You Wanna Help the Rubicon; Here's a Plan

[Jeepndel]

one for one -- that's all I ask. Like the almond guys: one can a week.
Well, if you want to really help the rubicon trail stay open, alive and well, all I ask you to do is what I call the ONE for ONE Proposal.

I wrote about it here:
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/one.htm

But the gist of it is, for every time you go wheeling, GIVE ME ONE letter or ONE email to a politician or newspaper, or ONE meeting about keeping something open or fighting some political battle. that's all I ask. ONE for ONE.
One ride; one crummy letter or email or meeting.

You CAN do it. It WILL help.
It will make a HUGE difference if we ALL do it.
Del

[welndmn]

Del,

Do you have any contacts, some that would care more then others?
Most of the sentors down here that I know (Bay area) would not care, I would think a Mayor or Placerville or something may work better.

[Jeepndel]

Del,

Do you have any contacts, some that would care more then others?
Most of the sentors down here that I know (Bay area) would not care, I would think a Mayor or Placerville or something may work better.

You bet. We are going to work them, too. But you'd be surprised at what papers might print....even in the Bay Area.
Del

[Rubicrawler]

I'm in!

[YellowSub1962]

guess I'll have to start wheeling a lot more to get my ratio up to 1 to 1 ;)...

Great Plan Del... I'll kick the Snappers in Gear, but Bronchole already got hte jump on me and got this on or BB before I even saw it :D


:usa:

[jopes]

I am in!

[Simple Man]

I kayaked around Lily Lake on the Tahoe side yesterday and sent an e-mail to John Berry this morning.

1:1

[JeepingEaglesChick]

I am in...going wheeling this weekend...doing two trails I will send one for each!

[fullsped]

Hey Del,
Sounds like a great idea. I am forwarding this info to the rest of my club (Santa Cruz 4 Wheel Drive Club) for action.

Thank you for all you do :-)

Eli
President of S.C.4W.D.C
www.sc4wdc.com

[FLASHLIGHTMAN]

Del,

Do you have any contacts, some that would care more then others?
Most of the sentors down here that I know (Bay area) would not care, I would think a Mayor or Placerville or something may work better.


yup, time to grow some balls and protest this shait, i like the idea of plugging up pville mainstreet with a 100 rigs on a busy sunday, maybe get some front page attention like the folks did with banners on the overpasses.

i'm tired of busting my arse working on the trails,( Jergans, Bassi, Con and fordyce) then getting sucker punched in the nuts with restrictions and closures... time to direct some public attention at the local elected officials who are not standing up for us.

[tacomamike]

I'm in the process of writing a letter to:

Eldorado National Forest
Supervisor's Office
100 Forni Road
Placerville, CA 95667

I'll be sure to thank them for the excellent management of the Spider Lake area. :rolleyes: :mad3:

Later,
....Mike
http://www.toy4x4.net/

[Rollie]

yup, time to grow some balls and protest this shait, i like the idea of plugging up pville mainstreet with a 100 rigs on a busy sunday, maybe get some front page attention like the folks did with banners on the overpasses.

i'm tired of busting my arse working on the trails,( Jergans, Bassi, Con and fordyce) then getting sucker punched in the nuts with restrictions and closures... time to direct some public attention at the local elected officials who are not standing up for us.
Thats one hell of an idea. Lets protest. I'll slap my rig on my trailer and drive through town all day with banners.

Name the date and time

[JoshC]

One for one... no problem!

[SlowMo]

Thats one hell of an idea. Lets protest. I'll slap my rig on my trailer and drive through town all day with banners.

Name the date and timeSounds like fun. When are we going to do it? Maybe we could also stop in at the FS office in p'ville while we're at it.

[TIPPIN']

Lets Do This!

[desertCJ]

I'll commit to this also. I don't run the Rubicon any more due to all the BS but if I can help keep it open just a little bit, then I"m all for it. Basically I'm pretty sure the USFS won't like what I have to say one bit and it'll prolly get crumpled and thrown in the trash :D Pretty much I feel they should be disbanded and completely reorganized to represent and manage the wishes of the public that want to use THIER OWN PUBLIC LAND :shaking: If they can't do that, then WTF do they even have jobs for? Screw those greenie FS punks, the National Forest is yours and mine....it's time we put a stop to this and took control of what IS OURS anyways.

[Jeepndel]

Ok, guys, THIS Is what I like to hear!!!

