Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

over 50 percent of the pre-existing routes available to motorized use contained within the GSENM were wiped out of the travel plan. The area proposed for the San Rafael Swell National Monument is massive - approximately 620,000 acres. Critics argue that this amount of land hardly adheres to the "smallest area" clause of the Antiquities Act. The area also boasts some of the most beautiful desert scenery God ever made - with wonderful trails to get there and enjoy it. There are OHV trails that follow historic wagon trails such as the Devil's Race Track, as well as the Temple Mountain Motorcycle Trail System (a.k.a. Dick Brass Trails), and the Five Miles of Hell (self-explanatory muy macho riding). OHV enthusiasts are sure that the national monument is the 'Kiss of Death' for those and other equally wonderful trails. And environmentalists worry that the monument will become an OHV playground because the whole idea is not their idea. So why did the Emery County Commissioners make a behind-thescenes decision to seek a monument? One reason centers around antics by a radical environmental group, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). SUWA currently has a bill in Congress called the Red Rock Wilderness Bill (HR1613 and S786) that calls for massive wilderness designations throughout Utah's public lands. If passed by a majority of representatives in Congress (many of whom know as much about Utah as they do about voting themselves paycheck cuts, and simply don't care if everyone else has to hike it 'cause they never wiJI), a whopping 49 percent of Emery County will become off-limits to anything but hooves and hiking boots. With a monument designation in place that stresses protection and multiple use, local officials hope that Congress will realize that federal land can be managed without trussing it up tighter than your Aunt Martha's girdle, and bills like the Red Rock Bill will be... complete overkill. Of course, it should come as no surprise that SUWA has vowed to continue to pursue the Red Rock Bill and probably a flurry of other similar biJIs in the future (so they can continue to create crises worthy of hefty donations). If massive wilderness bills succeed on top of the declaration of a monument, then Emery County will have the double whammy of a huge monument of . . . wilderness. Start doing your push-ups and buy those hiking boots. It's a dangerous gamble that Emerites were assured by all Utah officials was ultimately "their choice." Really? To date, there are absolutely no indications that a vote will be held to see whether Fred and his neighbors even want to support it. No official polls have been sent out by Emery tress makes me eat things I shouldn't. For weeks now, I've stayed away from E.L. Fudge cookies trying to get in shape for desert racing. But last night, when my water heater puked its guts out, I shoved a fistful of cookies in my mouth and munched away defiantly, daring the calorie gods to add even one ounce. Now you're asking yourself why you care about my water heater or flirtations with caloric deities. You don't. But I hate to stress alone, so I'm bringing you in on a subject you should care about. By the time you're done with this, I hope ya'lI want Twinkies. On January 28, 2002, citizens of Emery County, Utah, showed up to a town meeting to find Utah's own Governor Leavitt and their three local county commissioners staging a surprise party. The townspeople discovered that these rascals had been making plans to propose that President Bush use the Antiquities Act to set aside over a half million acres of Emery County land in the San Rafael Swell area as a national monument. ("Aaaack!" you're saying, "Land use - time to flip the page." Don't be a wimp. Stay puLl Assurances were given that evening by both Governor Leavitt's office and the Emery County Commissioners that the ultimate decision would be up to the people of Emery County (hereinafter Emerites). If Emerites said "no" to the monument, the monument proposal would die. But many citizens of this small, close-knit county of approx. 10,000 residents were shocked and highly nervous that their politicos had managed to hide these plans for many months without one word of it leaking out to their neighbor Fred - who would have told everyone. Fortyeight hours later, while Emerites were still dazed, Governor Leavitt got on the telly and told the entire state about the "proposal." The Antiquities Act gives the President of the United States the broad power to declare a monument "in his discretion" whilst pondering his breakfast croissant. The only real limiting clause is that the size of the monument should be the "smallest area compatible" required to protect whatever objects the President deems worth protecting. Once a national monument is declared, federal management plans ultimately decide what each square inch of the land should - or should not - be used for. Historically, OHV trails have not proven to be a top priority, and probably won't be until the federal government sponsors an off-road racing team. Case in point: A few years ago, President "I'm gonna stand in Arizona to declare a Utah national monument" Clinton back-doored Utah with the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM). When the dust cleared, and the ink dried on countless bureaucratic pen strokes, S 112 FEBRUARY 27,2001 • cue I • n e., s County officials. In a recent unofficial poll conducted by the local newspaper, The