This is the official thread of the Johnson Valley "Virtual Protest" which will take place on March 12th @ 2:00PM.

The simple link to this thread is - http://www.pirate4x4.com/jv

This thread will be opened up at 2:00PM PST March 12. Mark your calendars, and let everyone you know to logon and participate in the biggest online protest in off roading history!!!

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Virtual on-line Rally to be Held by 4x4 Enthusiasts
Off Highway Vehicle enthusiasts organize to hold first ever online rally over trail closures

In a landmark event, thousands of Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) users across the world will participate in a online, Virtual Rally to voice their concerns over a popular OHV area in Southern California. On Wednesday March 12th, 2008 Pirate4x4.com, a leading website for the OHV community, will hold this rally from 2 to 6 PM PST.

The Hammers trail system in Johnson Valley, California is being considered for requisition to expand the United States Marine Corps training facilities, which would effectively eliminate public access to Johnson Valley's unrivaled OHV Mecca.

Virtual Rally participants will be asked to post their experiences, photos and history recreating with their families in the Johnson Valley Area, and the concerns they have with losing this unique recreational resource. These comments will be posted and tracked in bulletin-board format, with a goal of creating a lasting record of how important this unassuming stretch of desert is to a vast number of people from many places -- some who visit Johnson Valley multiple times a year, and others who just dream of the opportunity of visiting the Hammers in the future. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the rally and read the thread, as this is a public rally, you do not need to be a member of Pirate4x4.com to read what is posted.

Families and clubs have recreated in this area for many years with OHV’s, and competitive rock crawling, rock racing, motorcycling, and ATV events have been held there for more than a decade, with significant rewards for the area economy. In February, the famed “King of the Hammers” annual rock race crowned its king.

The Bureau of Land Management currently manages the Johnson Valley's varied landscape of steep red rocky mountains, rolling hills, open valleys, dry lake beds, dunes, and sandy washes. The main attraction for most visitors is family OHV recreation: trail-rides, competitive racing events, and general OHV free play. Johnson Valley sees hundreds of thousands of recreation days with users motorcycling, ATVing, 4x4ing, rallycrossing, camping, hiking, rock-hounding, and wildlife-watching.

“It is ironic that the BLM has OHV users recreate responsibly by staying on marked trails and not having campfires at certain times of the year, but now they sell the same area to the Marines who will tear all over the area and conduct live fire drills”, said Todd Ockert, The United Four Wheel Drive Association Director of Environmental Affairs.

Remember, the link for the rally on Wednesday, March 12th will be www.pirate4x4.com/jv
For more information, feel free to email the Pirate4x4.com Land Use Officer at: kurtuleas@pirate4x4.com

To whom it may concern:

Let me start by saying that I am in total support of our military and the Marine Corps.

Still, I am very worried about the Johnson Valley expansion by the Marine Corps, especially the “additional area of interest”. If the Marine Corps expand into this area, it will take away a very important area from the OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) community.

The Hammer Trails, which are located in this area, are a main destination for OHV enthusiasts to bring their families to recreate in California. Competitions such as the recent, highly publicized “King of the Hammers” have also been held in this area.

I have two young sons, aged 4 and 5, who love to camp and four-wheel with me and my wife. My family normally attends 10-12 OHV functions and camping trips each year. As Johnson Valley is seen as a “Mecca” by many OHV enthusiasts in the west, it has always been a dream of mine to take my family down there to recreate responsibly. Many OHV enthusiasts that live miles away visit the Hammers on a regular basis.

While I understand that the Marines need space to train, you need to understand that our motor-sport is constantly under attack. Because of many different factors, the areas in which we can four-wheel in have been shrinking at an alarming rate. In Eldorado National Forest alone, for example, we stand to lose 1,800 MILES of trails. For us to lose such an important area as the Hammers to our sport would be like Baseball losing Wrigley field or Golf losing Augusta.

We also have an undeserved reputation for “ruining” the environment. The OHV community is growing by leaps and bounds, while our trails are closing left and right. This results in more users in a smaller area, which results in damage to the trail from condensed use by a greater number of OHV’s. Closing this area to OHV use will create damage to other trails that are already overcrowded, which in turn will give the “other” side more ammunition to lock us out of our public lands.

Whatever you do, please understand that you are not just taking an area of desert; you are effecting the lives of thousands of people who recreate in the Johnson Valley area.

I would like to end this letter by pledging $50.00 to the Blue Ribbon Coalition and $50.00 to Cal4Wheel for their continued efforts in saving our trails on public lands. I challenge others to out-do me!

Kurt Schneider

Proud Member of:

The Friends of Eldorado National Forest
Blue Ribbon Coalition
Cal4Wheel
California Off Road Vehicle Association
Kyburz Krawlerz
The Friends of the Rubicon
The Friends of Greenhorn
Friends of Fordyce
Friends of Tahoe Access
Friends of High Lakes
Friends of Coy Hill
Stewards of the Sequoia
Pirate4x4.com
E Clampus Vitus: Chapter 13




Basic Rally Instructions:

1. Please post up your concerns on the John Valley area and the Hammers possibly being closed. You MAY make multiple posts!

2. Tell people how you have enjoyed the Hammers in the past! (Tell us stories!)

3. If you have never been to the Hammers or Johnson Valley, Voice your concern about this closure and tell people how you or your club recreates responsibly in your own area! If you have always wanted to go to the Hammers, let us know!

4. Show them what this area means to the entire OHV community!

5. Post pictures! Trail rides, camping with your family, King of the Hammers pics etc!

6. Have fun, but please remember to be professional. Many eyes will be on this thread!

7. MAKE SURE you see what number post your FIRST post in the thread is!

Please put that number somewhere in your sig-line so we know who has posted!



I would like to take the time to thank everyone who helped to put this on and to spread the word! So many people helped out in this, it would be near impossible to list them all!

A special thanks to Lance and Camo for letting us crash their servers (LOL!) To all the moderators, I apologize for the head-ache in advance. (Go Roxy!)

A big thanks to those in various land-use organizations who are working very hard on this! John Stewart and Del Albright, just to name a couple, are working VERY hard on this issue! Donate to your organizations!


For the first time ever, the entire OHV community has a chance to ALL come together and fight for our access to public lands. In the past, we have only fought for our backyards and that has been to our disadvantage! Closures are going down all across the USA and we ALL need to come together to fight them. (Tellico guys…we have not forgotten about you! We got your backs!) That is the only way we can be effective.

This rally is just the beginning folks.

Will the Rally have any effect? I have no idea. I hope so. But being a PBB member, I was not gonna just sit on my ass and do nothing! If anything, this rally will show that we have a LOUD voice and that there are a lot of us that do care about our trails.

One of these days maybe I will actually get down to the Hammers! LOL!

Thank you all!

Kurt Schneider

The Friends of Eldorado

Hello

I’m a paying member of Oregon Trail Four Wheel Drive Association (www.OT4x4.org) & Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association (www.pnw4wda.com) as well as many other 4wd sites similar to Pirate4x4.com . I’ve an avid 4wd enthusiast that frequently travels to many different states (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona) to enjoy OHV trails and OHV areas in these states for LEGAL 4wheeling.

I recently heard about the possible expansion of the Palms 29 Military Base to take over land in the Johnson Valley OHV area (Lucerne Valley, California). I’m very concerned about this as Johnson Valley is one of those areas that is considered to have the most extreme rock crawling trails in the United States – not to mention that its a LEGAL OHV area maintained by the BLM and local 4wd clubs. So I’m posting here to state my concerns about the possible closure of the Johnson Valley OHV area will not only remove a vital piece of rock crawling history, but just one more place that we can’t wheel. Four wheeling is more than a “hobby” – it’s a multi-billion dollar industry with a HUGE chunk of it in Southern California with shrinking places to recreate.

While I do FULLY support the military in protecting this country and I pray for the men and women, families and friends that have given their lifes to protect this country, there has to be another place they can do their training.

As time goes on its getting harder and harder to find LEGAL OHV trails that are challenging and enjoyable. I try to go to atleast one major event in these states each year to help raise awareness about tread lightly four wheeling and frequently do trail cleanups to help keep areas open so my kids can enjoy them. Also in doing this, my goal is to spread the word that 4wheeling is a great family recreation and shouldn’t be frowned on my those few individuals that seem to have no respect for other people and public land! It burns be up to see a few individual ruin it for everyone…

These multi-state trips are expensive for me (being from Oregon) and I spend thousands of dollars each year to enjoy these types of areas, which means a portion of my money is going directly to the local economy’s around these areas. I know I’m not alone either and Johnson Valley has world wide recognition for its OHV trails! And from my understanding is one of the few legal areas in southern California!

I’ve only made it to “The Hammers” once so far and that was for the 2007 Tin Benders Cleanup. And even though I’m from Out-of-State and live 1000 miles north, I was still out there picking up trash, helping load up burned out cars and making CASH donations in the 95 degree temperature to help save these areas! When I was down there, I ended up running Backdoor, Claw Hammer (twice), Outerlimits, Upper and Lower Big Johnson. I wanted to run Jack or Sledge – but didn’t and hope to in the future.

I’ve emailed several people in Washington DC and some key individuals in Oregon to try to get my voice heard, but its difficult to make my voice count and not just fall on deaf hears…. Please hear my voice on this and don’t take way land from Johnson Valley OHV!!! Please…..

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302239&stc=1&d=1178222799

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302241&stc=1&d=1178222799

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302246&stc=1&d=1178636201

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302248&stc=1&d=1178223213

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302249&stc=1&d=1178223213

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302252&stc=1&d=1178223333

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302255&stc=1&d=1178223333

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=303053&stc=1&d=1178636037

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302243&stc=1&d=1178223096

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=303066&stc=1&d=1178641280

Thanks, Rick and Trina B of Oregon!

It will a be really sad day when Johnson Valley is no longer open to the public. Please do not close this wonderful place.

-Matt

THIS IS IT FOLKS...

Officially PBB Rally thread... please share your stories at pirate4x4.com/jv (http://pirate4x4.com/jv)..







We are the spoiled ones that have the Hammers pretty much in our back yard.



We live in Apple Valley, where a short 45 minute drive gets us to the area in Johnson Valley where people have driven cross country to come wheel what we know as “The Hammers trails”.

To many, It’s not just some trails of rocks... these are obstacles that no matter how many times you have been up them before can always find some enthusiastic enjoyment from. It’s a place where vacations are had and families can come together to enjoy a sport that is fun for everyone to participate in.



There are many trails that have been pioneered long before our generation even knew they existed. Many off road and 4 wheeling clubs have conquered new paths and there are still plenty more to be discovered.

Its a place that’s local enough where we as a club can come and have a fun family weekend outing yet large enough to accommodate the huge number of people that are drawn to it for events and races.



The number of people affected by the possibility of a closure is much more than us locals being inconvenienced... it’s the entire off roading community, especially for those that have yet had the chance to experience what we know as The Hammers.

Individually we may not have a voice strong enough to be heard, but together as a community we'd like to show the number of people these closures will affect will be vast.



Please here us out....


http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j206/rosydays/Ham1.jpg

Game on! Can't wait to hear everyone's stories.

To whom it may concern,


I was recently made aware of a proposed expansion of the Marines 29 Palms facility, this proposed expansion includes much of the popular Johnson Valley OHV recreational area. This expansion would close most of the existing trail systems which is one of a kind in California. This means a great deal to me because I am active in the four wheel drive community and had hope to use this recreation site in the future. Not only would this affect four wheel drive owners but also people who use the area for quads and dirt biking.

One club I am active in, The Poly Goats, have done numerous cleanups and helped other clubs with activities. About ten vehicles are planning on attending the Tin Benders Johnson Valley Cleanup in april and plan on removing as much trash possible.
Thousands of people use this area each year and restricting its access would definitely result in a loss of revenue to the surrounding areas.

I deeply hope that this expansion will be reconsidered and Johnson Valley will remain the four wheeling ‘mecca’ it is.


Kurt Richards

My name is Rich and I am writing this in opposition to a proposal by the USMC to acquire part of the Johnson Valley OHV area and annex it to the base in 29 Palms. I live locally and use this area frequently for OHV activity. I am a member of District 37 and we use this area for motorcycle riding and racing. My club, 4 Aces will be hosting an Enduro off Means Dry Lake this November 16th. We also hosted an Enduro at this location two years ago. We hope to host this event for many years to come. This is a well attended event and the majority of participants camp in the area with their families.

In addition to participating in motorcycle events in the Johnson Valley OHV area, I also enjoy joining friends who four-wheel on what are called the Hammer Trails off of Means Dry Lake. These trails are the premier hard core trails in the United States. The area has become very popular over the years, with a number of organized events through the year. The organized events range from the Victor Valley 4 Wheelers gets together in late September/October to the Tinbenders Clean Up, being held this year in April. Once again, these are great family trips. Campfires in the desert are awesome. And families really enjoy all of the stars available during the night around the campfires. The people who come out here are awesome and respect the area.

Every year the OHV community loses more and more land for family recreation. OHV recreation has become more and more popular as time goes on. The need is for more OHV areas to be opened, not closed.

Right after posting this, I am headed to Moab, Utah for a little over a week of great four wheeling and enjoying all the people recreating there. On the way home we plan on visiting a number of National Parks. What a wonderful country we have, when the people of this country have an opportunity to use public lands for a wide range of uses. The OHV users believe in the Blue Ribbon Coalition motto, which says “Preserving our natural resources FOR the public, not FROM the public”.

SAVE THE HAMMERS


I have never been to the Hammers, but I have dreamed about it ever since I started off roading 7 years ago with the scrambler my father bought for me for my first car. He bought it thinking that this it would be a fun project to work on with me on the weekends, little did he know that it would take over my life. I still remember the first day he brought my jeep home. Only being 14 at the time, my parents drove the two hours to get it while i was stuck at school. My mom couldn’t understand how i could be so excited about "such a pile of junk," but I was hooked from the first time i started it up! Now that i am older and have a job that can support my hobby a little better than my dad wanted to, I have stripped my jeep back down to frame in hopes of building it bigger and more capable. Now that I have the resources and fabrication skills needed to do this safely, I find myself wondering if I am spending so much time building my jeep in vain. Our off roading lands are being threatened like they never have before, and now the Hammers are next?!? I can only hope that our pleas to save this out door Mecca are not falling on deaf ears.

Be safe,

Charlie Whitted

Save The Hammers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Johnson Valley is probably one of the farthest OHV areas from where I live but that doesn't change the fact that I hope to wheel there in the future. This is undoubtedly one of the biggest concentrations of serious rock crawling trails on THE CONTINENT. It would be a tragedy for the OHV community to lose such a place. We are facing more land use obstacles and more closures than we ever have in the past. This collections of supporters will certainly demonstrate the value that the Hammers trails represent to OHV users everywhere.

I completely support the USMC and recognize the need for training facilities. We have the best armed forces in the world and they didn't become that way by training at second rate facilities. However, I believe that with an open and complete plan of action a more suitable option could be found for all. I'm willing to do my part to show support as are the others posting here. Please take our words into consideration and remember the our interests too.

Thank you.

Andrew Moss
Treasurer - Mountaineer OffRoad, Inc.
Avid OHV user and outdoorsman
Jeep addict and responsible off-roader

Member; Blue Ribbon Coalition, United Four Wheel Drive Association, and Tread Lightly

To whom it may concern:

Let me start out by saying how much I appreciate the men and women of the United States Marine Corp for all they do to protect and serve this great nation. You have a long and honorable history that is certainly worthy of every American’s praise and respect.

While I would never doubt or question your courage, honor, or dedication to the mission objective, I do have serious reservations about your proposed plan to appropriate a large area of the Johnson Valley Off Highway Vehicular Area adjacent to MCCS 29 Palms.

My wife and I are avid off-road enthusiasts that have spent many hours and days enjoying the natural wonders of the Johnson Valley OHV Area. We have invested substantial financial resources (close to $200,000) in the pursuit of this type of recreation and actively support several major organizations which strive to promote environmental stewardship and land-use management as a responsibility of all who venture off the asphalt highways and byways.

We see more and more areas in this country being closed for off-highway use with each passing year. Johnson Valley OHV Area is home to some of the best four-wheeling areas in the United States. Being that it is under Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction means we are free to camp with our tents and motorhomes which makes its distance from urban areas less of a burden. My wife and I, along with thousands of fellow enthusiasts can drive our Jeeps, dune buggies, rock-crawlers, quads, side-by-sides, and motorcycles over terrain that has something to offer to people of all interests and skill levels.

Included in the area you have proposed annexation are trails and challenges with names like the Outer Limits, Big Johnson, Claw Hammer, After Shock, Bender Alley, and Hell’s Gate. In the adjacent area you have shown additional interest in are Wrecking Ball, Jack Hammer, Sledge Hammer, Tack Hammer, and Backdoor. These are as good as it gets for off-roaders. Johnson Valley OHV Area is our Mecca.

The irony of your proposal is that we are constantly in battle with environmentalist and naturalists (many of whom have never ventured into this area) that have always wanted the area shut off from human contact to preserve various varieties of flora and fauna and to protect animal habitat such as the desert tortoise. Just how high of a priority will these same issues have with regards for the Marine Corps planned use?

In conclusion it is with the utmost respect for your mission that I humbly ask you to reconsider this planned acquisition and find a suitable location elsewhere. The Marine Corp has a need, but the off-road community also has needs and rights to enjoy and recreate in this well established OHV area. If this land were unused and dormant it would be a different situation all together but Johnson Valley OHV Area already has a purpose and is owned by thousands of tax-paying citizens like myself who are not willing to sacrifice such a pristine local to be turned into a practice war ground.

Respectfully submitted by
Philip W. Hall
Member of the following organizations:
Blue Ribbon Coalition
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs
California Off-Road Vehicle Association
San Digo Off-Road Coalition

To whom it may concern:

Let me start by saying that I am in total support of our military and the Marine Corps.

While I understand that the Marines need space to train, the OHV community needs more places to be able to recreate. Because of many different factors, the areas in which we can recreate in have been shrinking at an alarming rate all across this great country.

The OHV community is growing by leaps and bounds, and our trails are closing left and right. This results in a supply and demand issue, with new additional users but declining legal areas. The result is increased illegal wheeling and damage to the legal trails from condensed use by a greater number of OHV’s. Closing this area to OHV use will create damage to other trails that are already overcrowded, which in turn will give way to more closures, locking us out of more of our public lands.

Whatever you do, please understand that you are not just taking an area of desert, you are effecting the lives of thousands of people who recreate in the Johnson Valley area. You will also be taking much needed money from the economy from lost tourism, local businesses will be effected and tax dollars will be lost.

Although I do not live locally in the area, all trail closures have an effect on my sport and I support efforts to help keep public land open to the public.

