Dirt, Dust and the Desert

10 Ways To Minimize Your Impact When Camping Outdoors

TOP 10 WAYS TO MINIMIZE IMPACT WHEN CAMPING IN THE OUTDOORS

(from Tread Lightly!’s Tips for Responsible Camping brochure) 

1. Whenever possible, use existing campsites. Camp on durable surfaces and place tents on a non-vegetated area.  Do not dig trenches around tents.
2. Camp a least 200 feet from water, trails and other campsites.
3. Pack out what you pack in. Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.
4. Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and the amount of trash to carry out.
5. For cooking, consider using a camp stove instead of a campfire. Camp stoves leave less of an impact on the land.
6. Observe all fire restrictions. If you must build a fire—use existing fire rings, build a mound fire, or use a fire pan. Use only fallen timber for campfires. Do not cut standing trees. Clear a 10-foot diameter area around the site by removing any grass, twigs, leaves and extra firewood. Also make sure there aren’t any tree limbs or flammable objects hanging overhead.
7. Allow the wood to burn down to a fine ash, if possible. Pour water on the fire and drown all embers until the hissing sound stops. Stir the campfire ashes and embers until everything is wet and cold to the touch. If you don’t have water, use dirt. 
8. Detergents, toothpaste and soap harm fish and other aquatic life. Wash 200 feet away from streams and lakes. Scatter gray water so it filters through the soil.
9. In areas without toilets, use a portable latrine if possible, and pack out your waste. If you don’t have a portable latrine, you may need to bury your waste. Human waste should be disposed of in a shallow hole six to eight inches deep at least 200 feet from water sources, campsites, or trails. Cover and disguise the hole with natural materials. It is recommended to pack out your toilet paper. High use areas may have other restrictions, so check with a land manager.
10. Following a trip, wash your gear and support vehicle to reduce the spread of invasive species.

 

National Parks Service - Natural Landmarks photo contest

 

The National Park Service has announced the 8th annual National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest. They are seeking photos that display the aesthetic, scientific and educational value of the nearly 600 designated National Natural Landmarks nationwide.

Winning photos will be compiled into the 2012 calendar celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Natural Landmarks Program. Entries will be accepted until June 20, 2011.

Two areas in Imperial County are on the list (The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area and San Felipe Creek Area). The deadline is June 30th!!! So get your submission in quickly! For details visit the link below.

http://challenge.gov/challenges/156  or http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/photocontest.cfm or email NNLphotocontest@nps.gov.

CA State Park Closures

If you haven't heard yet, the California Department of Parks and Recreation will be closing 70 of its 278 parks this coming year, due to cuts in the state budget. You can read the complete news release below. Imperial County will be affected through the closures of Picacho and Salton Sea SRAs.

 

Download 2011ParkClosures_attachments20110513

 

Full list of 70 closures:

California State Park Closures to Meet 2011/12-2012/13 General Fund Reductions

Anderson Marsh SHP

Annadel SP

Antelope Valley Indian Museum

Austin Creek SRA

Bale Grist Mill SHP

Benbow Lake SRA

Benicia Capitol SHP

Benicia SRA

Bidwell Mansion SHP

Bothe-Napa Valley SP

Brannan Island SRA

California Mining & Mineral Museum

Candlestick Point SRA

Castle Crags SP

Castle Rock SP

China Camp SP

Colusa-Sacramento River SRA

Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP

Fort Humboldt SHP

Fort Tejon SHP

Garrapata SP

George J. Hatfield SRA

Governor's Mansion SHP

Gray Whale Cove SB

Greenwood SB

Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP

Hendy Woods SP

Henry W. Coe SP

Jack London SHP

Jug Handle SNR

Leland Stanford Mansion SHP

Limekiln SP

Los Encinos SHP

Malakoff Diggins SHP

Manchester SP

McConnell SRA

McGrath SB

Mono Lake Tufa SNR

Morro Strand SB

Moss Landing SB

Olompali SHP

Palomar Mountain SP

Petaluma Adobe SHP

Picacho SRA

Pio Pico SHP

Plumas-Eureka SP

Point Cabrillo Light Station

Portola Redwoods SP

Providence Mountains SRA

Railtown 1897 SHP

Russian Gulch SP

Saddleback Butte SP

Salton Sea SRA

Samuel P. Taylor SP

San Pasqual Battlefield SHP

Santa Cruz Mission SHP

Santa Susana Pass SHP

Shasta SHP

South Yuba River SP

Standish-Hickey SRA

Sugarloaf Ridge SP

Tomales Bay SP

Tule Elk SNR

Turlock Lake SRA

Twin Lakes SB

Weaverville Joss House SHP

Westport-Union Landing SB

William B. Ide Adobe SHP

Woodson Bridge SRA

Zmudowski SB

Total Park Closures: 70

 

82% of ISDRA visitors satisfied with facilities, services and recreation opportunities

Throughout the 2010-2011 dune season the BLM, through the University of Idaho, conducted a visitor satisfaction survey. This survey was used to measure the satisfaction of visitors utilizing the land and facilities at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (Glamis/Buttercup).

