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/126009
THE LAST GREAT NeE Address it to State Director Ed Hastey , BLAt, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacram en to, CA 95 825 .•• Editor Gorilla on the loose I was deeply angered by the tactics used to prevent the Hun tington Beach MC from having their event September 14. I am a land owner in th e Cuddeback area, and feel it is time that cycle enthusiasts join the population of land owners from which sponsoring clubs request permission for their events. In this way, those opposing us can be monitored, and land owners won't be the unaware pawns in the desert conflict. MONA GORILLA Open letter from San Gabriel Valley MC We have the option to appeal the BLM's denial of our Barstow-to-Vegas race permit and we are doing so. It is our feeling that with all our money spent last year doing their .. Environmental Impact Study " and their "Evaluation Report," all this has already been done more completely than ever before. The environmentalists brough t power to bear on them to spend our money and do these reports; now they are ' join tly saying it has to be done again. How long must we stand for this? Our public desert lands that can be used for competitive events are rapidly shrinking to no more than large closed MX·type areas. We feel the time has come to say "enough!" We pledge to all of you that we will pursue this event through all the channels available to us and either have a Barstow-to-Vegas race on November 29 or no race at all. Watch for our future ads in Cycle News and please consider contributions as this will not be an inexpensive endeavor. We will acknowledge all contributions in writing for both our records and yours. DENNIS CRAWFORD - REFEREE SGVMC, 1106 N. Moonlight Smt, Dr. Diamond Bar, CA 91756 Ph : (714) 595-4676 Sierra Club, where are you? 14 Attention Where-Is-The-Sierra-CubWhen·We·Need ·!t·De partment: The Department of Interior has recently announced that strip mining operations will soo n begin in Death Val ley at the scenic and well traveled Gower Gulch and Sabrisky Point areas. The Parks 'an d Recreation Departmen t is trying to figh t this land rape but the Department of Interior says they are powerless to preven t the strip mining. While the Sierra Cub is digging in and fighting the trench skirmish against the bikers, the Corporate En emy is busil y steamrollering ahead and winning the war. Congratulations, Sierra Cub, you assholes , M. THUNDERPUSSY 2564 I Hemet St. Hemet, CA 92343 Ride on I just heard about the Barstow-to-Vegas race . being cancelled. It seems t he Sierra C u b h as gotten in our shorts again. They have taken our biggest race from us - not jus t 50 acres where some In di an o r extinct animal pissed on a bush 100 years ago, bu t a 170 mile stretch that belongs to us . And all of it do ne with our tax dollars. Mo st of us haven't the time to attend all the land-use meetings, but we've got the t ime to ride. If you were planning to go to Barstow for the race, go anyway. Maybe they can stop 3000 bikers from having a legal race on our land, but they can't stop 3000 friends from going trail riding. Be involved with more than just your bikes and your beer. . BOTRETIA Chatsworth, Calif. It's now or never This is your land and my land and I will not surrender mine without a fight. We may not be a typical bike family , for only one out of four rides, yet we all enjoy the desert. We have adhered to the designated riding areas, existing trails, and hauled ours and others trash home . I've had it. I'm mad, bitter, and disgusted at the BLM's denial of the special land use permit for the Barstow-to-Vegas race. Are all bikers idiots? It's ap parent that BLM's di rector believes this to be true. Such feeble excuses! To you that ri de today and for yours to ride to morrow, Dammit;get off your duff and at least drop them a post card. Let BLM know your outrage. If nothing else scribble seven words, I protest denial of the Barstoui -to- Vegas permit. K. BLANTON Lakewood, Calif. Deception in the desert Remember a few short years ago when the BLM was pu tting the ir so-called Desert Plan together? Remember how we were p rom ised that motorcycling would retain its rightful use in the desert? Remember how many people spoke out against the plan claiming it was the firs t step in shutting us o ut of our recreational pursuits? Well, those alarmists were right my friend. Recent events have led me to believe that a "push" is on by our enemies to curtail our use altogether. Case in poin t: Barstow to Vegas . . . Why bring up Barstow to Vegas in an enduro column? If the environmentalists have their way with a "big" race