John Price ~ Massachusetts

Proud Member of:

Founder & President of South Shore Wheelers (http://southshorewheelers.org/)
United Four Wheel Drive Association Member (http://ufwda.org/)
Northeast Association of 4wd Clubs Member (http://nea4wd.org/)
East Coast 4 Wheel Drive Association (http://www.ec4wda.org/)
OSJ Member (http://www.oceanstatejeepsters.com/) -Land Use Committee
RIOHVA Member (http://www.riohva.org/)
Member of Treadlightly (http://www.treadlightly.org/)
Member of BlueRibbon Coalition (http://www.sharetrails.org/)
Friends of Coy Hill (http://friendsofcoyhill.org/forums/index.php)
Friends of Eldorado (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=255000551&MyToken=2d5b2739-c63d-4849-9ddc-8947c6cca0d5)

To Whom It May Concern:


My Father was a career Marine serving in Guadalcanal and Korea. I am a Vietnam Veteran. So let me start by saying that I am in total support of our military and the Marine Corps. Still, I am very worried about the Johnson Valley expansion by the Marine Corps, especially the additional area of interest. If the Marine Corps expand into this area, it will take away a very important area from the OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) community. The Hammer Trails, which are located in this area, are a main destination for OHV enthusiasts to bring their families to recreate in California. Competitions such as the recent, highly publicized "King of the Hammers" has also been held in this area. My wife and I plus our Grandkids love to camp and four-wheel . My family normally attends 10-12 OHV functions and camping trips each year. As Johnson Valley is seen as a "Mecca" by many OHV enthusiasts in the west, it has always been a dream of mine to take my family down there to recreate responsibly. Many OHV enthusiasts that live miles away visit the Hammers on a regular basis. While I understand that the Marines need space to train, you need to understand that our motor-sport is constantly under attack. Because of many different factors, the areas in which we can four-wheel in have been shrinking at an alarming rate. In Eldorado National Forest alone, for example, we stand to lose 1,800 MILES of trails. For us to lose such an important area as the Hammers to our sport would be like Baseball losing Wrigley field or Golf losing Augusta. We also have an undeserved reputation for "ruining" the environment. The OHV community is growing by leaps and bounds, while our trails are closing left and right. This results in more users in a smaller area, which results in damage to the trail from condensed use by a greater number of OHV's. Closing this area to OHV use will create damage to other trails that are already overcrowded, which in turn will give the "other" side more ammunition to lock us out of our public lands. Whatever you do, please understand that you are not just taking an area of desert, you are effecting the lives of thousands of people who recreate in the Johnson Valley area. Thanks you in advance for our help in this matter.

Yours Truly,
George Dempsey
5764 Cold Springs Dr
Foresthill, CA 95631
(530) 367-4870

and we are off...come on people lets get the pics and stories going...I my self have never made it to the Valley yet but have offroaded many of the areas around there.

The Hammer trails are a place that I have not had the opportunity to experience. I have many friends that have been to this trail system and I have read about them in many of the magazines and on website forums such as Pirate4x4.

I live in Middleton Idaho and have always wanted to travel to Johnson Valley. I have dreamed of the day when I can challenge myself and my custom made rock buggy on some of the most intense trails in the United States.

I find it very disheartening that this trail system would be closed off to public use because the military wishes to use it for training purposes.

Why take public land? There has to be a better solution for the United States Marine Corps to train their marines. Please consider the alternatives before shutting out the many families that have used this area for years and wish to use this area for years to come.

Sincerely

Tony Lancaster
Vice President, Idaho 4x4 Association
www.id4x4a.com

Member and former President, High Desert Offroad
www.highdesertoff-road.com

Member and former President, Idaho Offroad and 4x4
www.idaho4x4.com

I really am hoping to be able to visit Johnson valley and the hammers someday! Please consider all the people involved in our sport and favorite hobby(for me) when you make a decision. Thanks, T. N.

I have never been to Johnson Valley or the Hammers, but someday I sure would like too.

It would be wrong to close an area that obviously provides such a great OHV recreational opportunity to so many people. Training for our military is of utmost importance, but they have other areas they can expand to, where we, the OHV community are limited to what we already have, and that area is shrinking every year while the numbers of people involved are growing. We are at a time when people are getting more involved in maintaining and respecting the areas that they use for OHV use.
This area needs to be kept open for public use. It is important to the people that have been there, to the people who would like to go there, and to the communities that rely on the dollars spent by the recreating public.

Rick Ferdon
Pollock Pines

To our Elected Officials,

Please do not allow our OHV areas to be taken away! The OHV community has recently lost many areas to several different factors. The USFS Route Designation process has closed countless miles of trails in our National Forests. Lawsuits by environmentalists have caused the closure of long time OHV areas including Truckhaven and Surprise Canyon. Natural disasters including the recent fires have forced the closure of some of my personal favorite locations in the southern California mountains. We cannot afford to loose any more.

In addition to the closures of historical riding areas, the county of San Bernardino, where the Hammers are located, along with neighboring Riverside County have recently passed restrictive ordinances on OHV use. I personally think that the San Bernardino County ordinance (3973) is a fair law that works to control illegal and irresponsible OHV use. I assure you that I and the vast majority of the OHV community would join with the environmentalists and OHV watchdog groups to stop actions like trespassing and creating a nuisance by operating a vehicle in populated areas. In fact, groups like the San Bernardino County Community ORV Watch http://www.orvwatch.com/ actually direct OHV users to the Johnson Valley OHV area, where they can operate legally.

The Riverside County ordinance (348.4213) I feel is too restrictive. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors summarily dismissed an ordinance that was drafted in cooperation with OHV groups and instead adopted an ordinance that limits private property owners from operating on their own property! Restrictions include the hours of the day when an OHV can operate, and the minimum parcel size per OHV in operation. This ordinance effectively outlaws OHV use throughout the county, and the county has NO legal OHV parks for its residents to legally recreate in.

I do agree that the need for the best training opportunities for our soldiers is of the utmost importance. I fully support our troops and want them to have the best opportunity to complete their duty and come home safely. I do not see where the annexation of the Johnson Valley OHV area is necessary to accomplish this goal. There are plenty of options for the 29 Palms base to expand in other directions.

Closure of the Johnson Valley OHV would also have a great impact on the surrounding community. Thousands of OHV enthusiasts visit the area each year. The varied terrain attracts all different facets of OHV user from motorcyclists, ATV’s, desert racers to rock crawlers. I personally make an average of four to six trips a year to the area, and actually expect that number to increase in the future. All of these visitors are a huge impact on the local economy which would surely suffer if the OHV dollars were to leave.

I thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to your support.

Donald Gerber

Proud Member of
The Blue Ribbon Coalition
www.sharetrails.org

California Off Road Vehicle Association
www.corva.org

I bought my 2005 Jeep TJ and have been hooked.
I LOVE to wheel - it is one of the few things that can free my mind from work, family, bills, etc.

Please keep places like JV open to allow us the opportunity to wheel LEGALLY!

We wheel at the hammers 2-3 times a year, it would be a great shame to lose such an awesome area. I've been either wheeling or riding dirt bikes at Johnson Valley for almost 15 years. I hope we can open more areas for off road recreation, not close them.

Its been years since I have been to JV! I have never been wheeling there, but I have camped on the lakebed many times as a youth! My hope is to be able to take my kids camping and wheeling there when they are older!

As was posted somewhere else, I hope the only reason I cant go wheeling @ JV is because I'm too scared to take my truck there, not because it is closed!

What's the reason the the Corps wants to expand 29 Palms?

hello
I understand that the Marine Corps is planning to expand into the Johnson Valley
OHV area. While I completely support our military and the Marine Corps I am very
concerned about this. As an avid four wheel drive enthusiast the "additional
area of interest" is very concerning. If this area is taken from the OHV community
it would be devestating to thousands of responsible OHV enthusiast including myself.

I am furtunate enough to have recently moved closer to the Johson Valley area. Although
I have not been to the Johnson Valley OHV area yet I have every intention of visiting
the area frequently in the future as I am now just a short three hour drive away.
I have spent the last 8 months and thousands of dollars getting my OHV prepared
to run the imfamous "Hammer Trails" in the area, and will be meeting some
fellow OHV enthusiasts in the area in a few short weeks.

I understand the importance for the need of more space for the Marines to train,
but please be aware that our sport has already lost thousands of miles of trails,
and stand to lose thousands more. I hope that with the vast amounts of land
the US government have access to finding a place for the Marines to train other than
Johson Valley would not be an issue.

Please, for the sake of thousand of OHV enthusiasts freinds familys all over this
great nation, as well as throughout the world, do not take away our access to the
offroad Meca that is Johnson Valley.

In closing to do my part in helping to keep the area open I have pleged $100.00
to the Blue Ribbon Coalition to help their efforts in saving
our trails.

Thank You

THEN:
No Front locker, that 's how we were known I was in fourlofirst's 4runner the only time I have been there. We did a little cruising around the first night and ran sledge the next day. we were the only truck in the group without a front locker. It was a memorable trip to say the least.

Today: I just got a new(to me) 1966 CJ5. it is a great lil truck but still a ways away from being ready to go to the hammers. I want to take it there, and, I will when it is built right and time and finances allow. That is assuming, of course, it is still an option.

I will be glad to post up some pictures when I get home. I have plenty and it was a great trip.

I have never been but hope to go soon! Don't close even more trails!

It will a be really sad day when Johnson Valley is no longer open to the public. Please do not close this wonderful place.

-Matt

x2 - Keep public lands open to the public

This is a tough situation for me. Choosing between my favorite wheeling spot and our Military which ensures the future of our freedoms. I travel over 600 miles one way to go to Johnson Valley a few times a year, yet I love my country and what it stands for. As you can see in my pictures I love my country so much, our nations symbol is displayed proudly on my right arm with the words "Try burning this one" written around it. It's very dis-appointing to think what good is my freedom if the very entity that exists to protect it, is attempting to take away my favorite pastime? Please, please, please try to find another alternative to the 29 Palms expansion instead of taking away some of the most extreme terrain offered to rockcrawling. Johnson Valley is a very rare place and I seriously doubt it could be replaced.

Sincerely,
Aaron Beckstead

Member of:
Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers
Rubicon Trail Foundation
Friends of the Rubicon
California Four Wheel Drive Club
Blue Ribbon Coalition

I purchaed my 2005 Jeep TJ new and from the first time I wheeled it, I was hooked.

Please keep JV open so we can continue to wheel LEGALLY!

I have had several planned and failed trips to Johnson valley. One time it will work out, and I will be able to take my family to one of the greatest Outdoor venues in the world.

I fully support our military, and want the best training possible for our troops. However, there needs to also remain a place for the "free" to be able to excercise our freedoms, and this day and age we are losing those places faster than we can possibly keeep track of. Please take the time to look at the impact this would have on the outdoor loving public when making your decisions.

I've never been to the Hammers or the Johnson Valley Area. It looks like an awesome place that I'd like to visit someday. Please keep this area open to recreation.

Bobby Johnson

Johnson Valley is my absolute favorite destination for rock crawling and contains some of my favorite trails. The views and desertscape do not dissapoint as well...
http://www.fototime.com/4FC088BF381D161/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/C0818D33456EE35/standard.jpg
The amount of effort and work put in the create the trails is unequalled and shows the minute you head up one of the canyons.
http://www.fototime.com/5F13840A97C1FBA/standard.jpg
The Hammers trails, truly it is a one of a kind place on this planet that we call Earth and could not be replaced.

I love wheeling at the hammers and look forward to taking my son there someday. Please save it for the future.

Never been there so I have no Stories of the place. But would like to experience it for myself someday. Keep it Open to the Public.

I have been a part of the 4x4 community for over 8 years and have heard many great stories of experiences in the Johnson Valley from many of my friends in the community. I am located on the east coast of the United States, so planning a trip to the area is no small task. A trip to the Hammers at Johnson Valley has been on my agenda for several years now. I hope that the area continues to be open to the public so that I can execute my planned trip to the area and explore the awesome terrain that I have heard so much about.

Please keep Johnson Valley open to the public. Closing it will prevent thousands of folks and their families from taking advantage of the great landscapes and adventures that it offers.

Thanks,
Matt Isgro
Worcester, MA

To whom it may concern:

Let me start by saying that I am in total support of our military and the Marine Corps.

Still, I am very worried about the Johnson Valley expansion by the Marine Corps, especially the “additional area of interest”. If the Marine Corps expand into this area, it will take away a very important area from the OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) community.

The Hammer Trails, which are located in this area, are a main destination for OHV enthusiasts to bring their families to recreate in California. Competitions such as the recent, highly publicized “King of the Hammers” have also been held in this area.

I normally attends 10-12 OHV functions and camping trips each year. I spend half of these trips in Johnson Valley, CA. There are many places I could go to enjoy my OHV, but the fact that I spend half of my trips in Johnson Valley, shows you how special this place really is. Johnson Valley is seen as a “Mecca” by many OHV enthusiasts in the west. Many OHV enthusiasts ONLY visit the hammers. They have built their vehicles specifically for the Johnson Valley terrain. There really is no other place like it with such a diverse landscape, from challenging rock trails, sand dunes, and open desert.

While I understand that the Marines need space to train, please understand that our motor-sport is constantly under attack because of many different factors. The areas in which we can four-wheel in have been shrinking at an alarming rate. In Eldorado National Forest alone, for example, we stand to lose 1,800 MILES of trails. For us to lose such an important area as the Hammers to our sport would be like Baseball losing Wrigley field or Golf losing Augusta.

We also have an undeserved reputation for “ruining” the environment, even though there are many "clean up" runs to reverse the damage of the few un-responsible OHV enthusiasts that taint the OHV community. The OHV community is growing by leaps and bounds, while our trails are closing left and right. This results in more users in a smaller area, which results in damage to the trail from condensed use by a greater number of OHV’s. Closing this area to OHV use will create damage to other trails that are already overcrowded, which in turn will give the “other” side more ammunition to lock us out of our public lands.

Whatever you do, please understand that you are not just taking an area of desert, you are effecting the lives of an infinite amount of people who recreate in the Johnson Valley area, myself including.

Its a sad day when we loose yet another area to go wheeling/camping/exploring.
I have not been to Johnson Valley yet, but many of my friends have been, its only a matter of time before I make it down that way.... I guesse the sooner the better now.

Please leave this area open for me and my Children to use.
Pat Kennedy
TLCA #8547

First of all, I want to thank Pirate4x4's owners and administrators for allowing us to hold this rally on their site.

Now, down to business:

Keep our trails open! That's all I ask. Why? Simple. I'd rather see my kids enjoying the nature that God gave us, whether it's 4x4ing, hiking, camping, or biking, than getting in trouble in the city. I want my kids to grow up appreciating nature, and also learning from it and becoming a part of it. How can we learn from nature if we can't access it? Yes, I am in full support of our military, as I have several close family members in different branches. But why not use land that doesn't mean so much to so many people?

Justina
4x4 owner

Hello

My name is Sean Little

I am from Philadelphia PA
Please do not close the Hammers as it is one of the places I would like to eventually visit and wheel. This being said I know the military needs space to train. I would appreciate every effort to find an alternate place to train, or an alternate plan to allow people to utilize the area for OHV and also for Training of Military Persons.

Thank You

To whom it may concern:

I am a paying member of Spinnin4's 4x4 club, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and Cal 4Wheel just to name a few. I support our military and understand the need as stated for this land. However, I do feel that there are other areas that may be more appropriate for this type of training where it wouldn't impact a highly valued recreational area like Johnson Valley. I would encourage you to look for other areas to host this type of activity and keep the land open for off road enthusiasts like myself. Thank you for your consideration.

I have never been to the Hammers but i would love it if they were still open so I have a chance to go one day!

As a member of the OHV community, I see how important it is to keep public lands cleaned and maintained but also open, so that one day my kids and grandkids can visit the same places that I have.

Thanks

Chris Petersen

I live in Las Vegas,NV. where almost everywhere around the city limits has been closed to four-wheeling.Places that I grew up going too have now been deemed off-limits by our local government.That leaves me with fewer recreational opportunities where I live and forces me to look to other areas out of town/state. While I understand that the Marines need space to train, it is a fact that our motor-sport is constantly under attack because of many different factors,and the areas in which we can four-wheel in have been shrinking at an alarming rate.

The Hammer Trails, which are located in Johnson Valley, are a main destination for OHV enthusiasts to bring their families to recreate in California.Being somewhat close to Las Vegas it seems the natural place for me to go,as Johnson Valley is seen as a “Mecca” by many OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) enthusiasts in the west.

I am very worried about the Johnson Valley expansion by the Marine Corps, especially the “additional area of interest”. If the Marine Corps expand into this area, it will take away a very important area from the OHV community,and effect the lives of thousands of people who recreate in the Johnson Valley area.

The OHV community is growing by leaps and bounds, while our trails are closing left and right. This results in more users in a smaller area, which results in damage to the trail from condensed use by a greater number of OHV’s. Closing this area to OHV use will create damage to other trails that are already overcrowded, which in turn will give the “other” side more ammunition to lock us out of our public lands.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l320/jackspics_2007/2872820800043391076xdsxlH_ph.jpg

Never been to Johnson Valley...Would really like to someday...Please don't take that dream away.

The Public Lands Should Remain Just That Public. My Children's, Children Need To Know This Place Keep It Open. Please



Sheldon F. Miller

SAVE THE HAMMERS!

To Whom It May Concern,

I would like to say that the proposed closure of the Johnson Valley OHV park would be a great loss to the off road community. Our community as a whole, support our troops and encourage the training and safety of those who make our way of life possible. However, there are several perspective places being considered for this upcoming change. Why not use one of those sites as opposed to closing the "world's" premier rock crawling and off road park. I, as many, spent 10 years trying to get the chance to run the infamous "Hammers" at Johnson Valley. Unlike many, I finally had the chance and loved every moment. For those who use the area regularly, you are taking away a weekend retreat. A place for children and their parents to bond and enjoy our great sport. For those who have not had the chance, you will be taking away a dream that could some day be realized. Again, we are not opposed to military training, but there are other places to do this and not impact an area that is world renowned.

Jennifer King
Total Karnage (http://totalkarnage.net)

This is a copy of a letter I have written to the Chairman of the House Armed Services Comittee and the Ranking Republican. I brought a copy of this to a Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers gathering we had last weekend at Hollisted and 44 of our members and friends also signed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will also be sending it out to EVERY MEMBER of the house armed services comittee, and damn near every other representitive I can find.

Please feel free to take this and create your own signed letter and send it out. This is a national fight, don't be afraid to get big and send it to congress, the senate, etc.

REMEMBER, HANDWRITTEN, SIGNED, INDIVIDUAL LETTERS make SOOO much more of a difference than form letters, petitions, etc. They have a lot more attention paid to them, and carry more weight with our elected officials.

Thanks to TDO, everyone who signed this, and please get out there and write yourselves!!