If you would like to see the results and read the report, click on the link below.

 

http://psu.uidaho.edu/blm/reports/FY11/blm-IMSA311.pdf

 

Assault on OHV Funds

Last week the California Legislative budget committee met to try to find funds to help balance the states very large budget shortfall.  There are two main Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) trust funds, one for operations and one for funding grants.  The committee initially decided to take $27,000,000 from the operations fund and then began looking at the grants fund. The initial plan was to ‘reallocate’ about $11,000,000 of the grants fund for other purposes and to ‘loan’ $4,000,000 of this to the State Parks division.  This would have wiped out virtually all OHV funding.  An outpouring of faxes, phone calls, and e-mails against the ‘reallocation,’ caused the committee to table this discussion and start to look at other ways to balance the budget.

On March 3, when discussion returned to reallocating the OHV funds, the committee voted to reallocate $10,000,000 from the OHV Trust Funds.  Of this, $5M was to come from the grants fund and $5M from the division/support program.  It is not clear whether this is a ‘take’ or a ‘loan.’  Please remember that this is a budget committee vote and will need to be voted on by both houses of the California Legislature.

There are two venues to challenge these attempts to ‘reallocate’ these funds.  First, these are self-funded programs which were meant to be used for a specific purpose.  In addition, when the OHV community agreed to more than a doubling of our OHV registration fees, there was a provision written into the agreement that these funds could not be reallocated, but could only be ‘borrowed,’ as long as they were repaid with interest within three years. There are already loans pending to be repaid under the loan provisions.  Another possible challenge could be made under Proposition 22, which voters enacted last year and which addresses the issue of not allowing gas taxes to be used for anything other than their intended uses.  Note that the OHV community has come together twice to institute legal action when these funds have been taken by the legislature and both times they have prevailed.

If the original assault on the OHV maintenance funds were to actually occur, it might result in the layoff of about 200 California State OHV Parks employees and could result in the closure of many of the California OHV Parks.  These closures could include Oceano Dunes and Ocotillo Wells SVRA;  however, we don’t see how that would occur without the law enforcement rangers that would likely be included in the layoff.  If the money from the Grants Fund is taken, it would severely affect the operations at other OHV parks and recreation areas, including the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, which are federal recreation areas.  This is because a major portion of the funding for seasonal EMS and Law Enforcement as well as the money for medical and other supplies comes from these grant funds. 

The Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Commission has scheduled a special meeting on March 14th to discuss recent developments impacting the OHMVR budget. An agenda and notice for the meeting has been posted on the Commission website, and can be viewed at http://ohv.parks.ca.gov. The OHMVR will consider, and may take action on, a briefing and status report regarding developments pertaining to the OHV Program budget for FY 2011/12.  This will include the recent actions by the Budget Conference Committee to cut $10M from the OHV Trust Fund ($5M from grants and $5M from operations) and transfer the funds to the General Fund.  This action is in addition to a proposed $21M loan from the OHV Trust Fund reserves to the General Fund.  There will be a public comment period at this meeting being held in Sacramento. 

I urge you to contact your legislators and let them know that you oppose this assault on your OHV funds. I urge you to visit http://capwiz.com/amacycle/issues/alert/?alertid=29032501 for some helpful information you can use in your correspondence.

 

Let Common Sense Prevail This Off-Road Season

Off-Road season has officially started in Imperial County!

If you haven't seen the parade of RVs, toy-haulers, ATVs, Rhinos, dune buggies, trailers and out-of-towners pouring through our cities lately, you must have been living under a rock. Living in Brawley, as I do, it is always interesting to observe the myriad of rigs, toys and gear that roll through town. I always enjoy (insert sarcastic smirk here) pulling into VONS, in need of my caffeine fix from Starbucks, and attempting to weave through the RV/trailer maze that is now the parking lot. If you live in Brawley, you know exactly what I mean. While these desert imports might be a bit of an annoyance to us locals, especially when they impede access to coffee, they are a welcome sight to this desert enthusiast. 

