Thanks to Mel, and some Ohio folks, for spearheading efforts at Wellsville.

I believe a cleanup is planned for Saturday. I am going, will be across the tracks between 9 and 9:30.

There's been a lot of email flying around the Ohio lists and frankly it's getting confusing, I believe the best thing is to go down there and do the work; or at least talk with a landowner. That's worth the 2 hr drive to me.

Gotta get the bronco up and running tommorrow and I'll be there Saturday morning. Don't belong to a club.....Shit I haven't even been to wellsville, mostly just went to hillsville, But have head good things. Expect to see a big red and white bronco with primer fenders there....The name's Jason

As far as PREMIERE being there, I dont know. We will wait to hear from Mel, she is the organizer of this (HRJA). I will post as soon as I hear something if PREMIERE goes Triangle goes and HRJA will be there also!!!

If you guys want to wait to solidify your plan until this early evening, we are calling the landowner after he's off work, we will find out what (if anything) was resolved in the landowners meeting last night.

HRJA has a ride there this Saturday (it has been scheduled for months, and we cleared it with the landowner for permission to have it this Saturday). I have encouraged all our members attending to bring trash bags to cleanup along the trailride.

Rick is going to talk to the landowner tonight about if there is a place to put the trashbags when we are done or if we need to haul it back home to get rid of it or develop another plan of attack.

Mel, can whomever speaks with the landowner find out exactly what land he owns? I am not disputing him (since I've never met him), but when I researched this a few years ago, this fellow's name was not on any of the land that we ride on. I looked at plat maps of the area and did not see the name you provided, but rather 5 other names.

Thanks.

Joe, I will let Rick know this, and I'll have him ask. I have talked to a few other people who said that they have met this guy before.

-Mel

I was coming up for a ride on Sun. I believe it's with the Triangle guys, I'm not sure. It's a 5 hr. trek for me so I think I'll come up on Sat. early and help out. Is there any free legal camping around there? I've never been.

Easy

Last time we were there, we talked to this fellow and he gave us his phone # and said to give him a call and we could camp in his field somewhere. That might be an option for anyone wanting to camp over. Give him a call.

Rick talked to Craig Roberts, who represents Amos _____ (Rick forgot the last name). Amos owns the land near the railroad tracks. Rick talked to Craig about having a cleanup on Saturday, he said that to go ahead & pick up what we feel comfortable with - but don't bother going hog-wild on it - he is hoping to have a larger, more organized, everyone get on it, cleanup in the near future.

He seems that he would like people to have a little patience, don't bum rush the situation.

HRJA's ride (Saturday) will be fine and so shoud Triangles ride (Sunday). If you go out there this weekend, you will see Craig there in his GMC 1 done dually silver and red truck. You can stop and talk to him. We will be talking to him more then, too.

Hopefully all the local clubs can stay on top of this situation and work together to keep the trails open even with limited access.

Last time we were there, we talked to this fellow and he gave us his phone # and said to give him a call and we could camp in his field somewhere

So what's the phone # please? I don't want to step on anybody's toes up there, but I'd sure like to come up and have a good time.

BTW, I'll be in a big ol ugly ass grey XJ


Easyhttp://www.siscom.net/~kc8gab/sr/View2.jpg

Originally posted by EasyXJ


So what's the phone # please? I don't want to step on anybody's toes up there, but I'd sure like to come up and have a good time.

BTW, I'll be in a big ol ugly ass grey XJ


Easyhttp://www.siscom.net/~kc8gab/sr/View2.jpg

Nice looking XJ.

I won't be able to make it, but if you wanna stop on by in Cleveland, I'm just off I77 and Wallings road (a couple exits north of the turnpike)

wish i could go, but just no way this weekend........... :(

Hey Mel, thanks for the continued stream of good news! I'll be there Saturday AM and will do some cleanup, help the ATV guys if they show. It'd be great to meet, and I'll also look for Craig and offer my help and appreciation.

We'll be there in the parking lot from 8-8:30 in a big red CJ7 with a little puppy.

EasyXJ

If you have never been to Wellsville, My home page has some pics on it Check it out.

http://www.angelfire.com/pa4/pghrocksurfer/

I have to work so I cant go this weekend.

Originally posted by EasyXJ
I was coming up for a ride on Sun. I believe it's with the Triangle guys, I'm not sure. It's a 5 hr. trek for me so I think I'll come up on Sat. early and help out. Is there any free legal camping around there? I've never been.

Easy Didnt know there was anyone else on the board from Dayton.What part?Id like to help out to but cant do it on such short notice.

Looks familiar, Mel. I'm just heading up the left :D.

Well, I tried to make it up there today. Key word= tried. The trailer I was borrowing decided to self destruct on me just the other side of Columbus. Anybody ever seen friction welding? That's what the bearings must have done inside the hub before it chucked the tire and busted the shackle on the axle behind it. Needless to say it was an interesting 110 miles back home. Maybe next time guys.

PJR, I'm in Miamisburg about 5 mins off I-75. Our machine shop is on Byers and we live inside of Pipestone golf course just down the road on Benner.

Easy

Any news/info after the weekend of cleanup/ wheeling?
I wasn't able to make it over as planned.

We talked with Craig Roberts, who says he represents the landowner who owns the land which the large main parking area is on. He introduced us to another landowner - the gentleman who made an attempt to make it a pay to play area a few years ago (I have his name at home).

Craig said that the main entrance there across from the railroad tracks is going to be shut off (I assume with a gate), that the landowner there is may be having some additional coal taken out of that area.

The other landowner is planning on making a campground and parking area at the entrance that is on his land (not a popular entrance right now). He will have it be gated, and only those with permission will be allowed to enter through that way.

He might charge to park and/or camp there. I guess their agenda is multi-facited:
1. Reduce the amount of problems on the land, owned by several landowners by limiting access.
2. Apparantly, property taxes have skyrocketed, they would like to make a liitle $$ to offset some of this.
3. Keep the land open to be used.

Craig did say that there had been a Ohio bill passed recently that forbids people suing landowners for incidents that occur on their land during recreational use (hunting, fishing, off-roading etc.)

What they really want to do is get with various clubs to put the heads together as to how to make a decent campground parking area at the other land & possibly have some events etc. Craig said - "I have access to a bulldozer & can make hillclimbs, mudpits, rock crawls - whatever". The other guy is going to put up port-a-potties and then permanent bathroom facilities if everything is going to work out OK.

Craig said that the gate will probably go up in Early-Mid April. He was in the parking lot stopping every person that came through there on Saturday. Saying that it was going to be closed soon.

I am going on vacation tommorrow morning for 2 weeks, we will be back on April 2nd. I am going to email club people who have responded via email to me about that, and maybe we can get together for a few beers and a brainstorming thing on April 5, 6 or 7. The other landowner was open to meeting with people about some ideas, etc.

I will be checking my email while on vacation.

Please keep one thing in mind though... none of this is mine or HRJA's idea. We are just sending along what we have been told, and we really don't have any leverage as to what happens there.

Sorry to be delayed on this information, but I've been running around like crazy getting ready for vacation.

Please do not tell me the landowner doing this is Warner Springer.

If so, we have major problems.

Yup, thats the name - email me.

-Mel

Not to sound like a dick here or anything, but closing off two entrances isn't going to keep the local trash dumpers out. It'll just keep the off-road enthusiasts out for awhile until some buggy cuts a new trail through the woods somewhere. I by no means endorse this, but that it what will happen if they try to cut off the main entrance where the existing camp ground is.
And your right Joe, Warner is a prick.