Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE 1020 Angeles NaUonnl Forest 1015 North Lake Avenue Pasadena, California 91104 'We in the Angeles National Forest are studying the patterns of Forest use by operators of mechanized off-road vehicles. Recent years have seen a tremendous up-surge in the manufacture and use of this type vehicle. These includc trail bikes, motorbikes, motorcycles, tote-gotes, jeeps, and similar types of equipment. This upsurge of use by the operators of these vehicles has placed considerable demand on public lands such as the National Forests. It has also raised ncw questions as to where such vehicles may be driven with safety and without seriously harmin::; the soil and other vnlllablc lluturnl rcsources. These questions are new to us, particularly as they relate to the relationship between this type of vehicle use and the more traditional uses of the National Forests. Here on the Angeles National Forest, we are trying to find the answers to the many questions raised. To help us do this we are holding a series of three public meetings to get 'the public's view on tIris complex subject. These will be held on the evenings of March 16, 17, and 18, 1971. At this time a range of proposnls concerning the use of off-road vehicles in the I'Cl'est will be presented for discussion. These identical, public meetings will be held as follows: . By Ron Schneiders This episode of Where You May Ride will not give you any specific locations, but it may have a great deal to do with where you may ride in the future months and years. In spite of the (irejudices of desert riders, the forest is a dandy place to ride. It is criss-crossed with fire roads, laced with trails, and dotted' with campsites. There are creeks and canyons galore, and the vegetation varies from thick trees to cactus. Maybe you didn't know, but a good part of both the Angeles. Forest and the Los Padres Forest are actually desert. Whether or not you like to ride the forest though, is immaterial. The plain simple truth is that every day and every week we are losing riding ground, near our homes, out in the desert, and in the forest. And while we are losing ground the number of riders needing space is increasing like the proverbial rabbit horde. All of us must join in the fight to hold every square foot of land, whether The choice is Yours. we ever plan to ride that square foot Or not. Yau desert racers and motocross guys help the trail rider keep his riding areas open and not only will he not be crowding you out of your favorite event, he might even help you keep the land you need for the next race. _ A while ago we ran an article about a series of meetings in the planning sta!(e that concerned the Angeles National Forest. Mr. Art. DuFault, Public Information Officer of the Angeles Forest, told us about the meetings but did not tell us where they were to be held (it hadn't been determined at press time). The purpose of the meetings was to sample public opinion about the uses that the forest should be put to. This sampling of public opinion will help to determine forest service policy with respect to motorcycles. They could result in anything from our being barred from the forest completely to Ollr being encouraged to use the forest more (though the latter is unlikely). In large part it's up to us. Naturally, everyone should plan to attend these meetings. Don't plan on leaving it up to the other guy to do cause he's already planned to leave it Ull to you, and if I'm the only ***************** ,. : ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. SOUTH-LYN ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. everything for both dirt & street rider Huge Inventory .. • parts & accessories • ONE DAY SERVICE HONDA * SUZUKI All Models In Stock 9735 LONG BEACH BLVD ,. SOUTH GATE, CALIF. ,. ,. (213) 564-5666 ,. __~ * * * "L~.~~.!.~!:...:!'_~_l\:_*_-* March 16 - Eaton Canyon Nature Center 1750 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena 7:30 -10:00 p. m. March 17 - Thomas Jefferson School 19QO North 6th, Burbank 7:30-10:00 p. In. March 18 - Palmdale High School 7:30-10:00 p. m. 2137 East Ave. R, Palmdale I hope that those interested in the managemcnt of the Angeles Nationnl Forest will take an active part in these meetings. Oral comments and written statements of individuals or organizat,ions will be welcome. All statements and comments wlll be given full consideration in forming management policy that will govern this type of use on Nation3.I Forest lands. We hope you will be able to participate in one of these meetings. However, written statements will be accepted for a 30-day period after the meetings are completed. Sincerely, .PLACE: Pepper Street Playground 2630 Pepper Ave. Los Angeles (213) 221·7821 TIME: 7:30 P.M. DATE: March 5,1971 ART,DU FAULT Publlc Information Officer guy there ('m gomg to go out for a beer imd think about finding a new sport. All of the necessary information is in the letter box on this page. The Forest Service plan is good as far as it goes, but there is one serious difficulty. Each of the meetings is 2Y2 hours long. Part of the time is going to be taken by the Forest Service to explain the problems. Every interested' group from the bird watchers to the .:>Ierra Clubbers to the cyclists to the trout fishermen are supposedly going to be given their say. If each group gets 15 minutes, it will be a miracle. So it behooves us to use our 15 minutes (if we get that much) wisely. In general, the response to the first article that we ran was moderate. A few people called or wrote to Mr. DuFault and some wrote to us at the paper to ask for more informa tion. Nothing very world-shaking. But one group has picked up the ball and is planning to run with it, at leasr for a while. The group is t!:!e Conejo Trail Riders, who are well-known for an enduro they put on last fall to benefit M.O.R.E. Their enduro drew a capacity entry despite the fact that it was postponed once and the rain-date was the same weekend as Hopetown! SparkpJug of the C.T.R. is Bud Collett, a fortyish, trim guy who is determined to do something to keep some riding areas open. He is a trail rider, family camping type, without all that much use for racers. He feels that without racers the status of motorcyclists could be improved more. But he, like most of the thinking generation, knows that cooperation among all factions is needed if any are to survive. YAMAHA SPORTCYCLES NEW & USED SALES Parts-Accessories-Service First, of Course, you've got to get everybody together and talking, so Bud has arranged to use the Pepper street Playground meeting hall this Friday evening, March 5, 1971. Yep, that's right, the same place District 37 meets. Every club and association is invited and urged to send one representative to the meeting. "Every" means just that: AMA clubs, C.M.C., A.C.A., C.E.R.A., M.LC., District 37, Sidehack Association, and anybody else I've forgotten. If your club doesn't meet, get on the phone and get your president or District Rep to attend. . The meeting will hopefully accomplish three objectives: First and most urgent is the formation of a policy regarding the use of the forest wlUch a large number of cyclists will accept. If we can go to the Forest Service meetings and say ''This is what 40,000 Southern California motorcyclists would like" we will be much more likely to achieve something than if a handful of people get up and say "Well, I 'like to ride in the forest, and I wish you'd let me!" Naturally, the second order of business will be to try to arrange for the most effective presentations. Good speakers and maybe some artwork will be required. And of course every representative will be fired up to get members of his own organization to attend the Forest Service meetings. It would be nice to outnumber the other groups for a change. The last jolt of the represen tatives will be t.o form a permanent organi~ation, a "Council of Clubs" if you WIll, to deal with problems of this type in the future. Don't come to the meeting empty-handed and empty-headed. Have some ideas about Forest Service policy for bikes so that something can be done. If possible, have a written proposal. See how many members of your club you can pledge to attend the Forest Service meetings. Participants, not spectators, are needed. See you Friday. '. • .aJa Wins . again! Hare Scrambles Feb. 14, 1971 100 Am/Ex. Class 1st Terry Clark - Baja 100 (4th overall) 2nd Mitch Mayes - Baja 100 (7th overall) 4th Jim Sumners - Baja 100 (20th overall) Financing-Insurance' MASTER CHARGE-BANKAMERICARD Discount to Ascot Racers GENE H. MYERS 4151 Redondo Beach Blvd., Lawndale, Ca. (213) 542-4047 the BarleyDavidson. 'lJiplUflUllJlJZL It) ,... ell ell .r: ". : ::;; ~ w Z W ..J U >- U

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