Off-Road recreation represents anywhere from $181.4 - $320.7 million dollars for our local economy (2006, ISDRA Visitor Profile Study). This very important piece of our overall economic pie does bring with it issues, one issue being that of safety. Let's face it, not everyone that recreates out at the dunes or the western deserts does so with great attention paid to personal or general safety. Granted, that number is small, but as we all know it is the 1% that ruin things for everyone else. With that in mind I thought it wise to spell out some of the laws you may have questions about, as well as safety tips to keep you and your family safe while you recreate in our beautiful deserts. 

 

HOW TO SAFELY OPERATE YOUR OHV - per ASA Website 

How do I know if an OHV is the right size for the rider?

The operator of any OHV must be able to reach and operate all controls to safely operate the vehicle. Additionally, parents can be held legally responsible when allowing their kids under age 14 to operate an inappropriately-sized OHV where all controls cannot be reached and operated for safe operation and a parent can be cited when failing to do so.

Are there any speed limits for OHVs?

Yes. The off-highway speed laws are similar to on-highway speed laws in that your speed must be reasonable and prudent for the situation. In addition, you are limited to no more than 15 mph within 50 feet of campsites, animals, or groups of people.

Are there laws regarding unsafe operation off-highway?

Yes. You must obey official signs and regulations. You may only move or turn your OHV when it is safe to do so. You may not operate in a reckless manner.

Is a driver's license required to operate a vehicle off-highway?

No, but if you’re driving privilege is suspended or revoked, you cannot operate any vehicle either on or off-highway in California.

Is there a size or age limit to operate a vehicle off-highway?

No. There is no law that specifies a minimum age to operate any OHV, but operators of all OHVs must be able to reach and operate all controls. There are safety training and supervision laws for youth operating ATVs that are age specific.

Is there a passenger limit for my OHV?

Yes. OHVs must be safely loaded and ATVs generally are not allowed to carry any passengers. If you carry passengers anywhere other than a seat provided by the manufacturer, you could be cited for unsafe operation depending on the terrain, speed, traffic, and other factors. Check with the land management agency where you plan to ride to verify current laws and any special restrictions for that area.

What about towing passengers?

Towing a passenger may be considered unsafe, and subject to citation, unless the towed passenger is riding on a vehicle designed to carry passengers.

Can an OHV ever be operated on the highway in California?

Yes. OHVs, meeting specific equipment requirements, when used by an operator with a valid driver's license, can be driven on highway sections that have been legally designated and signed for combined use of both off-highway vehicles and highway legal vehicles. These sections cannot be more than three miles long and must be signed describing the combined use status. Additionally, all OHVs can cross a two lane highway at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the direction of the roadway, and at a place where a quick and safe crossing may be made.

Can I be arrested for DUI when driving my OHV off-highway?

Yes. The laws regarding driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs apply throughout California, both on and off-highway.

Can I or any of my passengers have an open container in or on an OHV?

No. The CVC prohibits open alcoholic beverage containers in OHVs.

For more safety information please visit California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation website at: http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1234

 

 

SAFETY TIPS 

- Wear a helmet and proper clothing.

- Know the legal age requirements for driving various types of vehicles

 - Make sure you know how much fuel is in your vehicle.

- Secure your property and valuables before you leave your campsite.

- Tell people where you are going or leave a visible note at camp. this is important if a search becomes necessary.

- Try to ride in familiar areas or go with those who know the area.

- Carry sufficient water. One quart per person per hour is a good rule.

- Have a proper BLM-approved flag on your vehicle.

- STRICTLY observe the 15mph speed limit with in 50 feet of camps and pedestrians.

- Don't ride blind over dunes. The drop may be steep.

- Do not dune in different angles than your friends are going. Try to follow in a single file, especially on busy weekends. If you get separated from your group, it will be easier to back track and find you.

- Don't ride in the bed of a pickup.

- Wear seatbelts where applicable.

- Carry a cell phone and make sure the battery is charged.

- A GPS device is very helpful.

- From dusk on, use proper lighting. Keep your whip and whip lights working. Have at least four working lights [On rails and two on quads] if you ride at night.

- Don't drink alcohol before or during rides.

 

 

Hope you find these tips helpful. HAPPY (AND SAFE) OFF-ROADING TO YOU ALL!!!!!

The Future of Racing in the Desert?