Now about a protest ride...hmmmmm, let's cogitate on this a bit more and do some serious thinking.....I've done it before (Sacramento years ago). It's pretty impressive. But we want to do it right if we tackle it. It will take some commitment to make sure we have enough folks to make a difference (and some press coverage).

Del

[mucknet]

Hey Del, Can you give us some template letters?.. maybe just something that includes some quotes from your site maybe? or some key points to hit at a minimum.

Every time I go to write letters, I end up quitting for these two reasons:

1) don't know who to send it to.. I need all the contact info I can get.

2) I don't know what to say. "this sucks" doesn't command much respect.

If you can provide us with lots of contact info (or maybe a contact info thread?), and some template letters, I would be happy to pick one, and sign my name at the bottom of it.

If you've been writing letters for a good part of your activist career, this stuff comes naturally, but frankly I have no idea who to write, and what to write to them.. I then get frustrated and give up.

[TIPPIN']

If Jeepndel Is In On This , I'm For Sure In!

[Sluice Sally]

We're in :)

[Jeepndel]

Ok, folks, some of you need to hit my web site more often (smile). I have EVERY trick, tip and tap dance in the book explained there -- letter writing; public speaking; dealing with bureaucrats; avoiding burnout; etc. etc. :)

But ok, here's what I say about this spider closure and to whom you should write, plus a few questions to ask:

http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/spider_05.htm
Here is what I said without the map:

Spider Lake Closed Again (2005)
The Rubicon Trail Famous Spider Lake Closed Once Again

Citing the need to protect natural resources (in other words resource damage), the USDA Forest Service Eldorado National Forest has closed Spider Lake (again). Last year it was closed for human waste and possible fecal coliform getting into the lake. This year (2005) it is closed for motor vehicle damage to vegetation and resources around the lake. Further, the Forest wants to ensure no motor fuel/lubricants get into the lake from people camping too close to the lake with their vehicle. You can still walk/camp near the lake. You just can't have your vehicle within the closure.

Once again, we face the same issues of no one really doing much about the damage or problems, other than Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR). Nothing has been done by El Dorado County or the USFS to really manage the trail or fix the problems they have found.

Certainly the USDA Forest Service has done nothing to fix the issues on their land (the closure area). In spite of persistent FOTR requests to camping sites, designated access and other management of the area around Spider Lake, to date, nothing has been done.

FOTR stands by the demand that Emergency Closures (like this one) should be reserved for when management fails. There has been little or no management here, so it's hard to accept another Closure. There is no excuse. As of July 20th, 2005, there still are NO PLANS to fix or repair anything.....just the Closure. It is wrong. It is mismanagement at its best.

As of today, July 20th, FOTR just got word that the closure notice is finally posted on the USFS web site (obscurely at best, but there nonetheless). FOTR received our information from second hand USFS sources and handouts at meetings. Go here to see the USFS posting: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/about/regs/orders/

There are signs showing the closure on the kiosk at Loon Lake now. And as of July 1st, there are carsonite signs in place around the Closure. Oh, you ask, when did the Closure go into effect? May 27, 2005. So if you were in there between Memorial Day and now, you were in violation of a Forest Order. Don't sweat it though.....it was not posted nor was adequate public notice given.

I cannot help but keep asking the following quesions:

Why more management isn't taking place before restrictions and closures?
Where is our OHV Trust Fund money going if we have to keep facing closures and threats of closures?
Why routes and camp sites have not been designated in and around Spider Lake to make sure we all know where we can go?
What this closure means is that you cannot camp with or have your vehicle within the closure area. Here is the map for 2005.

THEN, add this info:



The Rubicon Trail Famous Spider Lake Closes Again!
When Will We Get Management Rather Than Closures?
by Del Albright, BlueRibbon Ambassador and FOTR Trail Boss


For the second year in a row, Spider Lake of the Rubicon Trail has been closed to motor vehicle access. This time it's for resource damage. Last year (2004) it was for human waste. The closure is smaller this year, but once again, Spider Lake has been closed to us while really no management has occurred to fix any of the problems that Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR) has been pointing out to the USDA Forest Service and various County officials for years!

