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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126454
The Dirt Diggers decided to try
again. This decision was based on
several factors:
I. The appeal by the riders. most of
whom do not belong to organized
clubs, not to let another event be
taken from them.
2. The appeal from the riders who
use the Ballinger Canyon area for
weekend trail riding. Their cry
was "if the Sierra Club can stop
organized riding in this area, unorganized weekend users don't
have a chancel"
3. The appeal from many of t'he
local property owners in the
Cuyama Valley who have had restrictions put on them by the
Forest Service which 'they felt
were Sierra Club 'initiated.
4, The Dirt Diggers don't like what
is happening, not just in Ballinger
Canyon, but all over everytime
the Sierra CI!Jb gets involved.
On March 28, 1979 a letter was sent
to John McGuire, Chief of the Forest
Service in Washington, D.C., with
copies to several senators, representatives, Forest Service personnel and
newspapers. The history of facts was
stated and questions were asked regarding Forest Service practices and
fair treatment policies.
On June 8, Mr, Smith, Regional
Forester, issued a decision to lift the
stay on the permit and further stated
that the Forest Service Supervisor may
proceed with implementation of his
decision of Feb. 20, to issue a permit
for the Red Garter Enduro. He went
on to state, "Any such permit shall be
issued at least 90 days prior to this
fall's scheduled date for the Red
Garter Enduro."
The Dirt Diggers got to work again.
Property owners were again contacted,
and written permissions for a new date
obtained. On July U, a new application, along with property owner permissions and a new course map were
submitted to the District Ranger to
hold the event on Oct. 21. OnJuly 24,
District Manager Alexander sent a
letter to the Dirt Diggers stating that
since he must issue a pe.rmit at least 90
days prior to the event date, he was not
given sufficient time to react to the
application, He said that a new Environmental Analysis Report had to be
made and since the Red Garter is a
sensitive issue, the EAR should be
distributed to the public for comment
before it is finalized. This action takes
at least 30 days after the report is
finalized. Thus the application was
denied,
The Dirt Diggers asked Alexander
why a new analysis had to be performed.
Mr. Alexander said that the analysis
on record at that time was the same
analysis used for the original '73 Red
Garter and had only been amended
each year to allow for minor course
changes. He further said that this
analysis was inadequate and would not
hold up under appeal. He said that a
new analysis had to be performed using
new methods of study. He also said
that since the event was requested for a
fall date rather than the normal March
date, different factors would have to
be considered in an analysis, such as
the conflict of use between ORVs
anc;l hunters. Thus the application for
the October date was denied.
The Dirt Diggers then submitted an
application for a permit to hold the
Red Garter Enduro on March 16, 1980.
The District Ranger said that he
would work as fast as possible to get a
new EAR completed