The IV Press reported on Monday that the BLM has cancelled an AMA District 38 race. Now granted, this is reportedly because the permit was turned in late and BLM staff did not have a proper amount of time to address the application. I get that, really I do. But with tightening regulations and increased BLM presence at these events, is this the first in a long string of rejections or is this just good business practice? The tragedy of the MDR race in Lucern Valley  would understandably make BLM reassess permitting processes. My hope is that we, as spectators and participants, proceed with more common sense and that BLM is not forced to ground us like unruly children.

 http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2010/10/10/sports/sports02.txt

BLM Director Abbey visits the Sand Sports Super Show

The following is a link to an article/pictures regarding BLM Director Abbeys visit to the Sand Sports Super Show and his recognition of the American Sand Association's 10 year anniversary.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2010/450xtra_abbey_asa.html

SSSS 2010 Day 1

Day 1:

The doors of the 12^th annual Sand Sports Super Show (SSSS) sprung open promptly at 10am this morning and a fevered throng of show attendees rushed through hoping to get the first glimpse of the latest and greatest in sand sport vehicles, technology, artistry, apparel, accessories and clothing! NOT! Ok, the latest and greatest of all those things is true, but it is the ‘fevered throng’ portion of that last statement that I exaggerate. Normally the SSSS doesn’t open until 3pm on Friday. This year, they decided 10am was when we needed to open. I spoke to, maybe, 20 people in the first 3 hours of the show. So needless to say, it was a slow start. By 5 pm the day picked up, but the first 7 hours of the day were brutally slow. My vote for next year’s show, go back to the short Friday hours.

 

The slow day did, however, afford me the opportunity to get to know my booth neighbors. To the left, the UDG is neighbor to Banning Motorsports  http://www.banningmotorsports.com/shopsite/ . Banning Motorsports is the organization that graciously built and donated this year’s American Sand Association (ASA) raffle car http://www.americansandassociation.org/pages.php?pageid=7 . This year’s car is a true dual-sport vehicle. Built on a 4130 chromoly 130” chassis it seats 3 or 4 people depending on if it is being used as a pre-run or a sand car. It contains a Turn Key LS-1 engine, Gibson performance exhaust, Kennedy adapter and clutch assembly, Mendeola Transmission, Fox 20” shocks, and Pro-Am hubs. This absolutely gorgeous vehicle will be going to one lucky winner on Sunday when the winning raffle ticket is drawn at the end of this year’s SSSS. Banning Motorsports is based in Phoenix and is proud to support the ASA’s mission to “Unite, Inform and Mobilize” the sand sport community, by building this year’s raffle car.

 

To the right of the UDG booth is S&S Off-Road Magazine (Formerly SD Off-Road). S&S is published by Steve and Sheri Kukla http://www.sandiegooffroad.com/. This publication is printed in an oversized format and can be found all over Southern California in off-road stores and on-site desert shops, or you can become a subscriber. S&S is a unique publication in that it is very much an off-road community magazine.  The pictures, stories, hints and suggestions that make up each issue are submitted by readers, and therefore each issue is packed with information from true off-road enthusiasts.

 

The Kuklas also have another passion. They are the founders of Thundering Trails, an off-road camp for inner city and underprivileged kids. Thundering Trails is a California non-profit corporation and runs strictly through the generosity of individuals and businesses. Depending on donations the Kuklas run 8-10 camps during the off-road season for kids in 4^th-6^th grade. They keep the groups small, 8-10 boys or girls, so that everyone will get individualized attention. Camp activities include mini bike riding, hay rides, hiking, treasure hunts, games and a chapel service.  Children are referred to the program through various agencies. If you would like to learn more about Thundering Trails or would like to donate to the cause, visit their website at http://www.sandiegooffroad.com/thunderingtrails.htm

 

Well, that is all for now. Can’t wait to walk around the show tomorrow and look at all the amazing products and discounts the vendors have to offer.

 

 

CT

 

Sand Sports Super Show 2011!

This is my first post, on my first blog, EVER! I truly hope that someone, somewhere, finds this to be helpful, informative and entertaining.  We shall see.

This weekend, September 17-19, is the Sand Sports Super Show! This event is the official kick-off to the dune/off-road season and is a HUGE gathering of sand sport enthusiasts, vendors, services (and some of the most interesting people I have ever met)! This will be my 3rd year to attend this amazing event and this year I will be sharing the experience with all of you. I will be posting video, pictures and fun facts each day about the show. I hope you will check in with me daily, see what is going on at the show and share any insights you may have.   For more information on the Sand Sports Super Show please visit  http://www.sandsportssupershow.com/ .

That's all for now.

CT