Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125890
It's ours if we want it! Forty miles from anywhere, VIa a narrow, cliff-clinging road that's a cafe racer's workout, is a cinnabar ( mer cur y 0 r e ) mining town that became a liabiliry to the New ldria Mining Company in 1972, due to the rising cost of labor. To mechanic Duane Dotson and ex- 22 terminator Ben Smith, both dirt riders from San Rafael, California and to lawyer Ken Larson, director of San Francisco's United Federal Savings & Loan, the place is a biker's dream in the rough. They see it as the seed kernel of a motorcycle community and are organizing a trust which, if fully funded, could buy and develop the town and 3700 acres of prime mountain riding land, located adjacent to open-for-riding BLM forest. . Their goal - to attract upwards of 300 stockholders willing to invest $1,000 each in fully-secured ownership interest, p lus as many $25-a-year members as needed to put the fund over the top. They need $330,000 to meet the asking price. They have already turned down one potential investor's offer of $75,000. :'We don't want one fat cat to control this, if the deal goes through," Ben Smith explains. "We're going to run this with an elected board of directors, and it's going to be operated in the interest of the members, not to suit one big shareholder who can sell us all out. " The town has over 30 buildings, a reservoir, a working water system and at least one telephone. The are a is laced with fire roads, mining access roads, trails , creeks and ready-made trials sections, plus just enoujth pavement for a classic pavement/dirt GP. First goal after purchase will be to develop the existing town as a bikers' resort, hosting weekly events, converting the cookhouse to a gaslight beer garden and cantina, using the general store as a gas station and parts outlet, and making the b unkhouses over into hotel, camping and rental units. Ben and D uane lo o k at it as a full-time opportunity and plan to move in permanently, along with other willing me mbers to form a full-time staff. By turning down the fat-cat contributor, they have chosen to do it the hard .way - appealing directly to the individual riders and enthusiasts. All money received will go into a safe trust to be held until the sale goes through. If it doesn't make it, all money will be returned. Duane and Ben can be reached after working hours ' by phone (Duane (415) Picture yourself and a buddy on pr ime motorcycle land .. . ours, lock, stock and barrel if we move on it . 479-1651, Ben (415) 456-0373) or Ken Larson can be reached by writing Motorcycle Land Fund (New Idria], United Federal Savings & Loan, 498 Clement Street, San Francisco, California 94118. If you can't go and stand on a mountain crest (part of the outlying lan d) and look down in to the valley . town yourself, se nd them a SASE an d get their message. Meanwhile, check o ut the accompanying pictures. As a n opportunity for the motorcycling community, we're almost afraid to breathe lest it evaporate. Lane Campbell