Here's the text of the letter, I can't upload the actual attachment w/ no star.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It has recently come to my attention that the Unites States Marine Corps has proposed an expansion of the 29 Palms Military Installation to include portions of the Johnson Valley OHV area. This comes as a great disturbance to me and many of the people I associate with due to the amount of time and resources we spend in this area. Please note that I fully support and respect the U.S. Military and each and every one of it’s brave members. I understand that it is an overwhelming necessity that these men and women have the best training facilities and opportunities that can be provided to them, as their sacrifices and hard work provides each and every one of us with the freedoms we so often take for granted. My request of you and our Country is not to deny these necessities to our armed forces, but to consider all other possibilities and urge all involved in the acquisition of additional land for the 29 Palms base to do whatever is necessary to keep the Johnson Valley OHV area, and especially the canyons surrounding Means Dry Lake, home to the “Hammers” trails, open for this current and all future generations of Americans.

I own and drive a 4wd truck which has been built for a motor sport known as “rockcrawling”. The vehicle is a street legal Toyota pickup extensively modified specifically for traveling the rocky trails and difficult sections found in only a few places in the country. In constructing this vehicle, I have spent many thousands of dollars of my own on parts and equipment, most of which went to California small businesses who cater to this hobby and way of life. Johnson Valley OHV and the “Hammers” trail network is the premier rockcrawling venue on the West Coast and is a haven for people from all over the world to come and test themselves and their vehicles. Closure of this area to the public would deny myself and the thousands of other rockcrawlers in this area and around the country the right to visit an area with terrain like no other.

I visit the Johnson Valley OHV area about 4 times a year for an average of four days at a time. These trips generally cost me around $500 in fuel, food, and other necessities to care for my significant other and myself. Most of this is spent in the Lucerne, Yucca, and Apple Valley areas. There are generally between 50 and 100 people and families in the area at the same times that I visit, many of them who spend far in excess of what I do to make this same trip. This would result a great deal of lost revenue to these cities if this area were closed to public recreation. It would also provide a great deal of stress to already crowded OHV areas in other parts of the state and the country.

It is important to also note that many different types of racing events are held in these areas, including desert racing by promoters including Best in The Desert, Mojave Desert Racing and District 37 motorcycle racing. These areas would be extremely difficult to replace for these groups and these races have a long history in this area and have added much to the local economy and livelihood of its residents. In addition, the rocky terrain and trails found in the Johnson Valley OHV would be completely irreplaceable by any terrain found in Southern California for 4wd and rockcrawling enthusiasts. The closure of these premier areas would force enthusiasts to travel out of the region and the state to find alternate OHV terrain, resulting in a loss to the local economies. Many would not find it feasible to travel further distances and may refrain completely from the sport, also costing millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Currently many 4wd clubs and organizations hold events and gatherings focused on maintaining, protecting, and conserving the use of the Johnson Valley OHV trails. They also draw and invest funds into the local economy with no mandate other than their own sense of responsibility to the trails they use and love. It pains me greatly to see an area like this even in contention after so many valuable places for recreational OHV use have already been closed.

I again urge both your office as well as all parties involved in this decision to consider any and all possible alternatives before forcing the closure of such a valuable resource to so many of the 4wd, OHV, and motorcycle enthusiasts of this country. Below my signature is a group of fellow 4wd and rockcrawling enthusiasts who I feel proud to associate myself with. Many of them also spend as much as, if not more, time at the Johnson Valley OHV area and also contribute to the livelihood of the area, the OHV industry & businesses, and the state of California. They have included their signatures as evidence of the great number of supporters to the statements I have made and in the efforts to keep our trails open for the benefit of all of our lives. Thank you for your time and consideration of all of our voices in this matter.

Sincerely,




Geoffrey Lawton




Also Signed By:


Name Signature Address

I may have never been to JV, but my family and I plan to one day, and I'd like to hope that one day my son can take his family. I keep seeing trails, areas, federal and state parks closing to OHV traffic, and it is time to stop these unwarranted trail closures. And get the knowledge out that we wheelers actually improve the environment by picking up trash and repairing trails throughout the year! This affects everyone nationwide, and I support Johnson Valley remaining all open

I just thought I would post up saying I've never been to the "Hammer" trails in Johnson Valley but it has been a dream of mine to go and I'd like the opportunity to be able to in the future.
A lot of the technical aspects of this sport come from people at the Hammers pushing machines farther than they could anywhere else and building machines to take that abuse and that information gets passed back down others on boards like this one.
From post here on this board and many others it is obvious to me that many families enjoy much time out on these trails and have become a close group of dedicated people. Many of whom call Johnson Valley their home. I guess my opinion is that "families" thoughts should count for something.

Thanks,

Gary Lawson
Houston, TX

As a rocksports business owner in Southern California I have no doubt that if the Hammers get taken over, I will loose most of my customers, and have to close the shop. It would also most likely motivate me to move out of California. I understand the need to grow the base, just grow it in a different direction. There must be a King of the Hammers '09, '10, '11, etc!

Johnson Valley is the premier offroad destination in SoCal, and by far the place I spend most of my vacation time and money. There is nothing else that can replace it. There's history there, and I love to show my friends and family the places I have been and tell the stories that go with them.

Brandon Naves,
Heavy Metal Fabshop

With so much open available desert land that the military could use for training, in both California and Nevada and other nearby states, please reconsider taking the best rocks in California away from those who need the land to recreate.

OHV use is a valid, existing use of the area, and with increased numbers of registered vehicles and reducing amounts of available land on which to use them, there is a greater need to find military space where no other activity exists.

The economic loss of revenues from the users of the area would be devastating to local economies.

Ken

I've been playing in Johnson Valley for over 30 years. On everything from dirt bike to race trucks. To lose this off road area would be terrible.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/DJ404564X4/JOHNSON%20VALLEY/img100.jpg

Four-wheeling is one of the only things that allows me to free my mind of work! When I am wheelin' and concentrating on my line - I never think about budgets, empoyees, meetings, status reports, office hoopla, etc.

It is a thrill that I wish could be bottled.

I fully sympathize with the needs of the USMC, but not the methods to expand the current training area. Another solution is to carefully re-examine all of the land closures in effect within the base and rescind enough of those to give our brave Marines enough room to train in the 900+ square acres that they already have.

To whom it may concern.

I have been an active member of the off-road community for 6 years, and an off-road accessoires
retail store operator for 2 years now. I fully believe in keeping public land public and open to recreational use. It's a sad day when more and more land is gated off for one reason or another. Please see the response from the off-road community that we are a single voice for the responsible use of public lands.
-Fred S.
Save the Hammers!!!!!!!

Dear Elected Officials,

As a member of the off-road community I am deeply concerned about the closures of our public lands to the use of people such as myself. I hope that though the efforts of this website and other organizations we can show that our sport has the right to use these lands. I have never been to Johnson’s Valley but I hope that in the future I will be able to visit the area and enjoy what it has to offer.

Thank you for listening to my concerns,

Pete Helseth

The hammers are second on my list of trails out west that I need to experience, following only the Rubicon. My biggest concern with this issue is that it is another instance of a smaller group of individuals (although, not a small group) trying to keep a larger majority of the PUBLIC off of PUBLIC lands. Please don't deny me the right to enjoy land that was set aside for me and my fellow citizens to enjoy.

i haven't been to the hammers "yet". but i see myself going down there soon. i think its a great idea to have a legal place to wheel ! also a great place to meet new people from all over. even though i'am 4000miles away from this place its always nice to see pictures or videos from avid wheelers ! and wishing that i was there !!!

SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY !!

To whom it may concern,

I would hope that you have made all possible considerations when choosing a site for the Department of Defense to claim. Johnson Valley is a pinnacle four wheeling destination and it would be a shame take it from the thousands of visitors and future competitions that will be held there.

While I have never been there, I plan on going there in the next couple of years.

Thanks for your time.

To whom it may concern:

The johnson valley OHV is one of the most unique and popular OHV areas in the west coast and nation. An entire industry exists around this series of trails and supporting desert - fabrication, competition, etc. It is the proving ground for some of the most serious off-road vehicles ever created; and it is very special to myself and thousands of others who dedicate a significant portion of our income toward this region and the supporting communities.

Closing Johnson Valley to off-road use would as detrimental to our hobby (and its industry) as closing New York City's central park would be to its residents.

Please consider other ground for the expansion of 29 palms, this one area is too dear to many of us.

Cal Tuttle
Pasadena, CA
cal@mud.edu

To whom it may concern:

I have never been to Johnson Valley, but have heard many stories. We live in a world where public lands keep getting more and more restrictive, yet there are more and more people wishing to use these lands. When making a decision on this site, I hope everyone involved will weigh their options.

Please consider using land that is otherwise not used.

Thank you

In agreement with many better versed than I who have posted above.

Please make a strong effort to expand in a different direction or area altogether.

Please listen to the veteran wheelers here. Save the hammers for those of us who have never wheeled there. It is one place we all want to go or go back to.

Please do not take over the Johnson Valley OHV area for expansion of the 29 Palms militarty base. I have been to this area 2 times in my life and each trip far exceeded all the other trips in my life in the amount of fun and good times had. It is a place like no other that could not be replaced.

We (fellow off-roaders) obviously would HATE to see the "Hammers" be taken from us. I've been there only a couple of times as a passenger (hope to get my own rig out there one day), and it is certainly an irreplacable bunch of trails.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/Johnson%20Valley%20-%20November%202007/DSC03655.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/Johnson%20Valley%20-%20November%202007/DSC03667.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/Johnson%20Valley%20-%20November%202007/DSC03703.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/Johnson%20Valley%20-%20November%202007/DSC03737.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/ParadiddleatJVRR.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/Wheelin/JVRR1.jpg

I am originally from California, grew up cruising around the dry lake beds in my Grandfathers CJ2A, camping and all around having fun in the Johnson Valley area, since moving to Tucson, AZ. and getting back into the 4 wheeling recreation, I have built my vehicle with the intentions of going back to the Johnson Valley area with my own family.

As a Veteran of the Navy now DAV, I am a firm supporter of our Military and it's need to train it's soldiers to fight using real world scenarios. That of course requires space to spread out, but there is A LOT of open desert in the southwest that would do just as well, without disturbing an established recreation area.

The Navy seals train for beach landings all the time, but you don't see them buying up Mission Beach or Pismo.

I sinicerely hope that the OHV area is still around for my to enjoy with my son.

I am writing today to show my support for the Johnson Valley Recreational area. I understand the need for military training areas, such places are a necessity. But as an outsider I feel there could be other areas in this fine country better suited for such an acquisition. For our community, this proposal is equivalent to acquiring Yosemite as a bombing site. Please reconsider this proposal and preserve this wonderful area for my kids and generations to come.

-Mike Johnson
Hazmat Offroad

To whom it may concern:

As a member of the growing recreational vehicle community, we are constantly battling
for our right to access public land. We currently are going to loose 1,800 miles of
trails in the Eldorado National Forrest. The land available for us for recreation is
decreasing and Johnson Valley expansion will further reduce access to trails.

Trails know as "The Hammers" are located in the "additional area of interest." These
trails are some of the most reputable trails in the wester reigon, and would be a
considerable loss to our community.

I support our military, and I realize that Marine Corps need places to train, but there
most be an alternative that would not reduce our already limited OHV areas. Please
keep public land open to the public.

Sincerely

Jacob Myer

I've never been to Johnson Valley, but I don't like the idea of the opportunity being taken from me. There are far too few places to legally enjoy our public lands in this country as it is. I think it's criminal for a few elitist members of the United States Government to close our public lands.

To whom it may concern,

I have never been to Johnson Valley, but I do frequent similar areas here in AZ and intend to one day visit JV and enjoy all that it has to offer. I know that off highway enthusiasts such as myself sometimes may have a bad rap, but I can tell you that for every idiot dropping a beer can there are ten people fighting over who gets to pick it up. The majority of us are responsible individuals who hold each other accountable and help each other out when needed. We are a close knit group who takes pride in leaving areas as good if not better than how we came upon them. JV is a destination that people plan to visit on family vacations and group gatherings. Being from a military family, I fully support military training and am in no way saying that we don't want training to occur, but rather that there are a lot of areas that this could be done in that are not as socially relevant as JV. I hope that this will be taken into consideration and please look at the complete picture. Thanks for your time.

Ryan Williams

As time goes on there are becoming far less places for the public to use. Especially ones that allow and are a destination place for hobbyists. I understand circumstances that govern these actions. But when do we draw the line.

I hope to be able to share these type of places in the future. If they keep getting taken from us eventually there will be nothing left.

Please look for a piece of land elsewhere. There are places all over that are not used and are not good for growing crops on.

Regards,

Justin

I have wheeled Johnson Valley once, and hope to do so again. It has been 6 years since I have been out and ran the Hammers, but it was an experience that I will never forget.

As a veteran, I fully support the military and its need to base space. What I dont understand, is why this space is being considered when there are other spaces that do NOT see the use that this area does. How can bases be closing down and sold off/abandonded, then another turn around and want to take over a huge recreational area? Something doesnt fly right in all of this.

Regardless, hopefully this rally will open the eyes of the people who are supposed to represent the people of CA, and honestly, of the rest of the U.S. Public land is for Public use, not for the government to snag and shut down and change whenever they see fit for whatever pet project they happen to be working on. Take heed elected officials, people are watching and will not be pushed around forever!

Thank You!

If You Want To Practice Your War Gams And Such You Need To Go To A Foreign Country Heck You Can Even Put Up A Fence Line Around The Usa With The Money Your Gona Use For This It Will Be Better Spent Than This Besides You Have Enough Area And You Dont Even Use It Anymore And To Make Thigs Worse We Need To Leave Some Green On The Ground And Leave Some Blue Up Above Us Save Some For Tomarrow Where Will Your Children Play Where Will Your Childrens Childrens Play Save The Hammers Or Else Your Just Killing The Rest Of This World That Was Created By God Above For All Others To Enjoy.

Generlmen,

I have been an avid member of the outdoor community for my entire life. From snow camping in Maine to Canoeing the Boundary waters of MN to fishing off the coast of Baja California.
Most of my outdoor love has been a direct result of my father taking me places and showing me what the outdoors have to offer. As the years have progressed and my father ages it gets harder to find places that my father can get to. It brings back old memories of family time that he misses and holds dear. One of the things he still enjoys is metting me out at Johnson Valley for father/son time. Jv is centrally located for us (I live in Las Vegas and he lives in Tehachapi) so it is a "common ground" that we all can enjoy.

I understand the need for proper areas to train our fighting men. I was born on Loring AFB, my desire for the troops to have the best training possible is strong. However I do believe that a better location may be identified. The area in question is not spatially large. But it is a very important location for many off road enthusiasts. The Hammers (Johnson Valley) are a iconic spot for off road enthusiasts. Much like Everst is for the mountain climbers. It would be a terrible shame to lose the area.

If the choice has been made to replace the land I do hope that a large amount of thought could be put forth in the strategy. Johnson Valley has a wide variety of OHV areas within a fairly small area. A 1:1 replacement area would be a tall order.

If you have any questions or would like to correspond more I can easily be reached anytime.

Jason Mace
Geo_guy@yahoo.com

To whom it may concern,

I live 1/2 way across the country from Johnson Valley, but as an offroad enthusiast who enjoys the sport, it is sad to see the same thing happening over and over again all across the country. "Public" (and even some private) lands are being shut down, with little to no regard for the peoples wants or needs.

An area such as Johnson Valley is not only a mecca for offroad enthusiasts and their families to spend quality time at, it also has a huge financial impact on the local economy. Take away access to Johnson Valley, and there will be many people lose their jobs. Some businesses may even have no choice but to shut down due to the financial losses they would incur.

I would love to make it out West some time to visit the Johnson Valley area, please don't take over the land and close it down. It would be a huge loss to the offroading community, the businesses that support the industry, and the local businesses that would no longer get income from all those who go there.

Thank you for listening!

I, like the others here, am in total support of our military and the Marine Corps.
We live in Florida but have been visiting your state for the past years to enjoy your numerous and beautiful OHV areas.
Johnson Valley and the hammers has always been on our TO-DO list. It would be a great loss to the OHV community if this area were to be closed.
There are many more well spoken people here then I am and I implore you to listen to what they have to say about this situation.
PLEASE KEEP THE JOHNSON VALLEY AREA OPEN TO THE OFFROAD ENTHUSIASTS!
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Diane Lanthier

Member:
Florida 4WD Assoc.
Orlando Jeep Club

Gentelmen,

I have been an avid member of the outdoor community for my entire life. From snow camping in Maine to Canoeing the Boundary waters of MN to fishing off the coast of Baja California.
Most of my outdoor love has been a direct result of my father taking me places and showing me what the outdoors have to offer. As the years have progressed and my father ages it gets harder to find places that my father can get to. It brings back old memories of family time that he misses and holds dear. One of the things he still enjoys is metting me out at Johnson Valley for father/son time. Jv is centrally located for us (I live in Las Vegas and he lives in Tehachapi) so it is a "common ground" that we all can enjoy.

I understand the need for proper areas to train our fighting men. I was born on Loring AFB, my desire for the troops to have the best training possible is strong. However I do believe that a better location may be identified. The area in question is not spatially large. But it is a very important location for many off road enthusiasts. The Hammers (Johnson Valley) are a iconic spot for off road enthusiasts. Much like Everst is for the mountain climbers. It would be a terrible shame to lose the area.

If the choice has been made to replace the land I do hope that a large amount of thought could be put forth in the strategy. Johnson Valley has a wide variety of OHV areas within a fairly small area. A 1:1 replacement area would be a tall order.

If you have any questions or would like to correspond more I can easily be reached anytime.

Jason Mace
Geo_guy@yahoo.com

My name is Chad and I'm the President of Cascade Cruisers, a Toyota Land Cruiser Association chaperter based out of Portland, Oregon. My wife and I are avid wheelers and spend all of our available time and resorces into our Toyotas and to keep trails open to OHV use. As of yet, we have not been to Johnson Valley. However, that is one of the "must do" things on our list.

As far as the military is concerned, I am in full support. However, I think that using Johnson Valley would be a complete misuse of the land! Please do not close this area. I would like to get the chance to take my wife there and one day take my kids there.

~Chad "CreeperSleeper" Holznagel

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Julie and I am a member of the Victor Valley 4 Wheelers club. The Victor Valley 4 Wheelers spent many, many years building and creating the trails that now make up Johnson Valley OHV area. These are some of the toughest trails in Southern California and home to many off-roading events and challenges. Not only do we enjoy these trails with our friends and family, we also clean up after ourselves and leave the area better then when we came. It would be ashame to allow the Marine base to take over such a popular area just to do testing and practices. There are plenty of other open desert areas that do not host popular off-roading trails and events that they can use to expand upon. Please help us to keep this area open to off-roading use.

Respectfully,

Julie Earl

Member of:
Victor Valley 4 Wheelers
MyJeepRocks.com
Pirate4x4.com
Cal 4 Wheel Drive Association

I would like to say that I was a marine during desert storm and have been at 29 palms several times and the base is already huge. Why does the Armed services need so much open land? We the tax paying people would like to be able to use public land and closing this area down will greatly affect several thousand peoples favorite outdoor recreation area. We have not been to the area to wheel in several years but plan to make a journey out that way with the family and kids to enjoy the great outdoors.