Emery County Progress, over 70 percent of the respondents were against the monument. On a personal note, my buddy Ken works in Emery County at a major power plant and so far can't find anyone for it. I don't think Emery County owns a handy dandy telepathy machine, so how are officials gonna decide what "the people" want? Or do they want to know? Are there other reasons behind the push? Some years ago, Governor Leavitt created the environmental philosophy "Enlibra." The name means 'to move toward balance' in the resolution of land-use issues and has some truly admirable goals. But the project lost momentum these last couple of years. Suddenly - omigosh, pass the chocolate chip cookies - Enlibra and Governor Leavitt are in the spotlight again with a potential workable example of Enlibral And articles entitled "Monument plan gains favor with U.S. officials" and "San Rafael Swell monument a natural" are appearing in highly visible places of the Deseret News, a major Utah newspaper based in Salt Lake City. As I read through both articles, I saw references about the monument being "the people's" idea. Whoa now - would "the people" be the 10,000 Emerites whose opinions remain unknown, or would they be the media folk in Salt Lake County, the Emerey County Commissioners, and Governor Leavitt? Is pushing the monument through Governor Leavitt's attempt to stamp Enlibra's legacy on Emery County whether Emerites want it or not? Are Emery County Commissioners going to do anything significant to tell them what the majority of their constituents want? As I munch thoughtfully on bonbons, I am suspicious that Emerites have been led to believe they had a voice - when in reality they may be nothing more than pawns in politics. Perhaps it was never intended to really listen to the 10,000 individual voices of those who will have to live with that decision every day: The ones who work on, care for and recreate on a land they love as no one else can because the love of that land is their life's blood. Big sweeping presidential decisions affect every one of us sooner or later. Now - what wonderful places do you ride in that you think will be there forever? Tell me - do you know what your leaders are doing? Hey maybe your neighbor Fred knows what's going on ... or not. So how's that Twinkie lookin' to you? eN Kim Orndorff is a resident of Utah, a motorcyclist and a lover of the San Rafael Swell who made it up "Cement Hill" on her (irst attempt... Editor 30 YEARS ABO.•. MARCH 7, 1972 Faces of four of the "men of the desert" covered Issue #8. Inside, the 1005 MC's fifth annual 100-mile event near Barstow, California, featured mostly virgin terrain, which prompted one competitor to ask, "What's so neat about virgin rocks?" Howard atsey (Suz) won the event, overall. .. Kenny Roberts (Yam) tied together a couple of new records and the main-event win to become the champion of the Cow Palace Short Track for 1972. Second in the event went to money man Steve Hernandez... We interviewed 18-year-old dirt-tracker Steve Hernandez, who made a name for himself winning East Coast short tracks, and eventually battling week in and week out with none other than Kenny Roberts for the Cow Palace Championship. He reportedly made $7000 during the Cow Palace races and was set to join the professional ranks at the Grand Nationals in 1972. 20 YEARS ABO... MARCH 10, 1982 The 1982 Yamaha XZ550RJ Vision was photographed for the cover of Issue #8. The shaft-driven "naked bike" was a popular machine, even though it had its quirks. It sold for $3099... Bob Hannab (Yam) won the muddy Atlanta Supercross, round four of the series. It was his second win in nearly three years. Donnie Hansen and Darrell Schultz finished out the podium on their Hondas... Round one of the AMA National Championship Enduro Series took place in the high desert of Southern California, and Larry Roeseler (Yam) took his first National win at the event. It was reported that. had he not burned check N on the third loop, he would have zeroed the course. Round two was held in Georgia a week later, and Terry Cunningham (Hus) took that win... Even though he couldn't yet buy alcoholic beverages, Freddie Spencer was Interviewed about spearheading Honda's campaign to win the 500cc World Road Racing Championship on his three-cylinder, two-stroke NS500 GP. 10 YEARS ABO••. MARCH 4, 1992 Canadian Honda pilot Miguel DuHamel was placed on the cover of Issue #8 to announce the Daytona preview placed inside. As the winner in 1991, DuHamel couldn't be counted out to repeat, although he would have plenty of competition from the likes of Scott Russell (Kaw), Jamie James (yam), Thomas Stevens (Yam) and company... Damon Bradshaw (Yam) won his fifth straight 250cc main event at round six of the AMA Supercross Series in Atlanta, Georgia. Defending champ JeanMichel Bayle (Hon) and round-one winner Mike laRocco (Kaw) rounded out the podium. Suzuki's Brian Swink won his third event of the Eastem Regional 125cc Supercross Series over DGY Yamaha's Doug Henry and Barry Carsten (Suz) ... Cycle News founder Chuck Clayton passed away on February 20, 1992, one week after suffering a stroke... We interviewed the man theretofore dominating the 250cc Supercross Series, Damon Bradshaw. Speaking of defending champ Bayle, Bradshaw said, "I get tired of hearing his name. I credit him for what he's done, he deserves it, but everybody says he's the best rider there ever was, so every time I beat him, I love it.'

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