[pct-l] you are in the minority of ohv

[dsaufley]

Much of the USFS and BLM lands are legally open to motorized travel.  

In LA County, you're not allowed by law to create a motocross track on your
property without a Conditional Use Permit. That does not stop the illegal
practice at all; when one is reported and stopped, another crops up
elsewhere. The system pits neighbor against neighbor.  There are countless
situations like that here in Agua Dulce where they set up a track for their
kids and friends on their relatively small acreage -- much to the dismay of
everyone within earshot. A special Sheriff's task force has been formed to
combat this problem. But there's not enough law enforcement to go around to
keep them from accessing open areas and tearing up the hillsides.  Many
articles have been published on the subject locally.  

To your point, a motorcycle shop in Santa Clarita purchased land in Agua
Dulce so that their customers could test drive dirt bikes and buy them.  The
track they created was an illegal, obnoxious eyesore, and pure hell for the
neighbors.  Any time a neighbor asked them to please stop, the bike shop
owner or his flunkies became intimidating and threatening. They were finally
shut down through legal channels, but it was a long protracted battle during
which those close to the problem continued to suffer many ruined weekends.

I dread Christmas morning when many of of the kids around here get their new
dirt bikes, and their parents turn them loose, or for weeks they're riding
circles around their yard every hour of daylight they're not in school.
They're not old enough to drive or know even one traffic regulation, but
they're tearing up and down the streets and into the local hills, completely
unsupervised and illegally.  It's a daily event here.  Jeff and I have seen
plenty of them on the PCT in Mint Canyon. We try to talk to them and tell
them they should not be on the PCT.  Who knows what good it does, but we
feel compelled to try.

L-Rod


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 1:19 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] you are in the minority of ohv

The problem with the OHVs is someone built them without there  
actually being an appropriate place (other than on your own land) to  
use them. Now you have all these people who have them and they want  
some place to ride them. The industry that makes their vehicles then  
starts advocating for their as if their riders are some kind of  
oppressed group being denied their freedom. It's the same with  
mountain biking.

Here in Santa Barbara County, recent fires were started by:

Workers sharpening tools (Zaca Fire)
College kids partying (Tea Fire)
Humans, possibly target-shooting (Gap Fire)
Illegal pot farm (La Brea Fire)
Illegal trail maintenance with a weed whacker (Jesusita Fire)
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