If the goverment keeps closing down our public lands soon there will be no places for us to enjoy the outdoors. Please keep this and all other public lands open for all people to enjoy.

I am hoping to run the Hammers when I get back from Iraq please don't take that Freedom from me. I served in the USMC and I am currently a DoD Civilian and I have answered my country's call several times. Now I just that our counrty will answer our call like so many of us here have done for it in the past, present and will in the future. SIMPER FI Save the Hammers...

I may never make it to Johnson Valley, but I'd like to know it's still there if the chance ever arises. We are losing too much public land already, so let's not let it happen this time.

I have been to JOHNSON VALLEY many times and it is a great place with some awsome riding!!!! Our riding areas are getting smaller and smaller as the years go by. We as Off-Roaders need to do all we can to keep our areas open!!! So don't close Johnson!!

Proud Member of:
California Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA)
San Diego Off-Road Coalition
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs
California League of Off Road Voters

Brandon Lopez,

Off-Roader And Proud Of It!!

http://www.myspace.com/savethedesert
http://www.myspace.com/motomaniac13

I am posting this in support of keeping Johnson Valley open to OHV use. I have been trying to plan a trip to Johnson Valley, to the "Hammers" for several years. I hope to make that a reality this year, and spend some time down there with my sons. I thnk it would be a real shame in this time of OHV users losing thousands of miles of trails already, and the growing popularity of the sport, to lose an area as important to us as Johnson Valley.

Juston Read
Reno NV

I have been going to the Hammer for every Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years for over ten year now. It is by far my favorite place to wheel and loosing this opportunity would be unimaginable to me. It would cause a major change in my life style.

I have never been to the Johnson Valley.

I have been a 4 wheeler for over 15 years and have yet to make it there. It is however a place that people like me can only dream about. Thanks to Pirate4x4.com I am able to live through others who live closer to the hammers than I.

Please don't take away the land from the locals, or the people who dream about going there.

To whom it may concern:

I am deeply concerned by the consideration of expaning the 29 Palms area into the Johnson Valley OHV Rec Area. Although I am in complete support of the military and its need for large training areas, we offroaders do not have many areas left in which to participate in our sport. Countless areas across the country are being closed to us, despite action on our part to better educate participants on the ethics and environmental issues that accompany our sport. There are very few places in the country that are equivalent to the Johnson Valley area, and closing it will vastly limit the places that we are able to go. Although I have never personally made the trip to the Hammers, it has been a dream vacation for me that I intend to take. Closing this area will crush this dream for me, and many of my fellow offroaders. Please consider this when expanding 29 Palms.

Sincerley,

Ryan Monroe
Windsor, CO

The Hammers have always been on my list to visit. I have friends who have gone and told me some great stories. I would like to have the opportunity to create my own stories. I have yet to go but I plan on going in the future!

Don't close the Hammers please!

I have not had the opportunity to make it up to Johnson Valley YET. However, I do intend to make future trips up there and would love to have the chance to let myself and my family enjoy the best OHV Area in the country.

I must say that I whole-heartedly disagree with the expansion of the 29 Palms Marine Base into the JV OHV area and would like to see them use land already owned by the government rather than use public land.

Keep Public lands open to the public.

Dik

:usa:First, I would like to say, that I support all of our military!:usa:


Johnson Valley (The Hammers) has some of the greatest scenery and off roading available in our Country. This potintial expansion needs to be reconsidered.
Anti access groups and environmental issues are slowly closing public land.:skull:
This practice needs to stop.
Every place the I recreate at has been downsized, or closed completely.
I live to play in the outdoors, have spent a lot of money (to me anyway) on all my toys.
I call these vehicles "toys", because that is the public view. To me they are a way of life.
Most people go to a family members house for holidays, I go the desert with my family and friends.
Public land needs to remain open to the public to motorized recreation. The OHV users believe in the Blue Ribbon Coalition motto, which says “Preserving our natural resources FOR the public, not FROM the public”.
My stepfather is handicapped, can't walk to far or climb on a horse.
He owns a jeep to see the great outdoors. Please don't deny him this basic right.

Simper Fi Save The Hammers

My family and I have gone to the Hammers for the last two years during the cleanup and will continue doing so as long as there is one. Being 500 miles away its hard to make it down there as much as many others do; so for now we make it a yearly trip. If the trails continue to stay open I plan on heading down there 3 times a year because it is the best offroading in the world. heres a couple of pics of my truck there two years ago, and a couple of it last year...

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a83/extremetoy/hammer2.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a83/extremetoy/hammer1.jpg

http://www.trail-gear.com/events/2007-jambo/images/2007%202593.jpg

http://www.trail-gear.com/events/2007-jambo/images/2007%202639.jpg

I have not yet been to J V but I am new to wheeling and only started this winter so I was planing on making a trip this summer. I feel that all the available places we can conserve in this day and age when so many trails and public lands are being closed the better. Thank You for the support that Pirate 4x4 has provided to this cause.

“Land Closures” seems to be all I here anymore. Being a father to a 7 year old son who has grown up spending time in the desert I am very frustrated and concerned. I understand the need to grow and protect wildlife. I am in support of protecting wildlife, but to what ends. I also understand the need for more room to train our troops. I believe there is ample room beyond Johnson Valley that could serve this purpose.

I get sick to my stomach thinking that my son will not be able to spend time in the desert when he is grow and able to do these things on his own.

My family spent 5 weekends in the Johnson Valley in the past 12 months. Each trip we filled up our truck or Motorhome at a local gas station, stopped for lunch or dinner at a local restaurant as well. I can guess that we added $750.00 minimum to the local economy. And that is just my family. Each of those trips also included 3 to 7 other families. That is between $2,250 and $5,250 dollars spend in the last 12 months alone! If Johnson Valley is closed to our use this money will be lost to the local economies.

I plead with the decision makers to spare the Johnson Valley area to the public. The Hammers in particular could be the last great open area for rock crawling. If it is lost, I am afraid to say that the sport of recreational rock crawling will be as well.

Sincerely,
Scott Parker

I had the uptmost pleasure of making the trip out to Johnson Valley, Ca and the Dry Means Lake Bed OHV area this past February to recreate and race in King of the Hammers desert race. I drove 5200 miles round trip from Maryland to CA to participate and enjoy some of southern California's most precious resources. Not only was I in utter amazement of the beautiful scenery and landscape but in the absolute openness of the area of the OHV area.

Coming from the East Coast we have seen this over and over again of trails being closed due to development and progress to the point where organized clubs and responsible trail users have no legal public offroad areas. We as law abiding responsible tax paying individuals have been regulated to using private ground or visiting one of the very few private offroad parks such as Rausch Creek in PA or the Badlands in IN.

On our trip out to CA we spent thousands of dollars in fuel and lodging to not only make the trip across our great country but also when arriving in CA. We made sure to support the small towns such as Yucca Valley, Barstow and Lucerne Valley when fueling, eating and getting supplies. Our group consisted of three people that drove across the country and then 3 people that specifically flew into Ontario, Ca to enjoy the trails around the Means Lake Bed and one sponsor from Phoenix that had never been to the area but is planning on making the annual trip with us because of the beauty of the area.

As a small business owner I have the means and disposable income to frequently make the trip across the country as I choose to do so. I am all for progress and I am in complete support of our armed forces as I have grown up in a military family. I do believe for the betterment of many tax paying individuals and for the support of the small towns that benefit from the use of the Means Lake Bed trails that a responsible solution can be made and be put forth in use.

I am located about one hour from the District of Columbia and frequently work in DC. From time to time I even make my way to Capital Hill and over to the Rayburn building to meet with Congressional aides. I would love to take the opportunity to sit with any elected official to discuss this further.

Respectfully,

Doug C. Bigelow
Director of Sales
Beltway Title and Abstract, Crofton Maryland
Board Member of the Real Estate Providers Council
Member of the American Land Title Association

Owner of Bigelow Motorsports
Member of the KGB 4 Wheelers
Emmitsburg, Maryland

http://www.bigelowmotorsports.com/albums/King-of-the-Hammers-2008/IMG_1982.sized.jpg
http://www.bigelowmotorsports.com/albums/King-of-the-Hammers-2008/833048_R1_08_17A_009.sized.jpg
http://www.bigelowmotorsports.com/albums/King-of-the-Hammers-2008/IMG_1921.sized.jpg

Dear Government Officials,

As a native Californian, and more importantly US Citizen, I fully expect the elected officials to carry out the wishes of the consituancy. Johnson Valley OHV is already a designated area for use of public lands by the tax paying public. It would not be in the best interest of the thousands of people that use this area to force them to find another area which could be much less suitable.

Although I am a solid supporter of all US service people, if the 29 Palms USMC base were to expand into the mountain range that hosts the world famous Hammer trails, it would effectivly eliminate usage of these trails. I have been to the Northern California trails, Moab in Northern Utah, various areas of Nevada, and some in Northern Arizona as well. They are all different, and all present unique challenges, and various outdoor experiences. I do not spend my time watching Access Hollywood, or CNN Headline News, I would much rather be out in the great wide West with my family and friends.

Any consideration you can give in this matter will be highly appreciated.

Don Larrick
Las Vegas Nevada

I have wheeled Johnson Valley once, and hope to do so again. It has been 6 years since I have been out and ran the Hammers, but it was an experience that I will never forget.

As a veteran, I fully support the military and its need to base space. What I dont understand, is why this space is being considered when there are other spaces that do NOT see the use that this area does. How can bases be closing down and sold off/abandonded, then another turn around and want to take over a huge recreational area? Something doesnt fly right in all of this.

Regardless, hopefully this rally will open the eyes of the people who are supposed to represent the people of CA, and honestly, of the rest of the U.S. Public land is for Public use, not for the government to snag and shut down and change whenever they see fit for whatever pet project they happen to be working on. Take heed elected officials, people are watching and will not be pushed around forever!

Thank You!

As time goes on there are becoming far less places for the public to use. Especially ones that allow and are a destination place for hobbyists. I understand circumstances that govern these actions. But when do we draw the line.

I hope to be able to share these type of places in the future. If they keep getting taken from us eventually there will be nothing left.

Please look for a piece of land elsewhere. There are places all over that are not used and are not good for growing crops on.

Regrards,

Justin

I have wheeled Johnson Valley once, and hope to do so again. It has been 6 years since I have been out and ran the Hammers, but it was an experience that I will never forget.

As a veteran, I fully support the military and its need to base space. What I dont understand, is why this space is being considered when there are other spaces that do NOT see the use that this area does. How can bases be closing down and sold off/abandonded, then another turn around and want to take over a huge recreational area? Something doesnt fly right in all of this.

Regardless, hopefully this rally will open the eyes of the people who are supposed to represent the people of CA, and honestly, of the rest of the U.S. Public land is for Public use, not for the government to snag and shut down and change whenever they see fit for whatever pet project they happen to be working on. Take heed elected officials, people are watching and will not be pushed around forever!

Thank You!

I have only been to JV once but it was a very memorable experience. I would like to go down there again some day so please don't close this area.

i haven't been to the hammers "yet". but i see myself going down there soon. i think its a great idea to have a legal place to wheel ! also a great place to meet new people from all over. even though i'am 4000miles away from this place its always nice to see pictures or videos from avid wheelers ! and wishing that i was there !!!

SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY !!

To whom it may concern:

While I have never been to Johnson Valley, I have been planning visiting the area soon with my family for a 7 day vacation. It would be a heartbeak to my family if Johnson Valley were to be closed to public access. Please take whatever actions are necessary to ensure Johnson Valley remains open to the puplic and the continued use of OHV vehicles in one of the few legal areas left to operate them.

I have been quite insistant on teaching my children the poper way of utilizing out outdoor recreation resources. Such as taking them to trail clean up weekends, teaching them to tread lightly, etc. However this is becoming harder and harder to perform with dwindling areas in which to teach them.

Thank You.

SAVE THE HAMMERS

As an east coaster I hate to see one of the most renowned trails to the 4x4 community get wiped off the map. My future plans include a cross-country trip with the Hammers as the ultimate destination and I have dreamed of the day I could see and wheel the Hammers in person. It takes a lot of effort and planning to haul a rig out to Johnson Valley from southern Virginia! Please don't take this opportunity and dream away from me and so many of my fellow wheelers. The amount of quality trails we have is few and far between and to lose land as sacred as what we have in Johnson Valley would be a huge blow. Please consider the value of such a place to the offroad community due to its rarity and the fact that so many of us do spend our free-time there and those of use that can't sure wish we could. Thank you.
-Ben Langford

I have not ever been to Johnson Valley, and considering that I live in Louisiana, will probably not ever take the opportunity to go offroading there. However, in Louisiana we do not have any publicly available trails to ride on. We rely on proactive clubs seeking private landowners to allow us access to ride their land, and they are generally concerned about damage to the land and liability to vehicles/people. Needless to say this makes it difficult to find places to offroad that are local to me.

I can appreciate the value of having available offroad areas, and the fact that they provide recreation for many families. Contrary to popular belief, well maintained and regulated offroad park is not a blemish on the landscape nor a threat to the environment or the public. I hate to hear about parks being closed down because offroading is a very enjoyable hobby and these days a hobby that is much more difficult to pursue because of limited land opportunities. I really hope the Bureau of Land Management reconsiders the idea of offering this land to the Marines.

To Whom It May Concern:
I was sad to hear of the military’s proposed land acquisition in Johnson Valley, CA. (the Hammers). I do not reside in the state of California but have used this area to recreate at least 2 times a year and plan on continuing to do so as long as I can.
This gives me the time to bond with my family and friends and enjoy each others company.
By removing this area I will not only have to find another area that I can recreate in but I fear that I will also loose contact with many friends as it will make it harder to find an area where we can all meet and enjoy the different opportunities that this area has to offer.

As I am one of the biggest supporters of our armed forces and feel that we should do what ever it takes to provide them the means to return home safely. I feel that we also need to be able to give them an area that they can return home to and enjoy with their family and friends to reconnect and reestablish the bonds that have been stressed during their absence as I have.

I am asking that you look at your proposed plan and see if there is another area less used by the public that may suit your needs.


Semper Fi

Greetings,

I need to voice my support for keeping the Johnson Valley OHV area intact and open to the public for recreational use.

As others have voiced, I am a full supporter of our US military and thank all of our service people for what they do. As a retired firefighter, I recognize the need for continuous training and appropriate training facilities.

However, is annexing this proposed area really going to do what is needed? With reports stating the huge percentage of “unusable” land already owned by the present facility, will adding this little parcel really going to have a worthwhile effect? What criteria are there that the land currently occupied does not meet that this land will meet? If the military just needs to add some challenging 4x4 trails to their training regimen, I am certain we, the off-road enthusiast community, can happily assist…and I am not in jest by any means.

I am grateful for all the military does abroad to protect our freedoms here at home. Let us not misunderstand this point.

Unfortunately, this proposed annexation will further degrade some of those long-fought-for freedoms. There is so precious little land available for us to pursue our sport and choice of recreation. Daily, old trails are closed or threatened to be closed. Privately owned OHV parks are under attack. Summer homes are popping up along the favorite old trails we grew up on. One of my favorite trails is now a subdivision. Another is now a large vacation home estate. These lands were once public lands, sold or traded and closed to those very people who cared for the land for years.

Our choice, our FREEDOM of choice, of recreation is being eroded, degraded and is coming precariously close to being eliminated totally. If this land is truly needed, then please replace it with another parcel that we can use. We can always build new trails, as long as we have the land, and access to use, enjoy and care for that land.

Thank you,

Rob Pendle
Registered voter
Retired firefighter
Off-roader for 21 years

I think The Hammers represents something different for a lot of people. Some people live close and consider it a local hotspot for family adventures and unwinding. Unfortunately, since I live a couple thousand miles away, it is still something that I think about with awe. It is a place I can look to that provides me with some really great memories of the experiences I had there and the people who made my time there so enjoyable.

I have only been there twice in the last few years. The first time I went, I barely knew anyone, and my friend Mark and I made up a small contingent of rigless tourists from cheeseland. The kindness of the people there, all making us feel welcome, and the way such a “hardcore” bunch of folks just relaxed in such a relatively hostile environment (hot/windy/sand in places you didn’t know you had) made a big impression on me. What was particularly interesting to me – was the number of families there. These were folks who packed up the kids, the dogs, and their grandfathers… slapped them all in protective body armor and took them places most people will never see.

I’ve rocked along trails at the Hammers bouncing over dunes while my kidneys begged for mercy and I laughed like a lunatic. I’ve flopped sideways in a competition buggy and felt stomach churning inertia as we drove out of it and the rocks surrounding us seemed to right themselves. I saw kids blasting around, having the time of their life, on quads and mini-bikes (appropriately adorned with what looked like military quality body armor and helmets). I also saw a few of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen. The Hammers, in that way, is like a theme park for people that are bored with rollercoasters and like a little more nature in their activities.

While I wouldn’t begrudge the military their expansion, if that was the only way to go. I would hate to see a place like that be threatened if there were other options. I’d like to see Johnson Valley remain open, as it is today, and available to people who enjoy the scenery, experiences, camaraderie, and just getting away from civilization for a while. It would be a great loss to the wheeling community and many other outdoor recreation communities if we were to lose such a diverse backdrop and landscape.

The following are just a few pictures that only scratch the surface of the experiences I’ve had there…

The Hammers is the top of my "Must Visit" list. Please lets keep our rec land available for all of us to use.

Though I only make the journey once a year to the "Hammer Trails" in the Johnson Valley. It has quickly become one of my favorite trips of the year. The view from the tops of the peeks are nothing short of spectacular. Not to mention the trail's that are almost legendary. This place has made some of my fondest memories, and made me new friends along the way. The Hammers are a place I hope to be able to journey to every year. And some day be able to take my children, so they too can share the great times, friendships, and wheelin' like I have. Please don't take this away from us.

Mr. B Wheeler

I have yet to wheel the hammers, but i would like to in the future. We need to keep the public lands open to the public.

I have never been to Johnson Valley, but from the stories I have heard this is a great assett to the Off-Roading community, and would be a heart felt loss. This is some of the best wheeling and camping available to the residents of Southern California and across the west coast. Please help to keep these trails open for us to enjoy and for our families to enjoy for generations to come.

Sincerely
-Mike Aiello

To who it may concern,

Please don’t close the area in the Johnson Valley OHV area known as the “Hammers” to recreational use.

It is the only place on earth like it and is famous for it’s off road and recreational use.
Thousands of bikers, hikers, motorcyclist, jeepers and every form of ATV users flock to this off road Mecca each year to enjoy one of the few remaining places still open to off road use.

I’ve been traveling to the “Hammers” for almost 20 years now and each time I go there, I stop in either Yucca Valley, Lucerne Valley or Apply Valley to gas up and get general supplies. Often, I like to stay at the Yucca Inn.

