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/126442
Confidential will keep us abreast of
"interesting" moves in Sacramento.
Things, as column author C.N.
Deepthroat described it, that have
been swept under the carpet by
bur,aucrats. C.N. plans to lift a few
carpet edges - a ~ good plan
especially considering that 1980 is an
election year and that we aU should
resolve to become more politically
aware and active. An example of
Deepthroat's work folJows in the next
Latest Poop item on this page. For
more, see his fim column on p. 25.
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A recent 0..- blHh'lt of Parks and
RecrMtion publication was circu-
lated for comment ckwing November. Conspicuous by its absence
As you read these printed words, the
editors, ad flakes and production
staffers of Cycle News are on vacation.
We're doing one of three things: (1)
Lounging on the sparkling sands of
beautiful Waikiki Beach, cool drink in
one hand and a copy of Gentlemen
Quarterly in the other, being gently
fanned by a bronzed beauty in a string
bikini, or (2) Schussing down the slopes
of Snowbird, Alta, Aspen or Lake
Placid getting in a good workout before
heading back to the lodge for an
evening of. mingling with other jetsetters around the fireplace, or (5)
Sleeping face-down like proverbial
logs at home where we crashed flat on
the floor after having dragged our
weary bodies through the front door,
dreaming of a land without deadlines
and thanking the big biker in the sky
for having let us survive another 50
issues. Seriously, though. It's been fun,
and we're looking forward to doing it
all again in 1980. Papa's first New
Year's resolution is to try even harder
to provide you with all the news in the
world of motorcycling. See ya in
January!
s
y
o
Joining the Cycle NewslWeat staff
in January will be Mark Kariya.
Mark has helped us at selected
major events in addition to doing
an excellent job of reporting CMC
motocross at Carlsbed and Saddl.
back. Mark will replace Bobi
McGann, who after 10 yeers with
Cycle News, lac., has decided to
channel her talents elsewhere. As
Bobi says, "A woman's place is In
the house ... and the senata."
Aetuelly, we think she's just turning domestic and wi! probably
practice her knitting, sewing and
keeping that new husband of hers
in line.
Latest word on Bob Hannah indicates
that the "Hurricane" will not be riding
the AMA 250cc National Championship MX Series next year due to
injuries sustained in his waterski acci·
dent. Apparently the leg is not healing
as quickly as originally anticipated,
and Papa figures he'll change to the
500cc class which kicks off two months
after the 250cc senes opener. No
official change of class has been made
yet, and a source at Yamaha described
the information as an "unsubstantiated
rumor."
Yamaha plans a mid-January
release date for the names of their
off-road squed, a truly professional
effort for AMA National Enduro,
Two-Day/lSDT
. and
SCORE
competition.
6
Starting with this issue, a column
entitled
California
. Capitol
from the Depa'tment's plans for
the 1980s was a real effort on
behalf of the ORV users. Instead,
the plan mentioned the growing
energy crisis and the possibility
that the Department should "r.
evaluate" its role in providing offhighway facilities in the future in
light of the possible energy shortages. Assemblyman Hayes sent a
reprasentative to one of the heerings on the plan to remind the
Department that they had a mandate to provide these facilities, and
any "rlHtvaluation" would be done
by the Legislature. Even the Sierra
Club agrees with us on this issue.
A racent editorial in the Sierra
Club's ORV ltIonItor asks its
members to refrain from attacking
the use of gasoline in off-road
vehicles, warning, "Once you start
advocating 'fuel censorship' by
government. watch out. It's a
Pandora's Box." Their point is that
if the buraaucrats take away our
gas, it won't be long before they
take away the gas the posey pluckers use to drive to wherever it is
that they go to pluck poseys.
And then there's the wayward Cycle
News ad salesman who tried to ride B·
to· V on a flat tire. Skip says thanks to
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Whalen of the Four
Aces M.C. for giving him a new tube.
Good thing desert people are always
on the watch for people who need
help. Thanks, Bill and Kim. for
babysining while Papa took a break.
The Phantom Duck of the Desert
has been active on the land-use
front recently. The Duck talked end the BLM listened seriously about the possibility of starting the
Check Chase in the Lueene Velleyl
Johnson Valley Open Area, and
about holding an enduro over the
route In the spring as kind of a test
procedure. A start in the heavilyused Johnson Valley • • could
remove many of the environmentalists' proteStS. The Duck wit present the idea to DistrIct :r1 in the
nearfutwe.
The January issue of Dirt Bike Magazine came across Papa's desk on press·
day morning. and while we sincerely
thank Rick Sieman for the kind words,
we have to give him a special award, a
la those on p. 18. The ThiJ..just-goeslIHhow-~th'in