Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

•deprive • ar rights publi by Confidential Sources Trul y this is an age of revelations, with the Pentagon Papers. followed by the Watergate indictmen ts and now this new information which has just come to our attention. linking officials of the public trust with a well-oiled, secret conspiracy whose aims encompass stealing the vast public lands of America away from its rightful owners. Papers labeled "Top Secret" and leaked to Cycle News by inside sources trace most of the troubl es which motorcyclists and other vehicle recreationists have been having lately . to men in power whose dedication is perhaps exceeded by their zeal. The papers reveal details of a scheme code-named "Project X" . which is well along toward completion as yo u read these word s. Following is th e text of that document . CMSSIFI CATICJI : VOICES OF THE WEST SUBJECl' : T O SECR::'!' P X X X X TO SECR::'!' X X X X P TOP SEeR::'!' "PR cr X" OJE ATTENTION : SHRED BEFORE RE ADIlJ:; Hackground History teaches t hat free public access to unpatrolled territory can remove indi victuals J even large groups J f ran ef f ective surveillance J conse quent ly resulting in potenti al hazard to national securit y . Cas e in point : Historic::U. paralle~ may be drawn between t he contemoor~ry s i t uation a.rxi t hat BALLINGER CANYON CLOSING? A NOTE ON NICHOLSON Read with fond reminiscence the feature on Nick Nicholson : by Maureen Lee, in the May 8 issue of Cycle News. Nick was the most versatile rider of the Fifties era. That's why I, working as editor of Petersen Publications" newly founded "Cycle" magazine, established the Se n d -a - Yan k -to-T he-Isle -of-Man fund stri ctly through reader solici tations. It was the American enthusiast, therefore, rather the individual reported in your article, who sen t this great American rider to ' England. I recall we raised about S I 800. Nick is a bit bashful about telling the whole story; he did get around 18th overall, but only because he stopped to help a British rider who fatally crashed in front of him. Even though Ni ck's stop to help was in vain, it proved his heart was bigger than his ambition to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For I am sure that he would have finished better than just in the top ten - no sm all task in itself. BOB GREENE Editor, Motorcyclist HOW TO GET THERE I 'm goi ng to need so me information on the I nter-AMA S umm e r Series ra ce at Salt Lake City on J uly 1st. First, I'd like to know the lo catio n of the MX track and how to get to it from Sa lt Lake City. Second, I'd like to know the times that the races begin . BOB GARRATT San Mateo, Calif. Manning Canyon Park is 35 miles south of Salt Lake City on route 7 3 near Cedar Fort. R.acing should begin u ound noon, but we suggest you get there e",ly... Ed. BAR·BANGING I ra ced at Indian Dunes on Saturday, April 2 1 (AME) in which I was involved in a serious crash that co u ld have been avoided. Unfortunately, I am now in a leg cast that extends from my toes up to my thigh with multiple lacerations and deep cuts. There were six riders plus an ambulance attendant who were also seriously hurt. There were four separate major crashes prior to that accident, all of which occurred after the "start hill." First of all, most of the riders co uld have been warned by the flag m en if they were positioned at strategic areas of t he track, es pecially a t the top of the start hill. (Inexperienced flag boys.] Secondly, the t rack was so rutty and dusty th at the riders we re unab le to see , an o th er factor wh ich caused the seve n rider crash. We pay to ride on a t rack that sh ould provide th e utmost safety for th e racers. T here should be an e xpe rienced ADU LT in c harge of the flag boys to place them at strategic positions of the track. 1 wo ul d like to see the o rganizatio ns be m o re responsible and co nce rned for the riders, so we can ride with the utmost confidence and safety. . MA RK SAKABE W. Lo s Angeles, Calif. We share your concern for rider safety, and qualified f1.gmen should .Iways be posted at dangero us sections. Ho wever, ruts and dust do not cause crashes; riders do . A smooth. dustless (or mudless) MX track is generally uninterest ing and unchallcn ging. The margin of safety in motocross is more narrow than in so me forms of competition. That's what MX is all ab out , right? ..Ed. . As you may know the Department of Agriculture , Forest Service is presently working on a nationwide plan for res tricting usage and closing National Forests to Off- Road Ve h icles. Unofficial word h as reached us that present plans ma y incl ude closing Ballinger Canyon in the very near future, in definitely or otherwise. Robert Lancaste r, Supervisor, Las Padres District, has been under great pressure from an ti-mororcycle groups, mainly due to unfavorable p ublicity regarding Ballinger Canyo n in the Santa Barbara News Press. We must present a united front to bring pressure on officials in our own favor. Our playgrounds are increasingly be coming more limited with the BLM closing desert areas and the Forest Service planning to restrict and close forest lands. Write a note today expressing what Ballinger Canyon means to you an d your famil y, to Robert Lancaster in Goleta. You might want to send a copy to Washington. Both addresses are included below. Robert Lancaster, Supervisor 42 Aero Camino