My last two vehicles were specifically made for the “hammer” trail system as I’m know a lot of other peoples’ were too.

Many fabrication shops, parts venders and even media rely on their customers who frequent this area.

The Johnson Valley OHV area know as the “Hammers” means everything to me as I’m sure it does to thousands of others.
Please don’t close it down!

John Reynolds

To all involved

I was recently made aware of a proposed expansion of the Marines 29 Palms facility, this proposed expansion includes much of the popular Johnson Valley OHV recreational area. This expansion would close most of the existing trail systems which are unique to this area. This means a great deal to me because I am active in the four wheel drive community and had hope to use this recreation site in the future. Not only would this affect four wheel drive owners but also people who use the area for quads and dirt biking.
One club I am active in, Arizona Rock Crawlers, have been involved in numerous cleanups and helped other clubs with activities. Several vehicles are planning on attending the Tin Benders Johnson Valley Cleanup in April and plan on removing as much trash possible.
Thousands of people use this area each year and restricting its access would definitely result in a loss of revenue to the surrounding areas.
I deeply hope that this expansion will be reconsidered and Johnson Valley will remain the four wheeling ‘mecca’ it is.

Mike West

Let me begin by saying that as a Desert Storm Vet. I am in full support of the Military Effort no matter the Branch.

I have frequented the Hammers area for 10 Years. It is a Pristine area that truly has been an enjoyment for my family and friends for years:)

Please consider obtaining other areas for additional training sites. As it stands many OHV areas are being closed as is.

The OHV communitee enjoys the harsh desert to have fun with family and friends. Let us preserve one of the best areas to enjoy. I have many local friends that operate business's related to the Hammer OHV area and have moved there live a dream of sorts........Our recreation dollars strongly support the local communities.

Hers a picture from a few years ago.....proudly denting my 4Runner for fun!

Regards,

Kevin Carey
Pirates of the Rubicon

To reitterate what many have already said; I support the military, but it would be a very sad day to lose access to the Hammers.

The Johnson Valley OHV area has been a major influence and part of not only the people that use the land, but the entire off road industry. It has become the earmark in the industry, to be able to produce vehicles and parts that cannot just withstand the abuse and conditions that the off road environment can throw at you, but what Johnson Valley can throw at you. From motorcycles to desert trucks to rock crawlers, Johnson Valley just might be more influential to all aspects of offloading than any other land area in the world. To take it away and use if for a training area would be a travesty. There are millions of acres the military could use for desert training, but only one Johnson Valley OHV area for the civilian population to use for recreating. Taking away Johnson Valley OHV from the civilian population would have a major impact on the influence of the off road market. Also by taking away such a large area from the civilian population, the government might be encouraging the younger, less responsible crowd to seek other areas to recreate, which might not be of the best sound mind. The government will also have the concern of the civilian population that is used to that land area being open and venturing out onto a training ground that maybe totally unsafe and could cause serious harm to civilians. The government could consider fencing the area, but the cost of such a large-scale project would offset the advantages of obtaining the land. There are many other land possibilities around the 29 Palms facility that could be used for training without taking away such a powerful, influential land area that has changed the face of offroading over the past 10 to 15 years.

As an Off Road Event Promoter, I believe it is extremely important for areas like the Hammers to stay open, wheelers, families and promoters all need areas to recreate, play and work. Name another place in America that has the use diversity that Johnson Valley and the Hammers offer.

Rich Klein, voting American Citizen

I have never been to the Hammers but I hope to go one day. I am interested in this because of the threats that all of our public lands are facing across the country. It hits close to home because of the battle that the Tellico OHV area is going thru right now. I don’t want to see any of our public lands lost for any reason.

Please keep Johnson Valley open.

Philip Newton

Please do not take away any more of our places to 4 wheel.As a long time so cal resident. The Hammers is the last of the hard core wheeling spots left that anyone can go to to have a good time.No matter if you have a crawler,atv, motorcycle all can go and enjoy.
http://www.nowhitefenders.com/images/johnson_valley_tinbenders_april%2028%202k7/johnson_valley_tinbenders_april%2028%202k7%20006.J PG
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We have had to much fun to close it down.

To whom it may concern.

I am truly very disappointed in all of the trails that are being shut down and looked at thru a microscope. These trails and area's have been wheeled on for ages. Shutting these trails down on the hammers is a bad idea. The hammers gives a place for people to get away from all the hustle and bustle of life and the big city. This is a great sport that I and my fellow wheelers are into. The wheeling industry spends a ton of money on gas and dmv fees and takes pride and keeping up their areas they wheel in and also other spots that need help that we do not wheel on. Please reconsider taking the public land that we work so hard to keep open and please try to think of a different way of taking care of your needs. As an example, there are alot of air bases and other military bases that have been shut down why not open some of those back up and get them running.


Thank you in advance for listening

Matt Harris

Ive never been there but it is on the list once i get a trail ready rig! Id hate to see a place so big in the 4x4 world disapeare like this! SAVE THE HAMMERS YA'LL!!!!:mr-t:

Being the father of two young boys, my wife and i spend a great deal of time and $$ on outdoor recreation, more specifically, four wheeling and camping.

Johnson Valley OHV area has long been on our list of places to take our family one of these years. Unfortunately, so far, it has just been out of our reach to be able to make it there.

why is it that our public lands are being eyeballed instead of the many hundreds of thousands of acres of government owned property?

Please dont take our public lands away. My two boys have way to much to see still.

http://dana60.com/sceep/a4f/g-town/boyssmall.jpg
http://dana60.com/sceep/a4f/gunnison/boys1.jpg
http://dana60.com/sceep/a4f/gunnison/hoodrats.jpg
http://dana60.com/sceep/abiquiu/ash1.jpg

:usa:First, I would like to say, that I support all of our military!:usa:


Johnson Valley (The Hammers) has some of the greatest scenery and off roading available in our Country. This potential expansion needs to be reconsidered.
Anti access groups and environmental issues are slowly closing public land.:skull:
This practice needs to stop.
Every place the I recreate at has been downsized, or closed completely.
I live to play in the outdoors, have spent a lot of money (to me anyway) on all my toys.
I call these vehicles "toys", because that is the public view. To me they are a way of life.
Most people go to a family members house for holidays, I go the desert with my family and friends.
Public land needs to remain open to the public to motorized recreation. The OHV users believe in the Blue Ribbon Coalition motto, which says “Preserving our natural resources FOR the public, not FROM the public”.
My stepfather is handicapped, can't walk to far or climb on a horse.
He owns a jeep to see the great outdoors. Please don't deny him this basic right.

Never have been to Johnson Valley, but I hope it stays open for when I will be able to visit.

On top of that, Johnson Valley is one of those areas that has a ton of folks who really care about the area in more ways than one. Not only do they recreate there, they also assist in keeping the land the way it should be.

Johnson Valley is a glaring example of what responsible four wheeling is all about and closing it off will be a great injustice.

save the hammers!!!!!!


:homer:

Please don’t close the Johnson Valley OHV area!
I have never been, but I would love the chance to go there explore!

Andrew Ferguson – Vancouver. BC, Canada

Please don't close our land. We only have so much left and hope to preserve it!! I have never been there personally but I plan to at least visit there. Please in the name of God do not take it away!!-------------Kyle

I first have to start that I am retired from the Navy and am 100% in support of the men and women that our volunteering to defend my freedoms. I know the battles that they have to fight and the training that they go through to fight that fight.

However, there are already facilities that are available and lands that are unused that can be used for this training.

Johnson Valley is a place that many of us are able to escape the hectic urban life that is Los Angeles and San Diego. It's an area that has been set aside for recreation and one of few that we have in the area. Removing this area from the few available recreation areas that are available for us will place a burden on other areas and risk undue attention from environmental groups that would rather no area exists at all.

I would implore that options that are already available be used.

When I first moved to Barstow CA in May of 2007, the first thing on my list was to visit the legendary Hammer Trails in Johnson Valley. I have visited the site at least once every 2 months.

Back during Turkey Week 07, I meet up with a group from Lake Havasu AR. Every since then we keep in contact and I consider them more friends on my list.

It seems like every time I go out there, I meet the greatest and warmest people.

KOH 2008 was the latest event I participated in. I was working Checkpoint 6. Again, this was another great event where I made even more friends that I keep in contact to this day.

Now I have friends all over the USA just because of this magicall place. To see this go away, would truelly bring a tear to my face.

Families in America travel to destinations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, July 4th weekend to visit cherished friends and loved ones to share experiences that last a lifetime. For me, the Hammer trails is that location for me and my future family.

Everytime I go out to the Hammer trails and see my friends from far away, A warm feeling is in my Heart.

Here are some photo's I would like to share. The first one is the night before the race around the camp fire:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i183/jpfrk/DSC00935.jpg

the day after the race, was the trail ride for the volunteers. A new friend from Vegas in his Fullsize(chopped up to fit) Bronco:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i183/jpfrk/DSC00944.jpg
Another Vegas guy by the name "little Sexy" in his super sexy buggy:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i183/jpfrk/DSC00966.jpg

And we cannot forget the little ones that make us all look like beginners on the trails. Im serious with this rig. Very supurb driving skills:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i183/jpfrk/DSC00977.jpg
And my self attempting the climb on after shock:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i183/jpfrk/DSC00951.jpg

I have many more pictures. But clearly not enough.

Thank you for listening and please let us keep this cherished area.

Please keep Johnson Valley open to the public. I cannot wait to get out to california again to enjoy the beauty of mother nature and be able to have a great place to four wheel my jeep. JV keeps many families and friends in contact bringing them all back year after year. Shutting down JV would be equivelant to closing all the beaches along the California coastline, there is not an infinite supply of trails and Johnson Valley is one of the greatest out there. Please keep Johnson Valley open.

To whome it may concern,
My name is Robin Down and I am a member of the Santa Cruz 4 Wheel Drive Club and CA4WDC. Our club SC4WDC, makes a trip to Johnson Valley OHV every year to ride on the trails in the area known as "The Hammers". I myself have made 5 separate trips to this area, and having managed to reach the top of the Hammers only twice I can testify that this is one of the most challenging sections of 4x4 trail open to the public in the U.S. It is a long way to travel from Santa Cruz (approx 435 miles one way) but we do it every year because this area is unlike any other that we have access to as 4-wheelers.

It is with great concern that I write to you today, understanding that this area is actively being researched by the military for their use in training maneuvers. While I whole-heartedly support our U.S. forces and believe that this would represent a challenging area in which to train, I must first speak out for the public citizens and urge you to protect this land from being removed from the public use for which it was originally intended.

I hope to continue to come down to Johnson Valley and use these and many other trails within the area in the future, and I hope you can identify a more suitable location for the military to use for it's training.

Respectfully,

Robin Down
Santa Cruz 4 Wheel Drive Club
Santa Cruz, CA

To whom it may concern,


Maybe I sould start this by saying that this concerns us all. I have made the trip from Kentucky once to wheel at Johnson Valley. This area is a mecca for the 4-wheel drive community. It had always been a favorite spot I wanted to wheel for years. After I made the trip I fell in love with the area. I have always looked foward to heading back to the Hammer's. It's been 7 years since my first trip and not much else stands up to them memories. It would be a shame for this place to be shut down. I want others to have a chance to make the memories I made.

As time goes on there are becoming far less places for the public to use. Especially ones that allow and are a destination place for hobbyists. I understand circumstances that govern these actions. But when do we draw the line.

I hope to be able to share these type of places in the future. If they keep getting taken from us eventually there will be nothing left.

Please look for a piece of land elsewhere. There are places all over that are not used and are not good for growing crops on.

To Whom It May Concern:

Let me begin as Kurt did and say that I am also in support of our military. Having grown up on the Monterey Peninsula I am aware of the constant struggle to balance military needs and open access to public lands. I support those actions of the military to restrict access to public lands when presented with valid needs with no other options. However the expansion plan proposed by the USMC into the Johnson Valley I believe could be proposed differently as not to infringe into the limited and diminishing “legal off-road trails” in California.

My friends and I are avid outdoor enthusiasts. We are a group of hard working family oriented individuals and run at least one new trail per year. This is a time where old and new friends from all walks of life get together and get outdoors. When we go on these trips we buy our supplies in the communities around the trail, in fluxing their local community with income. The rest of the year we spend thousands doing the same for our respective communities by preparing our vehicles for our trips.

Johnson Valley home of the Hammers will be the location of our 2009 trip. The Hammers are legendary in the off-road community and the work done by the Tin Benders and other local groups to clean up has been a great step forward.

Please do not take a step backward in keeping public trails open to the public, and do not allow the proposed expansion by the USMC into the Johnson Valley. SUPPORT
THE ECONOMY SUPPORT THE HAMMERS!

Sincerely,

Big1TonSub
Salinas, CA

First off I too am a firm supporter of our Military, and I also know there are many Military folks here in the off road community. I am greatful for their contributions day in and day out.

However we are here to help save an amazing part of the ohv community. I have never been to the hammers, but would love to make a trip there in the future when I have another running rig. I have been in the ohv community for some time now and these are some of the most helpful, nicest, and respectful people I have ever met. As true off roaders we know to respect the environment and give back to the community in which we are apart of. With that being said please do not take something away from the true supporters of the OHV community.

My name is Amanda Gonzalez. For many years I have enjoyed RESPONSIBLE offroading, and competition rock crawling. I have been to the Rubicon, I have been to Moab, but I have never been to the Hammers. This year I had a trip planned there, and unfortunatley was unable to go due to medical clearance. I would hope that I haven't missed my chance to experience one of the greatest natural playgrounds ever found.
I agree that our Military needs space to pursue training, but this place isn't it. It serves a far greater purpose as it is now. What good is our Military if we are not free to go where we want and experience all that our great Country has to offer?

The Hammers, from the photos I've seen and countless tales I've heard, is a beautiful and wonderous place. Please don't take that away from us when there are other viable places that would have less of an impact on our, or anyones, culture.

Amanda M Gonzalez

I've never been to Johnson Valley but in my opinion it is a cornerstone in the rockcrawling community. It is revered by all wheelers whether you've been there or not. It is definately at the top of my list of areas to go when I get another rig...to visit the place I've only seen pictures of in magazines since I was a kid and, more recently, here at Pirate4x4. Let's keep this area open for the present and future OHV community.

Here are some pictures from the cleanups that have been performed by off roaders in this area over the last few years in an attempt to keep this area clean and open for future use

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Save Johnson Valley!!! Although it is unlikely I will ever get the chance to travel the trails in Johnson Valley, the knowledge that it exists keeps the dream alive for many of us on the east coast. I recently had the chance to drive through Johnson Valley(paved roads only) and experience some of the beauty that the desert holds. It would be a shame to lose this resource that so many citizens are able to enjoy. Please consider other options to train our fighting men and women. Thank you.

To whom it may concern,

The ‘Hammers’ portion of Johnson Valley provide a unique mecca of challenging offroading which is very unique, and irreplaceable anywhere else in the United States.

I am a certified 4 wheel drive driver trainer by the International 4 Wheel Drive Trainers Association. I work full time to help educate and promote safe, responsible offroading on public and private trails in the Continental United States. This includes proper environmental ethics and driving etiquette in order to reduce our impact on the trails we love. The Hammers trails are trails that I hold very deer to my heart. Before my time as a professional offroad driver, I spent many weekends at the hammers, enjoying the comradery of the four wheel drive community. My travels have taken me far and wide into different areas away from the hammers trails; although they are still some of my favorite trails to visit.

In recent years I have seen an industry grow out of this area. The ‘Rock Buggy’ was virtually unheard of until industrious offroaders came up with a vehicle to better traverse this area. I have also seen the area popularity grow. Despite this growth, it has also become a cleaner and more respected piece of land. This is due to the hard work by the community though clean up projects and excellent environmental ethics. By closing this area there will be economic damage to the community by shutting down this major off road mecca.

Please consider all options before any decisions are made. This area is a very unique irreplaceable gem to every person who has ever has the ability to experience it.

Garrett Matt

Being in the military, I can see the need for base expansion and more training areas. I just hope that the Marines can find an area to train in that will allow the Johnson Valley trails to remain open. I enjoy 4-wheeling, and would like to visit the area sometime in the future.

A1c Robert Reynolds

To whom it may concern:
I have never been to the hammers but day dream often of going to this incredible place. This is one of the four wheel drive mecca's of the world, a place where you can go to test your vehical and yourself against the rocky desert terrain. I have wished to visit the Hammers at Johnson Valley for a good number of years but have not yet made it. Please keep this place open so that everyone. myself included, can enjoy this great resource.

I really don't have words to express how important the Johnson Valley 4x4 trails are to me. I go out there with various groups of friends about 6 times a year, it is by far our favorite wheeling destination. In fact, for me and most of the guys I go with, we built our rigs specifically for the Johnson Valley trails. We go to the desert, virtually always Johnson Valley, in the fall, winter, and spring, and go to the mountains for the summer.

There is no other place like Johnson Valley. We can haul ass through the desert, race each other to the trails, run some of the best rock crawling trails anywhere in the country, and hang out with other friends who bring their motorcycles and quads. The number of trails, the difficulty of many of the trails, and the fact that there are also easy and moderate trails, make JV a truely unique recreational opportunity. It would be heatbreaking to loose it, and would dramatically impact the enjoyment my friends and family get from all the wheeling trips we do out there. There isn't currently anyplace like it that has that much great wheeling opportunity in a relatively small area. To get trails of JV caliber, we would have to drive to central AZ, or to a couple parts of UT, or to CO, and none of those have the shear number of quality trails that Johnson Valley has. I've taken week vacations and wheeled all of those other places, but I can do Johnson Valley in a weekend.

Our sport is constantly loosing trails due to various legitimate or (mostly) illegitimate environmental concerns. We are getting forced to use fewer and fewer places to wheel our rigs, while at the same time this sport is growing at a very fast pace. More and more users, and fewer and fewer places to use, is not what we think of as the American way of life. Loosing Johnson Valley after all of the other opportunity we've lost would be a huge punch in the gut. The dissapointment would be too hard to explain.

I certainly hope the military and the politicians involved will seriously consider the value this area is to so many of us, and look for other options to expand the 29 Palms military base.

Let me start off by saying I support the Men and Women of the Armed forces and I'm indebted to them for their service. That being said, I would like to strongly urge the United States Marine Corp to reconsider expansion of the 29 Palms Base into the Johnson Valley OHV area. My family uses the Hammer's 4wd trails in Johnson Valley several days a year and loosing this area would be a huge loss to my family. This area is one of the few in California where we can experience the stark beauty of the desert while participating the lifestyle we've chosen and love, OHV travel. We spend a considerable amount of money when we visit the Hammers, everything from fuel/food/supplies to lodging. Closing the Hammers would most certainly hurt the local economy during a time when it's hard for a small business to stay open and keep employees working.

Let's work together to keep the Hammers open for our future generations to enjoy!