Citing resource damage (ie. vehicles driving over rocks and bushes, and getting off the trail), the Eldorado National Forest (not El Dorado County) has once again shut us out of Spider Lake. Admittedly, this time it's only our vehicles that can't get into the vicinity of Spider Lake. Last year, even walking in the area was prohibited because of the human waste issues. This year, the Forest Service is concerned that continued resource damage, as well as pollutants from our vehicles, will degrade and possibly contaminate the lake. Last year it was thought that the human waste would cause fecal coliform contamination in the lake (it didn't because we cleaned it up).

NOTE: Last year the closure was for possible human waste contamination that NEVER panned out. There was no impact to the lake -- no bacteria found. Also, last year the closure was initiated by El Dorado County, followed by a Forest Order from the Eldorado National Forest. This year (2005) it was only the Eldorado National Forest issuing a Forest Order.

Here's the deal:
1. FOTR has invested over 10,000 hours of labor into the trail since 2001. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of OHV Trust Fund money have gone into the trail -- mostly sponsored by El Dorado County.
2. FOTR has offered up many solutions to both the County and the USDA Forest Service. Not nearly enough has been done by either agency, especially the Forest Service to MANAGE the Rubicon Trail and especially Spider Lake.
3. Spider Lake (USFS property and private property) still does not have any designation routes to and from; it has no designated camping areas; it has no signs telling us what can and can't be done; it has no management of the Little Sluice area even though the two are directly connected and many agency personnel feel that the Sluice exacerbates the Spider Lake problems due to human use concentration.
4. FOTR has said many times that Emergency Closures should be reserved for when management fails. There has not been nearly enough management of the famous Rubicon Trail to warrant closures like this. It is time for management.

Please spread the word. Email me if you have any questions.
thanks, Del




Del

[Jeepndel]

Here's a link to the 10-Point Plan that we proposed last year to fix all this mess.
http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/plan_10_point.htm

Del

[Jeepndel]

Here's everything you need to know about writing letters to politicians and bureaucrats.
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/letters.htm

Del

[rebelmark]

Del,

I can write a mean editorial; been published many times before. I also have political experience from running for office and have made many, many speeches and participated in debates. If you can give me some bullet points on an editorial, I will write one up and send to the newspapers. I'm new to off-roading, but I want to help preserve what I love. Thanks.

[Jeepndel]

Del,
If you can give me some bullet points on an editorial, I will write one up and send to the newspapers. Thanks.

use the points above and hit them with your own feelings about why the trail should be open to all and managed PROPERLY by the County and the USDA Forest Service.
Del

[Ed A. Stevens]

Does the Eldorado national Forest have an assigned contract person to address the Rubicon's OHV Issues, including communication with the OHV public?

Has a formal request been published (from FOTR) that the Eldorado National Forest Supervisor appoint a designated OHV Recreation Liasion? Something that the public can write letters to the ENF (and EC Supervisors), letters that support the recognition of need to have better communication with the OHV community, including active support for the (currently one-sided) volunteer efforts of the FOTR?

The request should include a demand that the Liasion have direct communcation channels to each District Ranger and the Supervisors Office (and neighbor National Forests).

The liasion needs to be separate and distinct from the Public Relations officer (someone who can act other than provide lip-service), and separate from the Adopt-A-Trail coordinator (if the ENF has a coordinator). The position needs to incorporate scheduling that includes regular weekend field work and paid attendance to FOTR (and supporting club) meetings. The position will need to be able to work with and support/train FOTR Volunteers, and have access to LEO backup (USFS LEO's in addition to EC Sheriff).

I understand EC has received OHV grant funding but what about the ENF? Is the ENF receiving any OHVMVR trust funds for OHV support? Can letters be written to request they begin a program and seek funds next year (use your tax dollars to front the money to gain ENF attention to your cause)? Can you make supporting your goals a financial benefit to the ENF?

Happy Trails!

[Jeepndel]

Lester Lubetkin is the OHV person (contact) for us. That's his job.
Lester Lubetkin <llubetkin@fs.fed.us>

Del

[JeepTJWilliams]

we have got several people, set up the protest date and place, and we are there....

[Aggro]

we have got several people, set up the protest date and place, and we are there....

I'm in and can get a few others...

[JeepTJWilliams]

So is the protest run going to go down???

[CaseyP]

del....i would definetly be in for a protest run...i do all i can to help

casey

[cruzila]

How amny letters have you guys written?? I have sent 3 myself..............

[Rubicrawler]

How amny letters have you guys written?? I have sent 3 myself..............

Only 1 here:(

[djackson]

I've sent one and had a follow up to that one.

I still owe one.