Goleta, California 93017 Chief John R. McGuire U.S . Dept. of Agri culture Fares t Service Washington D.C. 20250 RIDGE R IDERS TRAIL CLUB Ven tura, Calif. THE TIME TO VOTE I recen tly received the attached le tte r fro m m y good friend, San Diego County Supervisor, William A . "Bill" Craven. Supervisor Craven is currently the leading candidate for ele ction to the 80th Assembly District on the 29th. I urge the voters of the 80th District to vote . fo r Supervisor Craven, for Assemblyman. He is a long time friend of'the ORV enthusiasts. a nd an honest andexperienced candidate. On May 2 9 t h vo te ! This is our chanc e ; git it on ! TERRY HILDEBRAND No. 88, District 38 Dear Terry, Thank you for calling my office r e c e n tly regarding the legislative p r o s p e c t s of o f'f-r o ad vehicle en th usiasts. The ORV enthusiast has impressed me with his c o ns cio us ness of the environment and .his m an y attempts to assist in the preservation ' o f that environment. I believe that it is a well-established fact that recreational activity is needed, and for this reason I am interested in seeing that it be afforded its proper place in the recreatio nal spectrum. 1 also feel that at this time the regul ation t hat is bei ng aime d a t ORV' s is being swayed in the favor of environme ntal co nce rns to a le vel th at is more e motional than reasonab le. 1 h ave pe rsonally observed th e care which O RV enthusiasts have cond uc te d themselves in su ch areas as Oco till o Wells, Anza-Bo rrego and Glamis, an d I believe that this porti o n of the constituency has every respec t and ap preciation for the p rese rvation of our natural resources an d that their conduct does not inhibit the ecology of these areas to an extent which deserves further regulations. 1 hope this letter outlines my position in this regard. For your information, I will be happy \0 answer or respond to any questions and co nce rn s you may have. WILLIAM A. CRA VEN Supervisor, Fifth District San Diego, Calif. - of Rob Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham. in H ood and his s o-called Ilerry Men found sanctuary in Sherwood Fore .t, where they slaughtered the Kine" agents sent to perform. lawful search-and-destrc;r mission:'5J and eenera.1lY disrupted programs of the e s t~li~hed government . The recent invention of so-ca.ll.ed II go anywhere vehicles" ha s created an emergency situation in which groups and in:lividuals can elude observation and This state of affairs all"". the seeds of anarchism and rebellion to control. take root and gr"" virtual.ly unchecked; (b jeotives PROJECT X will ensure that motorized elements of t he American public shalJ have no effective access to unsecured territory as lone as this coniition exists. Anthoritz Messrs . Ha:l.tleman lind Erlicman . Imc1elllentation PIlASE I Na ural enemies of the vehiele reereationist shall be aided in arry and all t anti-vehicle public relations s cMmes . i n iJnplel'l ntine Phase I . e The Sierra Cl ub is our principal a11y In t his r egard, operative. should keep i n ",inti t heir opportunit y to "kill two bi rd::: wi th one sc cne ," thereby dive rtine; t he co ns er "ti on groups f rOM t heir efforts to t hw art th e purpose s of ! ede ral and p:-ivate interest con~ructi o n projects ; da~ J hi ehwa3~s J et c. Simult aneous infiltr;J.ti on of the re creational ve hic li::;ts will pl ay a major role in the success of Phase I . Agents shaD. be trained to foster apathy and distrust amone the vehiclist. , and to sabotage any defense efforts they ",ay t ry to mount . Generou. fundine for PROJEcr X, alrea~ provided by taxes and contributions from private industry and ec ology group., will all"" agent. to buy off mo.t at the vehiclist.· spokesmen and leaders. Tho.e who cannot be bought off will be systematically di.credited. PHASE II Responding to the demands of ' our ecology pressure groupe and related antivehicle organizat i ons , the President will issue an ambiguous proclamation that will vaguely hint at control and regulation at vehiclists. signal f or key Thi. will be the actninistrative personnel t o bar all vehiclists, except govern- ment agents, from all territory except those eoncentration si hes which have been previously secured , Consi.tent wit h eurrent ecol1Ol!li.cs, regulatory personnel will extract the cost of polic:lng and surveiJ..lance from the subject. themselves. certified agents may use lUlY me&nll the7 deem appropriate to secure the funds , without fe ar of arry legal re per cussions. Judge. throughout the count ry will be fi.rm1y advi. ed on t he se nsitive nat ure of this issue , and directed to avoid lUlY suite ari. :lng frm t his program. PHASE III . It, by complet ion of Phaae II, the vehiclists have not re sponded violently, they must be provoked to break the law. t o implement Phaae III . Upon due This will enable t he Attarney Gener al provocation and ceuee , "/:o llJ\VWhere vehicles" will be declared cont r . band, invoking statutes pertaining to machine guns and ot her dangerous device. . All vehIcles not turned :In will he .i.ezed, lind will automatically become property at the law enforcement agency involved. This equijJ!lent will be used by the agencies to monitor and petrol their territories , plac:lng pedestrians and. other idividual.o under effective survei.llance . Project y) Office of Citlzen Control W ash:lngt on, D.C. (See

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