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/125984
••••••••• •••• __ a • •• _ WRITIN AROUND "Critical damage" or damaged critics? Screen pr inted on per ma nent indest ructabl e pr essur e sen sitive vin yl . availa ble i n 3 c noices (BW) Black on white (BC ) Blac k o n clea r (to r use on Lighr color background) The BLM has not even released its preliminary report o n the impact o f th e Barstow-Vegas race, and alr eady th e preservation pop-offs are propagandizin g it. "Resul ts are now in ," lies the l e ad editorial in Friday's San Bern ard in o, C al if orni a SunTelegram, for the BLM report is sketchy and on ly cove rs two mo nths observa t io n o f c o u r s e r e cov ery . . " L as t fall 's Barstow -to-Las Vegas motorcycle race le ft criti ca l damage to the desert behind it ," the editoria l begin s. What th ey rea lly mean is th at critics of the race have b een da maged by the facts, which they are not eager to ac kno wledge. "Effects of th e rac e leave lovers and respecte rs of th e deser t. aghast ." So , wha t els e is n ews? "The im pact was heavily d etrimental t o vegetation in th e pa r k i ng a reas." Oh , reall y ? Yawn . , " Surfaces o f the desert wer e destroy ed an d pl ant root devel op men t rest ricted." .Destroyed, huh ? Zzz. _ "Small animal co lo nies were h armed. In o ne sec t ion chec ke d by the BLM the p opulation was reduced 9 0 percent." Sn ore . Remember, this was the situation in January, as compared with l ast N ovember . Remember, we've run this race annually for th e past eight y ear s. What happened to all the , mice and lizards? Hibernating, probabl y. , , A c c o m p an yin 's the destru ction . . . was that o f archeologica l sites. Three of 19 investigated s ustained 15 perce nt d isturban ce ." K now what a n "archeolo gica l site" is? It is any pl ace any bo d y thinks an Indian mi ght have stopped to break a rock, or cook a rabbit. The propa gandi st uses Ud i s t u r ba nc e " and "destruction" in terch angeably. What does he care fo r the truth? Ex aggeratio n and o versta t ing are his only we apons. ' " T he ' s i n g l e example of the motorc ycl e race demonstrates th at restrictions must be drawn tighter and , o f f- ro ad vehicle use areas ca re fully circ u msc ribed an d thoroughly policed," the ch u rlish rag con tin ues. Fun is fun , but is mi ghty unacceptable fun wh en it threatens th e priceless be auty of the desert, its pl ants and sp ring flowering, its ani m al life st rugg ling for wasteland existence , an d th e arc heology of th e l o ng-departed hum an s who d welled up on it so m an y hundreds and t hou s an ds of yea rs ago," t he anony mo us editori al wri ter c onclu des . Bullfeather s, every word . T he BLM stu dy of th e co urse is not c o m p le te and th ere ap pea rs t o be no n ew in fo rma t io n in th e GO-day interi m fin dings. Ther e is n o " t hre at-" Th at n ew spaper is ob viously trying t o poison th e well of pu bli c o p i n io n b efo re t he y even exami ne the BLM results. Such lying a n d propagandizing is of c o u r se s e If-defeating in the long run, and n othing need be done about it except perhap s bo yc o t ting the offending organ. Bu t it und erlines the e m o t io nal ex tremes th at rabid motorcycle haters will go to just in hopes 0 f su ckering innocent readers into believing ugly , poisonous, mistaken motorcycle hatred ' li ke the Sun-Te legram vomits. I find it dep r ess ing t h a t anyo ne i n m y professio n would prostitute his wits in this unseemly fashion, for it redo unds unfavo rab ly on the credibility of the newspaper medi um as a whole. U Charles Clayton ,l-< (' or use on any color baCkground) 0.. -< (WC) Wh ite on clear (lor use on Dark col or backgr?undJ © COPYRIGHT 1975 SUPER ,S IZ E DECALS - 19 x 27 ACT N O W. LIM ITED SUPPLY ["tI O"'''' IS ...... Cr>IOC . l or mOft@ ... OHI", • • lor U SE THIS HAND Y ORO ER B LANK S PINhP ' u .. r>If , .... - U.. · 10 ,,,, ,, ,,, ,110 ,h'''''' M ake c heck or m on ey order pa yab l e te. OMI. post office bat 2(J}9. chapel hill, north cororma 27514 , Name ( MFTD) $• .95 _ Address 9 'h x 1 3 MEDIUM REAR DECALS PlEASE SPECIFY IT EMS, QUANTITY & COLDR N o l e : North Cafolma fesI/1enrs add 4 " $e le s t8 ~ 5th Annual Virginia City ~ Grand Prix 1975 • western states racing assn. May 10th & 11th Virginia City, Ne~ 350 riders per day only! Camping. Showers for riders. T ro p hies. Cont ingencies. Pu re silve r bars for 1st Ove rall each day. Finisher pins . Course approximately 15 0 miles . 350 ride rs per-day . - Classes : Saturday - 100, 125, 250, Nov . 125 , Jr. & 125, Exp. Powder Puff. O.T. (8+1 - Nov ice. Sunday - Open Novice, 250 J r., 250 Exp., Open J r. & Open Expert. O.T. (AI - Jr. & Exp. - Old T imers 36 & Ove r. Entries Open at 12:01 o n April 1st & close May 1st. Entry fee : $15 Pre, $100 Post. Includes insurance . No refunds. Include 2 S.A.S.E. & Mail to : Western States Racing Assn., PO Box 7244, Reno, Nevada 89502. 0-36 riders must USB c ross co un try card . Out of District use highest classification. Information : 702·972·1853 or 358-2706. Deta ils : You r r i d i n g numbers will be mailed to you • . • • District 36 & AMA ru les. 10 riders leave t he line with 15 seconds between groups. No Rid ing except during the race and riders' parade. Any misconduct at the t rack or in town wi ll result in riders be ing ejected from areas. 10 MI UTES OFlOUR lIME CO ID SAVE AFRIEND'S UFE. , r c.£i I ~ the time it takes to dr ive your friend home. you could save his life. ' Your friend has a drinking problem . But it's nothing compared to his driving problem. . Everv time he driv es drunk. he'~ riskin g his life and the innocent lives of others . ' Every time may be the last time. Take ten minutes . Or twen ty. Or a n hou' Dr ive him home. T ha t's all. If you can't do that . call a cab. Or let him sleep on your couch. We're not aski ng you to be a doctor or a cop. We're simp ly asking you to be a human being. · DRUNK-DRIVER - - - - - - • BOX 2345 ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND 20852 I want to save a friend's life. Tell me what else [ can do. I I I I I ~l y name is I Address I Cily State Zip L WHEN APROBLEM DRINKER DRIVES, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM. 0 - I I I I I I I ...J u.s OEPARTh'lENT OF TRA NSPOR TATION • NAnON AL HIGHWAY TRAF fiC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION ... 23•