Exactly what the ATV'ers, jeepers, and motorcyclists are scared of; self-propelled effort and reliance upon their spirit instead of their gas throttle. photo of Ananda, self propelling herself and her 'machine' up Lower Brookbank Trail, Flagstaff.
***
Excerpts From Today's Arizona Sun:
The Coconino National Forest might close almost all off-road trails used by motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in September 2009.
The local off-road driving ban, which could be modified once existing trails are mapped, is part of a national proposal aimed at curtailing cross-country motorized travel.
The Coconino National Forest, like every other national forest in the country, has been directed by the Forest Service to figure out by 2009 where it will allow motorized vehicles to roam in light of a rule that will ban off-road, cross-country travel in the forests.
Beginning that year, motorcyclists and quad riders will have to stick to designated roads and trails as outlined on a map or face penalties.
"These things are dictated to us. We're not standing here making this up. This is coming from Washington," project leader Jim Beard, of the Coconino National Forest, told ATV and motorcycle riders Wednesday night.
How to retrieve game, collect firewood and where to allow car camping at large are some of the considerations yet to be figured out under the new rule.
New trails are constantly created when people drive cross-country over the same ground, Beard said, forming tracks. Causing ground disturbance in this way is illegal, but difficult to catch. "We have no basis for enforcement. It's basically the Wild West out there as far as that goes," Beard said.
*** I WRITE INTO THE DAILY SUN THE FOLLOWING:
may the Priority Access to all Forest Lands start with sweat.
self-propelled vehicles first.
then horses.
then machines.
the bigger the machine,
the lower the priority and thus, access.
this is such a fragile ecosystem..
READ THE REST OF COACH's FIERCE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MOTHER EARTH IN TODAY's DIRECT LINES!
above photo; enjoying the QUIET of the Forest Lands they only way they should be; sans gas-powered machines! photo by Ananda.
