OFFICIAL Upper Tellico "Virtual Rally" Thread

[Panici]

I've personally never had the opportunity to visit Tellico myself (being in Canada and all), but it's on my list to visit and wheel at! Locally, myself and all of SO4x4 (Southern Ontario 4x4) try to leave the areas we wheel at cleaner then before. Often when someone is stuck/broken and blocking the trail, some help recover/repair, and the rest of us pick up any garbage or other junk in the vicinity.

We don't have places as nice or as technical as Tellico around here, and it would be a shame to see it closed. I'm actually planning to visit next summer making a two week or so vacation to Tellico and a few other places stateside to wheel.

In closing Tellico, you are depriving responsible wheelers a place to enjoy the environment and nature. Eventually when I have kids I want to be able to show them the world outside of the concrete jungle most of us live in, and foster a sense of responsibility for the environment in them. In the end that will create another generation of responsible wheelers, and a generation that actually cares about the environment, having experienced it themselves.

I fear that if we allow places like Tellico to be closed, it's only a matter of time before most places to wheel will be gone.

[snobrder]

I first visited Tellico in the mid-90's for one of the Smokey Mountain Venture's. We drove my old CJ-5 3.5 hours from Greenville SC to get there. We had a blast and ended up coming back the very next weekend to run with the Venture again. Since that time and up till I started competing I went once a month at least. Each time my wife and I came we loved it.

I have been taking new people with me since I started going and everyone really enjoys the trip. Most of the time we would just park and watch people run Slick Rock.

I hate to think that my almost 3 year old son may not get a chance to go and ride or drive these great trails. They are home to some great views and some great memories.

[justanotherjeep]

I've been to Tellico once and had a blast, we need to do everything we can to save what little public land we have on the eastcoast. Tellico is one of the premier places to wheel in the east.

[BadAssXJ]

Alot of GREAT times have been spent at Tellico.

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/t11.jpg" alt="t11" />

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/t12.jpg" alt="t12" />

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/T13.jpg" alt="T13" />

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/T14.jpg" alt="T14" />

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/T15.jpg" alt="T15" />

<img src="http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gallery/files/3/0/1/6/4/T16.jpg" alt="T16" />

[Pearce]

Please do not close Tellico. Tellico has become a part of my recreational lifestyle. I’ve been going there for the past 6 years with two different Jeeps built from stock. Tellico allows me to be active at a hobby I very much enjoy. It might as well be the reason I got into this hobby to begin with. After my first time there I was hooked! I’ve spent countless hours building vehicles to enjoy this fantastic OHV area. I’ve met so many new friends as a result of going there. I’ve been able to expand my knowledge of this sport I enjoy. All of this I have been able to do and I am also a responsible off-road enthusiast. I DO NOT leave behind trash, I ONLY stay on the trails, I follow all the rules of the park, I very happily pay my daily fees to maintain the area. This is a place of enjoyment to so many people. I don’t understand why we can’t work together for all to enjoy this area. As Americans we have so many more freedoms than others and this is not representative of the way our country was meant to be by taking away an entire park dedicated to a sport/hobby to so many who are willing to support and enjoy it. There are far greater issues in this country than to close down one of the only places of its kind in the southeastern US. Please consider only ways for everyone to work together for all to enjoy this wonderful resource for all the activities it can support.

[McCracken]

Some pics I've taken

[turboaddict]

wow 9 posts in two minutes.
This is a place I plan on going in the next year.

[Flashover Mfg]

Offroaders already lost enough land. We are rapidly running out of places to enjoy our sport. Keep Tellico open!

[Angler1979]

save tellico

[CJHeap]

To Whom It May Concern,

Please carefully consider the consequences of closing access to this area. Off-road activities are a great source of entertainment for families. It enables us to involve our whole family with others while enjoying the majesty of the outdoors.
It is also a large source on income for the area since we travel in and stay in area hotels, buy supplies, eat at resteraunts and pay fuel taxes. We also support local repair facilities and off road business.
We practice Tread Lightly techniques and correct others who are not behaving appropriately. We also pick up trash from other sources not related to our activities and repair natural trail damage.

Thank You for your time and consideration,

S.H. Faris
Houston Texas

[bigjerm]

Tellico OHV was the first real place I took my Jeep off road. I was part of a new club and the experience was out of this world. The camaraderie people speak of is so true in the 4x4 world. People I barely knew in the club were taking their time watching me to make sure I did not get my Jeep into trouble and giving any advice they could. On top of that, people none of us knew that we met on the trails helped out on many occasions. We all are one big family and we are there to help each other in need.

Tellico OHV is more than just an off road park; It is a place where one can get away from the hectic work week and busy life of the city and ride through the mountains enjoying the beautiful sights, camping, and bonding with family and friends. If Tellico closed, it would not be just a blow to just the 4x4 drivers, but to their family, their friends and a part of their life they have so much passion for.

Jeremy Blake

[lttlbddy]

We must protect outdoor recreation areas such as Tellico. These areas offer great opportunities for quality family time. Areas like this are no less important than hiking trails and nature parks. Some people hike, some people use their Off Highway Vehicles; it is all outdoor recreation and as such should be protected at all costs.

Outdoor recreation is a great activity!!

Not everybody goes to museums but we have them for all.

Not everybody goes hiking but we have wilderness areas protected for non motorized uses - for all.

Well, not everybody uses motorized recreation areas such as Tellico but that doesn't make it any less important that the other outdoor recreations.

We should be adding additional areas for outdoor recreation opportunities, not trying to take them away.

PROTECT TELLICO!!