Mark Langford
Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers- Member
Friends of the Rubicon- Member/Volunteer
Friends of El Dorado- Member/Volunteer
Rubicon Trail Foundation- Director
Blue Ribbon Coalition- Member
Cal4Wheel- Member

Please keep the Hammers open. I want to visit someday and I want my kid to be able to visit with my grandkids someday.

I have never been to Johnson Valley, nor have I ever run the Hammer trails. However, I want the opportunity to do so one day.

I always enjoy the stories, pictures and videos that come from the events held in this area. I want to bring my children out to experience these trails and this part of the world. I also want them to experience the kind of camaraderie that goes on while off-roading.

I understand the military's need to train for combat, and I fully support the military and their missions. However, there are square miles of land nearby that would not make these trails unavailable to the public. Please consider looking at other nearby areas for your training needs.

Maurice Cox
Omaha, Nebraska

Regarding the proposed transfer/acquisition/conversion of BLM administered Public Lands for Department of Defense (USMC) use:

Since my retirement 3 years ago, my wife and I have become dedicated Off-Road enthusiasts. Since we acquired our Jeep (new in 2005) we have traveled throughout the West to enjoy many miles of unpaved roads and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) routes located upon inspiring terrain. Within the 71,000 miles we have logged in our OHV, I believe Johnson Valley (JV) is an OHV recreation area unique in the western United States. It is a nationally recognized area with the most challenging and diverse terrain we have yet encountered.

After good health, off-roading is the cornerstone of how we define “quality-of-life”. We belong to a variety of four wheel drive clubs and organizations. Within the OHV community we fall into “crawler” category measuring progress by miles-per-day (in the teens) rather than miles per hour. We also spend quite a bit of time and effort maintaining various OHV routes and trails through organized Adopt-A-Trail activities. We always leave an area we visit better than we found it.

I agree the Military Mission is vital to the preservation of the freedoms we enjoy. However, in my frequent travels in Mojave areas of Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, San Bernardino and Imperial counties, I can not help but notice the extensive acreage committed to maintaining training and operational readiness of our troops via the:
• Naval Weapons Center - China Lake;
• Fort Irwin National Training Center;
• Edwards Air Force Base;
• 29 Palms (Bullion Mountains) USMC Air/Ground Combat Center;
• Carrizo/Superstition U.S.Naval Gunnery Ranges & Impact Area, and,
• Chocolate Mountains Impact Area.

Including the additional exclusions to OHV activities upon public lands imposed within the same region by the extensive National Parks and Preserves and other wilderness designated public lands, I hope you may appreciate the high value our recreational community places upon the JV area. I certainly understand the need for a desert training environment, but it is incomprehensible to me that the vital Military Mission can not be accommodated within existing military reservations in the Mojave area (or Arizona, Nevada or New Mexico for that matter).

I urge the decision-makers to get a map and look at the “big picture”. Surely the military branches can work together in a joint “problem solving effort” to find a way to accommodate the Marine Corps “desert environment” training needs within the footprint of existing military reservations without impacting this unique off-road recreation area.

Please obtain a copy of the California Trail Users Coalition Motorized and Non-Motorized Trails for the area covering the San Bernardino and Barstow Areas www.ctuc.info. The Johnson Valley OHV Area a is vital recreation resource and public trust responsibly administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Countless hours of volunteer labor has created this unique network of OHV routes.

This is a matter of public trust not to be taken lightly.

Thank you,

Glenn Odell
Santa Barbara, CA
Retired Firefighter (32 yrs)

Please dont close the Hammers. I went there for the first time last spring and I am hooked. It is the most exciting trip I get to take this year.

Please save the Hammers. I have never been there, but hope to go there next year.

The area under question is by far one of the most well-known 4-wheeling destinations not only in California but the whole country, while it may look like desolate nothing land to some it is a rockcrawlers and off-road haven. I Live in AZ with some of the best trails in the nation as well but I still enjoy traveling to Johnson Valley at least once a year to conquer "the hammers" I also participated in a race last month there the "King of the Hammers" which was one of the greatest Off-Road events in recent history in my and many others opinions and would very much like this to be an annual event but with this planned expansion that will not be possible. Now with all that said I do support and appreciate the Marines and the military in general and understand if they need more land, but this parcel of land has had ALOT of work put into it to make it what it is today.

First and foremost I am a former Marine who served some time at 29 palms, pendleton. I understand the need for more training area.... But closing Johnson down for your bombing/ training enjoyments is not the answer. Keep the Hammers Open to the rest of us civilians.

I am a member of Norcal offroad.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Brandt

To the powers that be,

I live in a small town in Texas, where most of the four wheeling we do is in the mud or just trail riding, and it's all done on private lands, due to the lack of public lands. I have never been to Johnson Valley, but I know it's reputation for being one of the few great off highway recreational spots in the US. One day I hope to be able to take my family there, even if that means leaving my rig behind and riding with someone else in something more suitable. I support our troops, and having numerous family members in the armed services, I understand the need for proper training grounds. I do, however, feel that there are locations better suited for this need, that can be obtained without eliminating one of the greatest off highway destinations we have. I feel that the damage done will far outweigh the advantages, and that all other viable solutions be explored first. There are very few places left where we can take a family on an offroad adventure legally, please don't take one of the best away from us. Thanks for your time.

Matt

Save The Hammers!!

It is a dream of mine to travel to the Johnson Valley OHV, It is 2500 miles from where I live but that doesn't change the fact that I hope to wheel there in the future. This is undoubtedly one of the biggest concentrations of serious rock crawling trails in the world. It would be a tragedy for the OHV community to lose such a place. We are facing more land use obstacles and more closures than we ever have in the past. This collections of supporters will certainly demonstrate the value that the Hammers trails represent to OHV users everywhere.

Being from New Jersey I have traveled to Colorado twice and Moab once to enjoy the outdoors and the sport of 4Wheeling with my family and friends, very long drives but well worth it. As my kids are now growing up and starting to get the 4Wheeling itch I will be planning more trips out west to see this great country and to enjoy the legal trail systems it has to offer. One particular trail system I have always wanted to enjoy is the Hammers, I haven't had the opportunity yet but hope to in the near future. Please reconsider using this recreation area for Military uses as myself, my kids and future generations deserve the freedoms and opportunities to enjoy these areas.
My family has THREE GENERATIONS OF PROUD MILITARY SERVICE to this country. We all know the commitment and sacrifices our military personnel make everyday, we pray and hope each and every one comes home safely to their family and enoys all this country has to offer. With this I would hope that an alternative area can be used for the military training purposes and not the Hammers.

Thank you,
Todd Frank

Please keep the Johnson Valley OHV area open it a great place for my family and friends to go and have fun.

I also support to keep all public land open to the public for motorized recreation.

Please do not close these trails. It has been my dream to visit this place since I was 15 and I am so close to being able to go to all the places I've seen in magazines and dreamed about for years. Stop the closures.

To whom it may concern:
I am an avid, responsible OHV user. I enjoy rock crawling with my 1969 Bronco. I have always dreamed of taking my rig to Johnson Valley AKA: the “Hammers.” After two years of vehicle modification my vehicle is finally Hammers ready.
I currently reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. The majority of BLM land in Clark County Nevada has been designated Non-OHV use.
This makes the Hammers the next closest place to recreate near the Las Vegas area. I plan on making the trip to Johnson Valley a minimum of four times a year. This goes without saying that I am not the only one from Nevada that plans on making the trip. My entire off-road club, 26 members and families, plan on going throughout the years to come.
On various OHV related websites there is always talk of people making the pilgrimage to Johnson Valley. This is not just limited to people from the U.S.A.; there are people from varying countries around the world who do the same. This results in a positive impact for the economy of Southern California.
I support and respect the military with the utmost regard. However, I ask that you please urge them to expand in another direction and not “take” the Hammers away from the many users that recreate there every year.

Thank you for your time and cooperation in this manner.

Sincerely,
Daniel Rautenstrauch

Total Karnage
Blue Ribbon Coaliton

To whom it may concern:

I am also in total support of our military and the Marine Corps.

I have never never had the oppertunity to enjoy Johnson Valley, but it is on my list of places to travel and visit. It seems every year there is a public piece of property that is taken from the public and given to a goverment branch or sold to a corperation, this needs to stop.

Public Property needs to remain PUBLIC!


Member of Blue Ribbon and President of the West Virginia Jeep Club


Jason M.

The Johnson Valley OHV area has been an influence on more people than the government probably realizes. Here is an entire page of links to photos and trail runs at the Johnson Valley OHV area. All the pictures on this page where taken on trails that are inside of the impact area of the governments plan.

http://www.justaddrocks.com/Johnson_Valley_OHV/johnson_valley.htm

There is plenty other land that is closed to off road recreation. Having legal wheeling areas open for the public is the best way to keep people from going on to closed land.

To Whom It May Concern,
The Johnson Valley OHV area is what many would consider the "pinnacle" of the sport of off-roading. Once you have wheeled there, you really do not want to go any place else. Nowhere else offers the challenge, the fun, or the camaraderie that the "Hammer Trails" do. As much as I support our Military, to take away the Johnson Valley OHV area would just be unthinkably sad for MANY families and friends.

Thank you,
Scott Heiser

I would like to say please don't let Johnson Valley become another area closed to us.

I plan on visiting Johnson Valley this year and would like to make many more trips there.
My children also enjoy the outdoors and I would like for them to have the opportunity to visit Johnson Valley.

Thanks to Pirate 4X4 for hosting this.
Matt Phillips

As you consider the future of this area please remember those who are no longer with us who called this area home and who worked tirelessly to make it what it is

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And some of the things they've done for us

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Just want to express my concern that this area might be closed. The loss of any trail is a great loss. Please explore other options that would keep the area open to the public.

Michael Castell
Fort Collins, CO

Johnson Valley and the Hammers is one of those places like Moab that you hear about all your life in the wheeling community. Taking it away would hurt not only the locals but the community as a whole by saying that a mecca such as "The Hammers" can be taken away from people that cherish it so much. I myself have not been there yet but i assure you in short future i will. If the place is half as good as the stories and pictures it will become one of my planned trips on a yearly basis.

Nick Johnson
Albuquerque, NM

I just hope that my kids will have a place to go to and have experinces like I had to wheel and get away from it all. Hammers and other places alike are shinking and getting overcrouded. We cant let any more go away. Save what we have know before its all just a memory

I registered to this site only to join in in the ralleye. I have been offroading localy for about 7 years and just recently joined a local club. They have been telling me about all the great trips they go on and johnson is one of them. I have never offroaded out side of WA and thought that Johnson Valley sounded like a great place to go. The club I am in told me they would show me around and some of the places they told me of you are closing down? I have never been there but me and my family would love to get a chance and probubly return. They have closed places in my area and taken away many great hiking and driving trails and it is sad that it is going to continue. I just hope there is a better solution.

To whom it may concern,

I live in Tacoma, Washington, and have driven to Johnson Valley on multiple occasions to take advantage of the top notch trails located there known as "The Hammers", that is around 1800 miles one way. The area is very popular as well as enjoyable to all in our sport, be it motorcycles, quads, dunebuggies, Jeeps and the likes. I, as a tax paying citizen of the United States of America, would be appaled if the Government were to take over the area and not allow the public to enjoy a sport that day by day loses more and more area that is required to participate in our sport.

I support the Gov't and our military and I understand the need for an environment similar to JV, BUT, as the US Gov't owns more land than all of "us" combined they should be able to UTILIZE AN AREA THAT IS NOT BEING UTILIZED BY THE PUBLIC.

I sincerely hope that myself and others will be able to enjoy the Johnson Valley ORV area in the future as much as we have in the past.

Thank you in advance for NOT CLOSING OUR PUBLIC LANDS TO PUBLIC USE.

hammers is one of the places that i dream about going to one day to enjoy the sport that we have all come to love. if there is anyway the expansion could be made some place else that would benefit so many people in so many ways. i support out military, but i do not support this expansion. please keep the johnson valley open to the PUBLIC.

-aj

Hello. My name is Eric Argueta. 17 years old. Going to to jv has been one of the best time of my life out there. I wish i could go every day and just get my mine of everything. from dirtbiking to rockcrawling. i love that place. wish they would not close it down.


Eric

I have actually lain in bed at night dreaming about when I can someday take a trip out to the Hammers and take in the experience of one of the best trails out there, both for myself and my children.

Please don't take this dream away from me and my kids.

http://www.webercomputing.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2406&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.webercomputing.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=403&g2_serialNumber=2

It would be no exaggeration to state that it has been the dream of my adult life to one day visit and drive in the Johnson Valley ORV, California.

To learn of its possible impending closure was a shock and dissapointment that is hard to describe.

The closest parallel I can draw would be to ask you to imagine what it would be like to grow up and dedicate your life to mountain climbing with the dream of one day climbing a great peak like Everest or K2, only to find that it was to be closed and you would never have the chance.

Allow me to humbly add my name to the list of those who urge you to reconsider the closing of all or part of the irreplacable trails in the Johnson Valley ORV.

Sincerely,

Bill Ansell
Ottawa, Canada

To whom it may concern,

I live in Tacoma, Washington, and have driven to Johnson Valley on multiple occasions to take advantage of the top notch trails located there known as "The Hammers", that is around 1800 miles one way. The area is very popular as well as enjoyable to all in our sport, be it motorcycles, quads, dunebuggies, Jeeps and the likes. I, as a tax paying citizen of the United States of America, would be appaled if the Government were to take over the area and not allow the public to enjoy a sport that day by day loses more and more area that is required to participate in our sport.

I support the Gov't and our military and I understand the need for an environment similar to JV, BUT, as the US Gov't owns more land than all of "us" combined they should be able to UTILIZE AN AREA THAT IS NOT BEING UTILIZED BY THE PUBLIC.

I sincerely hope that myself and others will be able to enjoy the Johnson Valley ORV area in the future as much as we have in the past.

Thank you in advance for NOT CLOSING OUR PUBLIC LANDS TO PUBLIC USE.

Thomas McHugh,
Tacoma, Wa

My name is Chad and I'm the President of Cascade Cruisers, a Toyota Land Cruiser Association chaperter based out of Portland, Oregon. My wife and I are avid wheelers and spend all of our available time and resorces into our Toyotas and to keep trails open to OHV use. As of yet, we have not been to Johnson Valley. However, that is one of the "must do" things on our list.

As far as the military is concerned, I am in full support. However, I think that using Johnson Valley would be a complete misuse of the land! Please do not close this area. I would like to get the chance to take my wife there and one day take my kids there.

~Chad "CreeperSleeper" Holznagel

Bah, posted #3 on Mustard Dog's thread, edited it to add a long winded story and dteailed info on what the proposed expension would do to the local economy, then the thread got closed and I lost it all. I'll be back to post re-type that in a little bit, my fingers hurt now. Keep the positive posting going strong, this needs to be the biggest, most veiwed thread on the internet.

My name is Bryan J Bennett.

Regarding the USMC proposed action to claim some of the BLM land known as Johnson Valley OHV, here are my thoughts.

I support the USMC and its goal of protecting and defending American soil from enemies, foreign and national - and support them in any way possible - including giving up one of my favorite wheeling locations - however, I would ask that any and all other alternatives be heavily considered before the USMC deems the OHV area known as Johnson Valley the solution to their current need.

I am a member of United 4 Wheel Drive Association, Blue Ribbon Coalition, North American XJ Association, and support the ideals of Tread Lightly.

Since 2006, I have been out to Johnson Valley for 7 times, (twice this year, and I live in Sacramento - so the long haul of a drive shows the strong desire to use this land).

One of my favorite trips that I look forward to is the Rockin XJ Jamboree every November, one that my dad and I have attended the past two years, and generally make a week out of the trip.

The first time I went to JV was in June of '06 the first weekend that I met my boss for my summer internship. Id never been wheeling in any area with as much challenge as JV before, and was in for a shock.
Here is a photo from a sacred 19 year old kid in the passenger seat on a trail local wheelers cut into the hills called Claw Hammer -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JohnsonValley61006/img_5475.jpg

I went back the next month in July of '06 and had a bunch more fun -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV71506/img_5757.jpg

In November of '06, Dad and I met up with approximately 75 other Cherokee drivers for the Rockin XJ Jamboree, and wheeled around for almost 5 days - enjoying spending time in the desert -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JohnsonValley111806/img_1034.jpg

Here is a shot of Dad and I at the top of Claw Hammer -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JohnsonValley111806/img_1045.jpg

I returned to JV the next summer in July '07 for a night run -
ran sledgehammer -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV72807/stp81338.jpg

http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV72807/stp81342.jpg

and returned again in August '07
ran Jackhammer and backdoor -
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV82507/nr04.jpg

http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV82507/stp82005.jpg

and returned again in November, '07 for Rockin XJ 07 -
Met up with another 75 or so Cherokee enthusiasts, my good friend matt and his dad, my dad and I drove down from Sacramento again, and people drove from all over the west to be out there.
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV111807/stp82287.jpg

http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/JV111807/stp82362.jpg

I got out there once this year so far - in January, but didn’t get any pictures - went out with my friend's Matt and Chris, ran wrecking ball and Backdoor.

All in all, I really enjoy Johnson Valley, and would love to continue using it if there are at all any other possibilities for the USMC.

-Bryan J Bennett
XJ_Ranger

I understand it is very important that our soldiers are well trained to face an ever threatening opposition to our freedom. I also understand that fierce opposition will pop up whenever a land acquisition is proposed. Please understand our story. There is very little land still available to enjoy our hobby, and more of our freedoms are taken away daily.

The Johnson Valley area brings together many American families annually to enjoy the freedoms our soldiers fight so hard for. Hopefully we as a nation could find another area to train our dedicated soldiers to effectively protect our freedom to recreate in areas like Johnson Valley.

Please help save our hobby, while continuing to train our strong men and woman to save us. :usa:

Vinny Farrell
Maricopa, Az

To Whom It May Concern,

I've recently visited Johnson Valley and was very impressed by the landscape. My family enjoyed the trails and the kids really liked the sand dunes. It's one of the few areas where you can feel truely free. I plan to return to this area in the very near future and hope that this area will be preserved for my kids' enjoyment.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/Fjamming/Claw%20Hammer/Hammers029.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/Fjamming/Claw%20Hammer/Hammers17.jpg

Sincerely

Tony W.
Pomona, CA.

I've not yet had the privilege of visiting the Johnson Valley OHV area and its storied collection of trails. I do plan on visiting and taking my father-in-law, just as I'm taking him to Moab, UT this spring. But while I can't speak from direct experience of the area, I hope I'll be indulged a few words.

As you no doubt know, the Hammers trail system, and the larger Johnson Valley OHV area of which it is a part, constitutes one the premier OHV sites in the US. It *is* a prime destination for the off-road community. Losing these trails would therefore be a tremendous loss to the thousands who visit the area annually, as it would be to the local merchants and the surrounding communities which depend economically on the dollars those visitors bring.

