, designated shooting areas and actively maintaining these areas.

This year the Forest Service right here in our own backyard has made plans to shut down a majority of our most treasured trails. Several of these plans have been executed but most are simply waiting upon funding for the new maps. At that point the trails are officially closed and any violators will be at the mercy of the authorities. People the fines and penalties are said to be very very harsh. Not only will this impact us outdoorsy vehicle folks directly, the effect will be felt by businesses that have anything to do with 4x4's, atv's or motorcycles. Dealers, offroad suppliers, tire shops, repair and fabrication shops, guns and ammo dealers, sporting goods, gas stations, convenience markets and the list goes on and on. Off-roading is good for the economy too!
Nationwide, the momentum is not in our favor. The strong arm of big government and special interest groups are gaining ground (literally) because we are not informed nor active and these special interest groups are very actively cozying up to our government departments such as the Forest Service. We have been asleep at the wheel.

Please show up between the hours of 8am and 5pm and bring your rig to show off if possible. Be respectful of their opinions and use the opportunity to educate the public on our lifestyle. Ask lots of question on how they intend to achieve their mission goals. Ask them for specifics. If they are honest, you wont like their answers.
 
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#2 ·
One reason I tell people to join a Jeep club that supports the activities of trail management. Clubs that are a Non-profit. At least in our two clubs, and areas we have made allot of progress to. work with BLM and state to "adopted trails program". Many of our local trails now have signs that tell people who takes care of the trail its name and soon its ratting. We have been able to get money in grants to make kiosks and signs and even to have dumpsters and loaders paid by from Blm to help them clean up areas. The latest issue we are working with and with some great ideas is from a mining project in BH. the mine company is working with us to create a trail as they reclaim the used out areas. we get to design a trail. though the club wants it to be nothing but huge boulders class 5, they said no trouble they have more than we need. Very cool if it works out.

We have lost some areas too. There is another program as well its a "technical trails" program for just hard core trails that in no are meant for GP. The reason for this is, the trail systems now tend to close these trails do to the lack of joe jeeper not being able to get through. what they call lack of reapair. We dont want the trail repaired. leave it alone it gets harder great.

If even 10% of the people that have Jeep would join clubs we have a much Bigger lobby group and our voice would be better heard
 
#3 ·
I am one of the people in Tucson paying attention to this (I go by Catfish on JKO and AZVJC), and have responded to this post on JKO........despite the lack of attention here it is a hot issue that is not being ignored locally. There were about 50 jeeps at last years FRP meet and greet, have'nt heard how this years went........
 
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