Steve Gardiner
Life Member - California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs
Life Member - CORVA
Member - United 4 Wheel Drive Association
Member - West Coast Four Wheel Drive Club
Member - Desert Dawgs 4 Wheel Drive Club

[jpsarvy]

To whom it may concern,

I am concerned about losing another great area to enjoy off roading.
Please don’t close the upper Tellico area, I want to enjoy that area and show it to my grandkids someday.
I belong to a four wheel drive club in NW Arkansas called the Rockcrawlers 4x4 club. Several of our members have made the trip and enjoyed the Tellico area. I would like to have the opportunity to do the same. They have told me about how great it is, I have seen pictures and video. That’s like me trying to tell you about the Royal Gorge in Colorado, the beautiful snow covered mountains in Colorado, the big ditch called the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, the list could go on and on. These places are hard to describe to someone because part of the experience is the feeling you get when you are in these wonderful places. I don’t want to miss out on this natural wonder.

Our 4x4 club always packs out what we pack in, we stay on designated trails and always try to do the right thing so we will have the opportunity to come back and enjoy.

Thanks for your time and consideration, Craig

[jstandle]

Keep Tellico open! Public land should always be open to responsible offroading. Closing such a cherished site would be a huge hit against not just outdoor enthusiasts but all the public.

[4in100]

Many good times at Tellico. Rain, sun, snow, it doesn't matter it's all fun. For those of us in the SE USA it's about the only place around that is somewhat central to most states and can handle larger crowds. Not to mention that Tellico isn't a typical "run it all in a day" place.

Any closings/restrictions would greatly reduce the activity level of the surrounding economy. Many places are only kept alive by the traffic of those coming to wheel at Tellico. I already know of a shop or two that are having a hard time staying in business because of 1) economy of US as a whole and 2) reduced activity in the area.

Hate to see anything happen that would make this great spot less great.

[kiyul4130]

please do not close tellico. it is an amazing place to visit and camp at. its important to me along with other fellow wheelers and families around the United States.

[tupton]

Although I have not yet been able to go to Tellico, several of my fellow wheelers with The West Virginia Jeep Club have been and they said it was wonderful!!!!! This is a great area for many different groups of people, all of whom enjoy the outdoors. It would be ashame to see it closed when it doesn't need to be. The 4-wheel drive community is united to help keep areas like Tellico open to public use!!!!

[nj85toy]

I have never visited Tellico yet but it is deffinitly on my list of amazing places that i must go in the next 5 years. please don't close upper tellico! I hear and see awesome pitures of this place and can't wait to visit.

[maxyedor]

Never been to Tellico, at least not yet, but I would love to go. Here in SoCal we have rocks and desert, it would be nice to try out a slippery forest trail with water and little bits of mud and see how guys do it out there. Never met an offroader I didn't like, even people I can't stand somehow become cool and I don't mind hanging out with on the trail, I guessing the locals at Tellico are no exception, I garuntee I could roll up there by myself and within 30 minutes make some friends for life, that's just how offroaders are.

Offroaders are also the best land stewards you'll ever find. Out here in California we have the "bros" who go out to the desert not to offroad, but to get drunk, do drugs and party, the BLM can't handle cleaning up after these idiots, there's just too much land, offroaders are all over the place, and we all carry trash-bags and at least in my group it's not about packing out what you pack in, or packing out more than you pack in, it's about packing out everything we can find. Simply put, without offroaders on the trails it's only a matter of time before it starts looking like a dump from all the non-offroaders who have no respect for the land.

We maintain the outdoors because we enjoy wheeling in them so much, we want to be able to take our friends there, and our kids and show them what it's all about, the scenery and the challenges, closing Tellico, the Hammers, the Rubicon, or even the local fire-road is going to lead to a whole generation of people that will never have the oportunity to get way off the beaten path into the wild and thus a generation of people who have no respect for what these areas mean and what they represent. The best way to preserve land is to keep it open at all costs to responsible offroaders, the 999,999 thousand of us will be sure to clean up after the 1 in 1,000,000 who has no respect for the land and quickly drum them out of the sport.

[usmcdoc14]

I have never had the chance to go there but that is moot as I would like the ability to go there.

Thats all I have, anymore would be fluff.

Stop land closures. Keep Tellico open.

[joe37705]

I have yet to make it to Tellico yet, but being close to my home town I've always wanted to go check it out. It needs to stay open to everyone and for everyone.

[CruiserKitten]

I too have never been to Tellico, but I think it's a shame that every year more and more of our public lands are being closed. I would love to take my family on a trip to Tellico some day, meet up with the locals and do some wheeling. Please keep Tellico open!!

[CASHED]

My first time at Tellico was almost 15 years ago. I was fortunate that my best friend in high school's Dad was a member of SFWDA. Between the camping and riding it really was the times of my life. Now that I have a rig of my own it keeps all of those old memories alive. I couldn't imagine if i could never go to Tellico again.

[ZukIzzy]

I have never been to Tellico but it is on our familys list of places we will visit and Wheel together. As a father I am alarmed at the increasing number of places we cannot go and enjoy a wholesome activity due to closures. I pray my kids will still have places to enjoy Wheeling with thier kids. We need to Keep the remaining OHV parks OPEN for everyone to enjoy.

Sincerly
Wayne Israelsen

[Dieselmh]

Although I haven't had the chance to visit Tellico myself yet, it would be a shame for us, as a community of offroaders, to lose it. I would love to have the option some day to visit and enjoy everything it has to offer. It saddens me to see our growing sport losing more and more land everyday. Please keep Tellico open.