Losing the Johnson Valley OHV area would further damage the wider OHV ecosystem. OHV use is on the rise at a time when trail closures are increasing. The net result is an increased demand for ever receding resources, resulting in overuse and unnecessary damage to trail systems that remain.

There is, further still, a loss to the spirit here. We don't all experience the outdoors in the same way. For many of us, I think, responsible OHV use is a way to cultivate the values of family, of friends, of wonder and awe in the face of great natural beauty. We connect with things other, and larger, than ourselves and, if we're lucky -- and with a little help -- come to understand something about ourselves, our limits and our place in this world.

These are values worth preserving. I urge you to explore alternative solutions that not only are consistent with these values, but that also strive actively to foster them. It is surely possible to imagine outcomes that are agreeable to all relevant parties (or the essential positions thereof). Let us therefore endeavor to make this a reality!

Paul Martin
Snohomish, WA

Proud member of:

Toyota Land Cruiser Association (http://tlca.org/)
Northwest FJ Cruiser Club (http://www.nwfjcc.com/)

Johnson Valley has been a great place for me and my family to visit! Over the years we have explored many of the great trails this area has to offer, and my kids have been growing up learning to ride on some of them, and I myself have been constantly challenged to improve my skills on some of the harder trails. The area offers a great variety of trails and recreation opportunities that just can’t be found in other areas, with stuff from the mild all the way to the wild! It’s a place we can go to that offers something for everybody, great camping, exploring, desert hiking, trail riding, 4x4 rock crawling, and just about anything else you can think of. With this great diversity, it would be a shame to lose such a versatile area to future generations.

Right after the KING OF THE HAMMERS race a couple of weekends ago, this Jeep was presented by the producers of a new offroad tv show to it's owner, DesertJewel from VV 4 wheelers. We went on a shrot run up to Wrecking ball to "get the flex on". As usual, there were lots of buggies and Jeeps out at JV,
and it turned out to be another great day.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/ratpatrolmjr/Cleg%20na%20JV%20Julie%202008/IMG_1202.jpg

There are hundreds and maybe thousands of off roaders who use the Johnson Valley OHV area, and every weekend you can find people out there. One of the things you notice right off the bat is how clean it is, considering the amount of use this area gets. Just goes to show how dedicated these folks are to keeping the wheeling areas open and clean.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/ratpatrolmjr/Cleg%20na%20JV%20Julie%202008/IMG_1131.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/ratpatrolmjr/Cleg%20na%20JV%20Julie%202008/IMG_1115.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h192/ratpatrolmjr/Cleg%20na%20JV%20Julie%202008/undersideatledgeonsledge_1_1.jpg

To Whom It May Concern,
While I have never been to the Hammers, I have wanted to make the trip down there for some time. I know the news of the potential closure had a great impact on the people living in the area, but it has just as great an impact on people out of the local area. I myself am from Reno, Nevada, but often wheel the trails in and around the Sierra Nevadas, including Fordyce and the Rubicon. It has been a goal of mine to go down the the Hammers, but I have never had the opportunity. Unfortunately, it appears as if I may never get that chance. I have been an avid 4 wheeler since I got my license at age 16, and even before that, I enjoyed camping, hiking, and just being outside. It deeply saddens me that many of our public lands are being closed to people who enjoy outdoor motorized activities, including my favorite, rockcrawling. We are slowly being pushed into public, day use parks, that themselves are often on the chopping block when it comes to budget cuts. Please, reconsider closing the Hammers area to public use. Many generations enjoy the time they spend out there, and it would be a shame to break that tradition. Please, help us keep our limited space that we have left to play in open.

Thank you for your time,
Jason Eastman

As a wheeler renewing his relationship with the great out doors, after raising two kids, I am getting back out there now. This destination is HIGH on my list of places to visit and recreate. As a native Californian I will be using this area as often as possible.
There has to an alternate direction to take to accomplish what you need. Please keep the Hammers open to its current use.

Thank you for taking time to review our concerns.

Rob

I have yet to go to the Hammers as a wheeler or a passenger. It is my hope to one day wheel the Hammers as well as other trails in the west but at the going rate of trail closures there might not be any left to ride.

Just want to express my concern that this area might be closed. The loss of any trail is a great loss. Please explore other options that would keep the area open to the public.

Michael Castell
Fort Collins, CO

My family has never had the opportunity to visit Johnson Valley, this is one of places at the top of our list this year. I hope it remains a place that we can all still enjoy, doing what we love to do.

Keep Hammers Open

To whom it may concern:

I would love to be able to experience the Hammers. I hope to someday experience the Hammers with my son. Please don't take that away from us. I am in total support of our military and appreciate the work that those fine men and women do. Please find a different solution to this proposed expansion.

Thank you,

Michael Hale

I have many memories of JV. It would be very sad to lose such a unique and beautiful place. Here are just a few pictures of the fun we have had in that area.
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=630&g2_serialNumber=2
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=626&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=654&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=705&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=714&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=720&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=729&g2_serialNumber=1
http://www.desertdawgs.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=783&g2_serialNumber=1

I have just recently gotten involved in this great offroad sport. I have met so many good folks out there and made so many friends. I would very much like to be able to enjoy the area you guys are thinking about taking over. Of course, I understand the need for our military to have good training grounds, and I wish nothing but the best for our men and women in uniform. It seems to me that we are unmistakably the best of the best when it comes to our military, and I've even visited some of the different military bases around and seen some of the training ground we currently have. I just don't agree with taking some of the last of the land we can use for our sport. We've lost so much land as it is already, and have to deal with all the restrictions that have already been placed on us. Please, let us keep this land for ourselves and our families...and your families, too.

I hope for the sake of the four wheel drive community that the Hammers trail will be preserved for many more years to come, for us all to enjoy. It is a place where a plethora of members have called home, and we are all responsible enough to keep these trails in good order. Many great times have been had at this very site and it would be a shame to watch it be taken away from us. Please, let the Hammers live on....

I've been yearning to go to the Hammers since I first read about the place ~10-12 years ago...you guys need to keep this place available for us...and the new generations to come...don't close these fabulous places to the public and restrict our experience of Nature to the computer!

I am a father of 3 that has enjoyed the Johnson Valley OHV area for over 15 years now. Please do not take away my family's favorite weekend getaway!

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a205/KINGSIZE71/l_8e0f6a52587ac1862641449dc3183207.jpg
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2267917300039783521hHLBkR?vhost=outdoors
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2568404060039783521bUgKtm?vhost=outdoors
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2167191890039783521fNWSnn?vhost=outdoors
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2229035410039783521hoqBXw?vhost=outdoors

My family and I have enjoyed the Johnson Valley OHV area and Stoddard Wells for generations. We spend wonderfully peaceful weekends there riding our dirt bikes with friends and family or wheeling some of the most challenging trails in the country. My kids have seen all the variety the area has to offer, beautiful flower-covered valleys in the spring wind-blown sand hills and the black rock valleys of Sledgehammer.

Closing this area would mean shutting off a part of my children's life that they wont be able to replace. We have raised our kids to respect the valley and to be good care-takers for our wilderness.

If we close off this public land to our future generations, they will grow up without the respect for nature and frontier spirit that formed this great nation.

In April 4, 2004 I married my wife at the top of Clawhammer with friends, family and my Jeep club. We couldn't have picked a more beautiful spot to share this special day.

Pic from my first trip to Johnson Valley, November 2004. I've been hooked ever since. I drive 400 miles one way to get there. It will be missed if this area gets closed.

http://www.fototime.com/6D62D75B3E60F48/standard.jpg

Dear Elected Official,

I am writing this letter in support of an initiative to communicate the concern of a possible land closure for use by the general public. Specifically, the area of Johnson Valley, located in California and the potential annexation of this land for the USMC. Please allow me to be clear on one point, I have the utmost respect, admiration and dedication to our men and women serving our country and only want the best for them. However, this is an issue that may be able to be a win-win for all parties involved with your help and guidance.

My particular form of recreation is off highway motorsports, which you may or may not be aware is under continuous scrutiny for alleged behavior that is far from fact. While every population has the one percent that are the poorest examples of a community, the largest percentile of this community is very aware of the environmental needs of our “playgrounds” and we band together to help maintain, educate and keep these areas open for our particular brand of recreation. While I have not yet had the opportunity to visit and “play” in the Johnson Valley OHV area, I have hopes to in the near future as it is one of two areas in California that I have not visited and have always looked forward to taking an extended vacation in those locales since being involved in this particular form of my hobby.

I realize that your job can be arduous and always in balance between what is best for our country and what is best for your constituents, in this instance perhaps a bit more time could be spent to examine alternatives to this particular area as to allow the general population to retain what little specialized areas we have to enjoy our form of recreation.

Best Regards,

Mike Nevitt
Phoenix, AZ

Proud member of:
AZTTORA
4X4Wire.com
Pirate4X4.com
Tread Lightly

Proud supporter of:
Blue Ribbon Coalition

To whom it may concern,
I would like to ask that you reconsider your expansion of the USMC training area. I am also in the millitary and understand needing the area to train, but growing up in the area and useing that area for over 10 years. I started my two sons wheelin in that area and also met my wife and honeymooned in Johnson Valley. I just returned from a 15 month tour in Iraq, and for my leave I spent a week in JV enjoying time with family and friends. Please I ask that you reconsider and find a new direction to expand in or at least change the proposed area to not include this area that is very important to me and my family.
Sincerly,
Robert Foster
US Army

The first time i went to JOHNSON VALLEY "The HAMMERS" we rolled in around mid night i had never really been wheeling and was trusting my new friends that this was the place to be we ran a trail "CLAW HAMMER" in the middle of the night finishing around 6 in the morning and it was absolutely the best time i had ever had.. i have now been going there several times a year for the last 6 years and am a member of the TIN BENDERS.. this is the go to place i have met hundreds of new friends out there and if i could would live there...
it is nice being out there away from everything but close enough to town that if we need something we can run into Yucca Valley and get what is needed.

This is one of those places that is absolutey one of a kind. And is never the same.. it is always changing and i would be heart broken to lose something so great...
PLEASE Keep This Available to the public.
I know many people that travel from the east coast to come wheel there and even from CANADA and AUSTRALIA....this would be the single greatest loss to the OHV Comunity. This is an area of great diversity from wheeling to desert racing even sand dunes.

I have been going to the Johnson Valley OHV since i was four years old. Johnson Valley is my favorite place to ride because there is so much open space. I respect the land, tread lightly, pick up all my trash as well as clean up after others. I obey all rules and regulations and in return I would like to have a place to ride. This is the best place to camp! I believe that if the Marines are allowed to train in this area, they will not be so respectful of the land. I was under the impression that when the BLM closes down OHV areas, it was to protect that area from harm, not to let the military bomb the crud out of it! What will happen when ALL OHV areas are gone? What will the MILLIONS of us who ride do then? Please keep the Johnson Valley OHV open! I want to continue to take my family there and pass down my desert heritage.

Unfortunatly, I haven't made it out to Johnson Valley yet, but I plead with you to leave it open so that some day I might be able to.

David Adams
Moab, UT


Red Rock 4 Wheelers Land Use Officer
Moab Friends for Wheelin'
United Four Wheel Drive Association
Utah 4-Wheel Drive Association
Blue Ribbon Coalition
Utah Shared Access - Alliance
Utah Trail Patrol - Moab Unit
Tread Lightly! - Certified trainer
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access

Please keep Johnson Valley open to the public.

Recreational activities need to flourish in this hectic fast paced world we live in, not taken away.

The hammers is the proving grounds for my and many other rigs. I have built my rig and spent thousands of dollars in the economy doing so. My friends and I have been going there for years and would be devastated if it were to be inaccessible.

Of the 15+ trips a year that we go on to the hammers we spend lots of money in the local economy.

The hammers are how I relax. I love going out there and wheeling with friends and meeting new people. I’ve never had a bad time @ the hammers. Even if I break, which I’ve done many a time.

I support the armed services 100% and want the best for them, but please re-consider taking over one of the best hardcore rock crawling spots in the country.

A couple more pictures of cleanup efforts and spending time to clean and drag the entrance road in an effort to keep the area more accessible

358539

358540

Becca Webster, a local hero

358541

Wheeling the dunes south of the claw hammer trail

358542

A cool pic of a flash flood on the Wrecking ball trail

358543

While I have never been to the Hammers, that doesn't mean I dont dream about it.

Ever since I got involved in the Off-Highway community some 7 years ago I have planned a road trip down to the legendary Hammers. Fast forward 7 years and it seems I may be slighted..

What I am asking if for you to listen to your users, your constituents. It seems largely to me that the responsible users are being punished, depsite countless personal donations (both time and money) to keep the area's clean and well maintained.

Below is a picture of a recent trail clean up in our area...I am not sure I know of any other community that could band together, provide the needed materials and man hours to remove a stolen vehicle.

Please do not deny Serviceman and Responsible OHV users acess to their life passion.

I have never been to Johnson Valley and sincerely hope it stays open so one day I will be able to experience it firsthand. I wish I had tons of great stories to tell about trips to the Hammers and I can only hope that in the future I will be able to do just that.

PLEASE KEEP THIS OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE

Sincerely,
Mike Stewart.:)

I have never been to Johnson Valley but have heard it is an incredible place.Some day I hope to be able to make the trip.Please keep this legendary area open to the off- roading community.

Let me start off by saying that I an not that great with words and have never been to Johnson Valley but it is a dream of mine to bring my family there one day. It is such a shame to encounter a locked gate that wasn't there the year before. But it happens much to often. Many people consider Johnson Valley to be the mecca of rock crawling, from looking at pictures and watching videos of the area I would have to agree.
I fully support the military but I cannot support a major blow to the sport I am passionate about. four wheel drive users have lost miles upon miles of trails in the last few years. Please do not take one of the most important 4x4 areas away from us! There has to be room for every one.

Thanks,
Matt Waters

Please keep this exceptional wheeling area open to the public; it is highly regarded in the off-road community as one of the premier wheeling locations in California if not the West Coast. The area is one of my favorite and is often frequented by family groups, clubs, friends, etc. We have a lot of respect for the military and understand their needs, however, this is one of the few wheeling venues with true hard-core wheeling trails. Please keep the Hammers free for our use; we do repect it and appreciate it!

Andy Plaine

Please keep public lands open!

Please keep Johnson Valley open to OHV use as more and more areas are closing for us to recreate in. We belong to the Arizona Rock Crawlers out of Phoenix, AZ. We have spent many hours of quality family time while 4-wheeling at Johnson Valley. We look forward to many more hours wheeling there in the future.


Thank You!

Blake

As a child of a Marine I have been raised to respect and honor the servicemen. I thank them when ever I see them for the service that they perform to keep my children family and I in the "Land of the Free".
However my husband and I have always wanted to come out west to go to the hammers. We have yet to be able to experience it. It would be a crying shame to have them closed before we were able to do something we talk about doing at least weekly.
My children sit and watch all of the four wheeling videos and look at the pictures at our side and comment on how cool it would be to do this. Please don't close JV. It would deprive our next generation of something the military strives to keep... The United States... The Land of the Free.

Thank you,
Barbara in Georgia

My family and I have been enjoying Johnson Valley Ca for about seven years now. We average about 10 trips there a year. From 4wheeling to motorcycle riding, to just hanging out with good friends. Johnson Valley has been a great place to getaway and have some fun. Please don't take this land away from us offroad enthusiast. It is a truely unique place in that it has such a wide variety of stuff for all off-roaders. I tought both my sons to ride motorcycles on the flat lakebed, while being able to experiance the best 4 wheel drive terrain the same day. There has got to be a better place that you can use that doesn't have thousands of people visiting it each year.


Thanks,
Tim Florian and family
tbnbears@aol.com

Hello,
My name is Erik Jordan. I have the privilege of living in the southern California area, and have had opportunity to participate in many runs and off roading events in the Johnson valley area on the hammers trails.
This is a wonderful place with trails that cannot be matched anywhere in the country. The terrain provided by these trails is second to none, and there is nothing else that can be compared to them in beauty, and difficulty in traversing.

My family and dearest friends look forward to playing in this area multiple times per year, and would like to continue doing so. I know many people that show up out there on holidays to celebrate them just because that is where they most like to be.


While I understand the need for the military to have the amount of land necessary for the practice they need, there are other parcels of land that would better serve this need, and not impact so many people in a negative way while doing so.

Please take note of the showing of people in this thread with a stake in this land. There are many of us who know the value of this particular piece of land for what it is. This is an OHV park, and a place we have no intention of lying down and watching slip away.

Here are a few photos :

http://dana30.com/photogallery/hammers%20rookie%2007/tn_IMG_6316.JPG

http://dana30.com/photogallery/hammers%20rookie%2007/tn_IMG_6386.JPG

http://dana30.com/photogallery/hammers%20rookie%2007/tn_IMG_6419.JPG

http://dana30.com/photogallery/hammers%20rookie%2007/tn_IMG_6516.JPG

http://dana30.com/photogallery/jv%20thanksgiving%2006/tn_IMG_5300.JPG

The most memorable experience about the hammer I can recall was running jack hammer getting hung up as it starts to rain. My gas tank had now been smashed only hold about 9 gallons out of 22. I had my brother pull around and hook a tow strap to my truck. Once I was clear on the obsticle he slid into another rock. Slashing 2 tires. Once the tires were replaced we headed off the trail. By this time it was raining pretty good. We got to the dry lakebed which was filling with mud. There were a few motorhomes stuck in the lakebed. I helped a few guy by pulling them out and even pulling one to the main road. Once I arrived home 3 of the tires on my brother trucks have almost leaked all of the air out of them.

With all of this happening I still had a great time wheeling with everyone. I recommed the hammers to anyone that hasn't been there. If these trails close and turned over to the marines it will furthur the depletion of OHV area in Southern California.

We have ramained consistant on policies and regulations to keep the land open and have done so for countless years. Save the HAMMERS.

Im planning on making my way to The Hammers in 6 weeks from now for the Tin Benders annual jamboree in Johnson Valley Ca. I have not yet been there but have wanted and tried to go over the course of the last 3 years. Everytime Ive had friends return from their trip down there for these jamboree's they tell me it has always been the best trip they have taken compared to any other and it only gets better each time they return. Ive gone to other jamboree's and sat around camp fires at night or wheeled along side other people on the trail that I have never met before and they as well have told me the same thing, that its is a complete blast to go down there. I think The Hammers brings a lot of people together from all over the United State ranging from young children and families all the way up to senior citizens that are into and actually offroad as well.
Closing these trails down in Johnson Valley would have a huge impact on our sport. Millions an millions of dollars are spent yearly to continue to go camping and four wheeling. People enjoy these trails so much they build there entire vehicle for just this area and these rocks to go off roading. People will spend everything they have on there vehicles because of how much joy it brings them. Please dont take all the joy, time, hard work, and all the pleasures away from the people who have put it into this sport. I sure hope you can find another place that will be able to work for you other than hammers. Id like to be able to come back to The Hammers again next year or maybe sooner. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

-Kyle

Please,

Johnson Valley off-road area must be preserved.