like B.to-V t endures are next. And Bsto -V is in extreme danger of becoming one of those "classic" races that you can tell your kids about because it won't be around anymore. The BLM has just turned down a permit to put the Barstow to Vegas Hare and Hound on. The reason: They (BLM) didn't have enough time to study the impact. Can you believe that? Last year's race was put on only after the most complete and massive study ever done for a race . The course was put off limits afterwards so a study could be made on the actual impact of the race to the course and n ow they tell us they do n 't have enough time? I detect some typical governmen t bureaucratic bullshit he re. If we let them get away with it , it will signal the beginning of the end for racing and possibly all m o to rcy cling use of the desert. Let's not kid o urselves. If we don 't band together now and-£igh t we can just hang it up and go buy a boat or so mething. There is a proposal before District 37 to establish a lega l fund to hire some lawyers and such. Th is is an absolute necessity and must be done now. A rider surcharge of 51 per rider per race has been suggested and it is a very good idea. It means a lot of money over a year 's time for a rider to shell out but what the hell. We pay S1 per rider to BLM for absolutely nothing in return. This way we will know where our money is going. This fund should not be strictly a 0-37 fund. All users and promoters should contribute to it and benefit from it. Non District promoters such as CRC, SRA, PVDR, ORA should c o n trib u te also for their own protection. The question is whether th e AMA is going to jump in with full support. Their attitude towards the B·to-V was basically a defeatist one. They had best support 0-37 or lose support with California cyclists. Another major problem with BLM is the private land controversy. BLM asked Hun tington Beach M/C to pull its permit this last weekend (Sept. 14) when it was brought to BLM's attention (three guesses who) that HBMC did not have written permission to use some private property on their course. Muc h outrage by District riders. However, the real problem lies in the requirement to have written pe rmissio n. There is a lot of private land o ut there in the Mojave. A lot of areas that have been heavily used in the past will not have permits issued in the future due to the private land question. Why has BLM started enforcing this requirement? Pressure from the environmentalists and from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. If there is a goup of politicians that are more anti-motorcycle than the San Berdoo Board, I don't know about them. There is only one thing that politicians understand and that is voting power. Bikers must band together and vote out of office the anti-motorcycle members of the board. We have the power if we just use it. Think how many friends and relatives you could probably talk into voting your way if you lobbied enough? Multiply that by a few thousand active bikers and we wield a lot of power. We outnumber the Sierra Cub 50 to one in size but they have an effective lobby and organization and also money to back them up. We are bei ng m ad e to look silly because we refuse to get ou r act together. We are up against the wall, people. There isn't much time left. Late flash The District 37 Board of Directo rs m et Tuesday nigh t, September 16 and came up with the following: I. A legal Defense Committee has been formed to p lan a definite course of action in regards to the problems facin v 0-37 de sert racers. Names, addresses a nd phone n umbers of co m mittee members appear be low. J ohn Townsend 1133 Sierra Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92707 (714) 557-0754 Bob Tarter 2070 Genessee Orange, CA 92665 (714) 998-5859 Jim Wells 10238 Chaney Avenue Downey , CA 9024 I (213) 861-3642 2. Dub fees will go from $5 a year to $50 a year in 1976. This money will boost the 0-37 treasury so money will be available for emergency action if need be. 3 . A legal defense fund will be created if the Spo rts Co mmittee approves at its October 2 meeting. A surcharge of 5I per rider effe ctive October 15 will be suggested. The Legal Defense Fund will p robably be op en to all desert users such as ORA, e RC e t al. While the surcharge won't be effective until October 15, it wo uldn't h urt to ask for donations at yo ur race for the fund if you h ave a race before then . Let's get it goi ng and build it u p . Not only racers but industry people who will be d irec tly effected if we are shut o ut. You know who you are, let's stand up and be coun ted the best way possible : money tal ks . .•• .. . . Larry Langley