There are far too few public off-road areas left, and the Hammers area is especially unique.

To the military: Please consider expanding your base in another area that does not impact public land use so much. You have many other options.

Save The Hammers!!!!!!!!!!
I've Only Been To The Hammers Once, But It Was One Of The Best Places I've Ever Been. My Husband And I Have One Son Who Is 7 And He Loves To Go Wheling With Us Where Ever We Go. I Would Love For Him To Get The Chance To Go There One Day. If It Gets Closed Then What Do We Tell Him.........sorry Son They Took That Away And Shut It Down, But Here's Some Pictures. Thats Like Seeing Pictures Of The Ocean And Never Getting To See The Waves. Please Keep It Open For All The Families Who Go And Get A Once In A Lifetime Experience. I'd Rather My Child Get Into A Hobbie Like 4 Wheeling Instead Of Out Experiencing With Drugs. So Please Keep The Hammers Open.

To Whom it may Concern,

The recent Western Mojave Resource Management Plan identifies Johnson Valley and Stoddard Wells as consumable Off Highway Vehicle recreation areas. To be clear, additional options for that type of recreation in the southern California desert, have been already been removed from the publics reach being designated wilderness or military reserve areas.

This additional loss of recreation for the public would have a significant economic impact on the surrounding rural communities; an impact that could not be replaced by this type military use.

Perhaps other BLM properties in Nevada would be more suited for this type of use. I am in no way against the training of our fighting men, but have to question the though process of choosing this particular area. Public and military families heavily use this recreation area, many people live where they can recreate.

The proposal calls for acquisition of private lands. That acquisition would remove private lands from the local property tax base causing serious economic impact in the surrounding rural communities; an impact that is not mitigated by increased government support to the local economy. Again, people live where they can easily access their favorite recreational opportunities.

Please find an alternate area for our military to utilize, one that won’t devastate local economies, and rural community tax revenues.



Sincerely,



Jacquelyne Theisen

All I can say is please don't close Johnson Valley. Too many areas are closing or being closed down to "make room" for whatever someone else wants. It's getting harder and harder to find legal places to enjoy our sport. Everyone has rights and needs and some out weigh others, but those that enjoy the outdoors seem to be on the loosing end of the rights fight. So keep this trail and others safe, open and alive.

Please keep Johnson Valley and other Public Land open. I have been enjoying Johnson Valley through pictures from other 4x4 enthusiasts. I hope that when my rig is finished I will have a chance to experience it for myself.

Kevin Thrash

I moved out of Sothern California almost a year ago, It is now not uncommon for me to spend $500 and several hours just to get back to the place I love like Johnson Valley.

-Gil Green

Please save the Hammers, I have never been there, but plan on going and would hate to see another place closed down to the public.

Look at this great support for Johnson Valley OHV! WOW!!

My name is Chuck Goodenough and I urge the powers that be to consider this outpouring of support as evidence of the value of keeping Johnson Valley open for this recreational sport we all love.

Yes! I am also in total support of our troops! BUT We need places to vent here at home.

Johnson Valley is one of the few places available for this type of family recreation and is very important to the sport. People need areas set aside for this activity and closing it should be not be something that is even on the table.

KEEP JOHNSON VALLEY OPEN!

Chuck
http://www.rubicontrail.com

Hello to whom ever it may concern.

I have never been to the hammers, But It is a dream of mine to someday visit this amazing place, The "Mecca" of the OHV community. I understand the marines need space to train (I have family in the marines) And I fully support our military.But taking away trails that the OHV community is losing at an amazing rate needs to be rethought. We already lost 1,800 MILES of trails from johnson vally.

I'm part of the next generation of off roaders and I would like to still have a place to go when i'm older, I love the out doors and practice "treading lightly" But we seem to be at a dissadvantige. More and more trails are being closed.

Just recently there was a very highly publisised Race Called 'king of the Hammers" on these trails.

Please dont close the Hammers.

Kyle. S

Never having the pleasure to serve my country the way todays service members are, let me say that I have the utmost repect for the job that they do and the sacrafices they make. Thank you to all of them. However I hope that we can find a way to keep Johnson Valley open. As the population of So Cal grows and the oppertunity for recreation is squeezed tighter and tighter it would be a shame to lose this world class offroad area. I hope we can find a solution benificial to the Marines and the offroaders. Thanks for your time.
Dave King
Riverside,Ca

I been to the Hammers every year for the last 4 years. I will go twice this year. I drive all the way from Eugene, OR for the events at the Hammers. It is unequaled in its rockcrawling variety.

I just returned from the massivly popular King Of the Hammers race at Johnson Valley. What a great event at a wonderful place.

My family will be going with me this year on my second trip in 2008. I'll have my wife and 4 year old daughter. We stay in nearby Joshua tree for a week every year. Without the Hammers, we would have no reason to visit the area.

This is no replacement for this wonderful resource. If we lose this OHV area, the ENTIRE OHV public loses a vast playground that is used by tens of thousands each year.

Please fight to keep the Hammers open to OHV use!

Thanks
Chass Thuresson
Eugene, OR

I have never been to JV yet but I know for sure one day I would like to visit the area and enjoy the area with my family and friends. This area should stay open to the public for our enjoyment and use.

Some of the fine vistas seen in this area

358549

358550

358551

358552

Please DO NOT take this PUBLIC LAND from us! It is a constant battle to keep what little OHV land we have and I would be extremely discontent if the Johnson Valley OHV area was closed or infringed on. There are other areas that would be suitable for the 29 palms expansion, I urge strong consideration of other options!

The Hammers are one of the few places where a familiy and friends can go to and enjoy the desert like no where else. to take this away from the ohv folks would be a crime against all ohv people and the towns surrounding these world known trails

I first wheeled at JV while stationed at 29 Palms with a open dif CJ-5 on 33's and would like to do it again. This time a little better equipped :laughing:

While I understand and support the need for additional training areas for me and others like me, I also understand the need for recreation areas for me and other military members that off-road as well.

When we are not doing our job it would be nice to have an area left to relax as well.

I live near seatle and its close to 24 hours one way to get to the hammers--and I have been down there 3 times now... I LOVE the place and would love to continue to have the chance to go down there..

Thank you

Look at this great support for Johnson Valley OHV! WOW!!

My name is Chuck Goodenough and I urge the powers that be to consider this outpouring of support as evidence of the value of keeping Johnson Valley open for this recreational sport we all love.

Yes! I am also in total support of our troops! BUT We need places to vent here at home.

Johnson Valley is one of the few places available for this type of family recreation and is very important to the sport. People need areas set aside for this activity and closing it should be not be something that is even on the table.

KEEP JOHNSON VALLEY OPEN!

Chuck
http://www.rubicontrail.ning.com

As a JV vistor and a business owner that supports JV equipped Jeeps, we are all for keeping JV open as it is. My local club, Bear Valley 4x4 will also join the fight to help keep JV open. There are other options, please keep this area open for all of our "family and friends" to use. My entire family spends time in JV.

To Whom It May Concern.

I have been to the hammers 3 times, and look forward to many, many more trips down there. There are very few other places were we can wheel our rigs with the amount of space that the hammers offer. There is plenty of room out there for everybody, there camps, and their rigs, without being on top of each other. I take my son with me everytime I go, and it has been a great bonding experience for us.
Please don't close the hammers.

Ethan Wright
http://shim1.shutterfly.com/procgserv/47b8dc30b3127cce98548a62141c00000020102CbNGjhw0Zc
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While I will never get the chance to wheel the hammers I fully support each and every one of these guys for keeping it open. There is by far to much public land being closed down to the open public that eventually there will be no place to enjoy off roading. Keep the hammers open.

As an avid outdoor Recreationalist, I would like to speak up for the Hammers/Johnson Vally OHV area. My family loves to spend time together each summer, driving our OHV on all the diverse and beautiful roads and trails our country had to offer. I have never made it to the Hammers yet, but it is on my list. This is an area that has already been set aside for this use, and I would hate to see it lost. There are so few areas in the country that allow multi-sport use. Please keep this open to all.

Thank you

Chad Cannon
Idaho Falls Id

SAVE THE HAMMERS
I am in full support of our military(my dad and brother retired Navy, brother retired Air Force, niece currently in Air Force). I have never wheeled the Hammers before but my family has property in Joshua Tree and I am planning a trip there in the near future and it would be a shame to not get to enjoy the wonderful opportunities that Johnson Valley OHV has to offer. Like many other I have dedicated myself to helping keep the trails open for all to use.

Jack Traver
Sacramento, CA

BlueRibbon Coalition
Friends of the Rubicon
Friends of Eldorado National Forest
Friends of Fordyce
Registered Voter

Hi :)

to whom it may concern:

my family & I live in the suburban sprawl of SoCal and enjoy the few times a year that we can 'escape' to the Johnson Valley OHV area for an organized rally-x event. We probably have 3 to 5 of these events a year which bring people from all over Southern Calif and regularly bring people in from as far away as NorCal and AZ/Utah. Typically an event might draw 40 cars and 100 people. We have fewer and fewer venues avail. to us as the sprawl and the not-in-my-backyard feelings spread. Johnson Valley has always been a bit of a drive but well worth it as we are far away from any other activity and our chances of bothering others are very small!! please, please please consider all the impacts before shutting another OHV area off to the public!! please!


the following pictures were taken over the last year or two from with-in Johnson Valley OHV area

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c139/nrsg/Other%20cars/jv-3.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c139/nrsg/DCH%20SRT4/DSCF1354.jpg

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I am from out east and have never personally wheeled this area in question, but plan to one day. This spot is very important to the OHV community in so many ways and it would be a major loss if it was let go. Let everyone continue to enjoy and experience this part of the country through their hobby as they have been all these years.

I Dont Take May Vacations But I Make Sure That Every Year I Make It Down To Jhonson Valley, Every Year I Look Forward To The Trip. There Is Only One Place In The Earth Like The Hammers And It Is The Hammers This Is Why It Is So Important That This Magnificiant Place Stays Open To The Public.

I first went to the Hammers around 10 years ago and have been back many times since. My husband has been even more times. It is such an impressive place, truly unique and very well suited to our sport. I also find it very ironic that the BLM has spent so much time and energy talking to wheelers to protect the desert tortoise and now they'll just give it to the Marines to tear up. Please consider using other land that is not being used for any other purpose. Too many of our wheeling places are being closed.

Hello,

Johnson Valley is an important area to us 4 wheelers. Its a place were family and friends new and old gather to spend time with one another to grow and learn. To see ones children play and enjoy the out doors rather then play on there computer or Xbox. With the closer of Johnston valley we would be losing that opportunity and be forced to go to diffrent areas were there isn't enough room for all of us. I urge you to reconsider taking Johnson Valley from the OHV community.


Joshua Miller
CORVA member

Im the starting member of the San Juan Rock Crawlers 4x4 club, we love going down to Johnson Valley every chance we get. It would be a true injustice to close this area down from people who have grown to love this area. There are so many other places and other ways for the military to get land. To Compleatly close down a area from the public is not right. This message has the support of all 15 members in the club.

I've been visiting the whole johnson valley area for the last 6 years. More specificly the area known as 'The Hammers' located near Means Dry Lake.

I have been involved with the Tin Bender Clean ups for 3 of the last 4 years. I've also been to many areas around the western US and I have to say, there is NO other place like this. The area that is being considered for closure is like nothing else.

I would venture a safe guess that none of us in the wheeling community are against the Military as many of them are active or retired service men and women. We all understand the need for space, but, we feel that there is plenty of other room their expansion.

Many of us, including myself, have built our rigs to work in this terrain and i know i spend hundards of dollers in food and fuel in the local communities for each trip.

so, we don't mind sharing the area, we have for years and dig it. just don't take our trails.


my first time to the mailbox
http://b1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01491/11/60/1491180611_l.jpg

driving up claw hammer
http://a295.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/17/l_cd859e20b30172df4dc1f4a42aba5b8e.jpg

on top of the jackhammer ridge route with my girlfriend (post 265)
http://a934.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/l_0a93fb70a764083748b338f29c5b40b5.jpg

quad riding on the lakebed
http://a508.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/l_84c91ae434cc600566ec3b2b6f975353.jpg

and prolly one of the best views ever, a moon rise while on the lake bed

http://b0.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00513/02/35/513075320_l.jpg

To whom it may concern,

Recently we were made aware of a proposed expansion of the Marines 29 Palms facility in Southern California, this proposed expansion includes much of the popular Johnson Valley OHV recreational area. This expansion would close most of the existing trail systems which is one of a kind in California. Johnson Valley is world-renowned for its extreme obstacles and intense challenges. On the west coast of the USA, it is considered the "Mecca" of 4x4 trails.

Johnson Valley brings big dollars to the area from not just locals, but people from across the USA, Canada, Mexico and the rest of the world. I own several 4x4 Videos that were filmed right down there in JV. We have never had the opportunity to travel to JV as we are both college students and between work and school the 500 mile journey from our home town in Northern California is just not possible. YET. After we graduate several of our friends and us have been planning for many years a week (Or maybe even TWO week) long trip to Johnson Valley to finally explore what we have dreamed of for years.

The proper training of our armed forces is VERY important to us, and the rest of 4x4 community. We want only the best for our boys and gals in the Forces. BUT we feel that this expansion is moving in the wrong direction. From budget cuts, loss of funding, lack of man power ect, we have already lost thousands of miles of wonderful trails, not only for 4x4s but for hiking, camping, mountain biking, ect across the USA. The Offroad Industry is a BILLION dollar industry that brings very big revenue to those areas that host offroad trails, such as Johnson Valley. If only those who are in charge of this decision can reconsider and seek another, close by area that will be just as suitable to our troops.

It is our hope that you can find a middle ground and a solution to this problem that prevents the closure of Johnson Valley OHV area. This would be a very tremendous blow to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people who love or would love to be able to travel to JV just once in their lifetime. I know that my girfriend and I have been dreaming of it for the last 5 years.

Please, please reconsider this expansion. Public land is hard to come by these days. Johnson Valley is one of the last great trails in the USA. Please do not let it dissapear like the millions of acres the public has already lost in the last few years. Please do not take Johnson Valley from the public.

Thank you for taking the time to read the letters in our pettition. I hope we can all work out a solution that works for EVERYONE, not just the Offroaders and the Military.


Nick McMurray &
Starr Penniman
Nevada City, CA

Would like to add my thoughts on Johnson Valley. While I fully support our troops, I feel that the US Marines taking over Johnson Valley would be a disservice to the 4-wheel drive community. Even though I have not had the pleasure to visit this area yet, it is on the list of wheeling destinations for my family.

I am currently working with my son on his 1983 CJ7 that will be a close match to the one I currently drive. Our family has been discussing making a trip West to enjoy some of the fine 4-Wheel trails that the area has to offer. Wheeling is something that our entire family enjoys together, my wife, daughter, son, and I. To have the opportunity to enjoy the area known as the Hammers is something the entire family has spoken of.

As President of a local 4X4 club, I understand the need to work with organizations such as Blue Ribbon coalition and UFWDA. Our club supports these organizations financially both as a club and as individuals as well. It is my hope that the proposed plan to close Johnson Valley to wheeling will be rethought, and the area left for the enjoyment of all. Thanks.

IcemanII
1983 Jeep CJ7

The Hammer trails mean so much to so many people,that it would be such a shame to close them.The four-wheelin community in general has a great reputation for caring for the land we use and value,and includes some of the nicest and most hard working people that I have ever met.Having been to Johnson Valley several times,it is some of the cleanest desert areas I've seen,and that is all because of responsible 4-wheeler taking action to keep the area clean.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l320/jackspics_2007/IMG_0867.jpg

First, I am a veteran and huge supporter of the U.S. military, especially the U.S. Marine Corps. We need to insure we do whatever is needed to support our military and our men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much for all of us. However, there are other solutions to the Marine Corp's need for more area than to take such a valuable and very unique recreational asset known as Johnson Valley.

It would be a shame to lose Johnson Valley as a scenic desert location suitable for many forms of offroad family-friendly recreation. Trails in Johnson Valley are unique, they are found nowhere else, and they have a huge number of people that enjoy their unique qualities.

As a friend said so well... "It's not like you can just pick those trails up and move them around to another part of JV - they are irreplaceable."

My son and I have enjoyed our trips to Johnson Valley VERY much, it's a way for a family to have good clean outdoor fun that harms no one or anything in the area. It may be hard for some people to understand why so many love middle-of-the-desert Johnson Valley but they are missing out on one of nature's true gems whose qualities you won't find anywhere else.

You don't need a monster rail rig to enjoy what JV has to offer as you can see by my Jeep Wrangler getting ready to wheel one of JV's many famous trails.

http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/0c818640.jpg

What better way for a son to spend the day than with his dad in the great outdoors? More wheeling in Johnson Valley!

http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/0c71d680.jpg

As you can see, there's not much (if anything!!) on these trails our Jeeps and other 4x4 vehicles are going to damage!

I recently heard about the possible expansion of the Palms 29 Military Base to take over land in the Johnson Valley OHV area (Lucerne Valley, California). I’m very concerned about this as Johnson Valley is one of those areas that is considered to have the most extreme rock crawling trails in the United States – not to mention that its a LEGAL OHV area maintained by the BLM and local 4wd clubs. So I’m posting here to state my concerns about the possible closure of the Johnson Valley OHV area will not only remove a vital piece of rock crawling history, but just one more place that we can’t wheel. Four wheeling is more than a “hobby” – it’s a multi-billion dollar industry with a HUGE chunk of it in Southern California with shrinking places to recreate.

While I do FULLY support the military in protecting this country and I pray for the men and women, families and friends that have given their lifes to protect this country, there has to be another place they can do their training.

As time goes on its getting harder and harder to find LEGAL OHV trails that are challenging and enjoyable. I try to go to atleast one major event in these states each year to help raise awareness about tread lightly four wheeling and frequently do trail cleanups to help keep areas open so my kids can enjoy them. Also in doing this, my goal is to spread the word that 4wheeling is a great family recreation and shouldn’t be frowned on my those few individuals that seem to have no respect for other people and public land! It burns be up to see a few individual ruin it for everyone…

These multi-state trips are expensive for me (being from Oregon) and I spend thousands of dollars each year to enjoy these types of areas, which means a portion of my money is going directly to the local economy’s around these areas. I know I’m not alone either and Johnson Valley has world wide recognition for its OHV trails! And from my understanding is one of the few legal areas in southern California!

I’ve only made it to “The Hammers” once so far and that was for the 2007 Tin Benders Cleanup. And even though I’m from Out-of-State and live 1000 miles north, I was still out there picking up trash, helping load up burned out cars and making CASH donations in the 95 degree temperature to help save these areas! When I was down there.

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i've never been there but it'll be a shame if i can't ever go because it's closed, keep johnson valley open.