**READ THIS if you want YOUR CHILDREN to be able to wheel.**

[Yota Up]

This is a rough draft. I hope that someday it will be edited and remain a sticky. For 100 years+ to come. (minus the parts that should be taken out if it should)

(I just did a search for "oil spill kit" and I got 1 page/32 results. Less than what you get when you do a search for "poopoo". Within that search, going through one thread after another to show an example of how simple it is to do the right thing, it turned out to be not so simple from a timeless perspective. Things change. Companies go out of business. "Simple Green" is in business today, but it may not be in the future. In time, as you click link after link and find some dead and others old and too many pages that lack a simple list on the front page of what you NEED TO DO BEFORE YOU GO WHEELING - it can be frustrating.)

Just like reading the water levels at Fordyce, newbies and people new to the thing should be able to click one link and get all the info they need to know before going wheeling to ensure they are doing it right. At least from a protection standpoint. They can dig further if they need to know how many birfields to carry, or where to put that spare driveshaft. But #1 above all should be doing it in a manner that preserves it for our kids. That means before you worry about yourself and your truck, you worry about our trail - EVERY trail. Not just the Rubicon and others in the spotlight. All of them.

#1: Oil Spill Kit. Some may wonder - what is it? What's in it? Good question. Here you go.
a) Absorbing pads. Doggy poopoo pads work great, available at any pet store of major supermarket. You use this to pick up the oil off the ground or granite, duh.
b) Garbage bags. Simple enough, any containers or plastic bags that you can put all the bad stuff you pick up into and take out with you in a nice, easy package.
c) Biodegradable degreaser(http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...able+degreaser)<- this link will work 100 years from now, even if Simple Green goes out of business. Use this to help "pull" the oil or mess away from the soil/rock.
d) Wet wipes. BABY WIPES. Available anywhere. These are great for any cleanup. Even at the end of the day at camp - clean your hands. When you buy baby wipes, you get a lot for very little money. Timeless, one brand goes out and another comes in. Get them at any supermarket.

#2: Water is an enemy to our relationship.
a) When you put friction between two materials, the "damage" increases with the presence of water. This is simple physics and is the cause for the beauty of Yosemite and how all the rock was cut...by water. Add vehicles to that and it's easy to understand what an impact can be made. The more wet an area is, the better it is to avoid it if possible, or minimize the impact from it's use.
b) Minimizing impact. The only point of contact between our vehicle and the earth is our tires. That's why tires are the most important factor in this. The bigger, wider the tire - the softer the total impact due to the spread of the friction. Skinny, small tires cut through snow and slush and mud, digging and eroding the surface below them. A built rig is a gentle rig. <- this is gold.
c) Opportunities for mitigation. Standing water prolongs the recovery and extends the vulnerability of the earth. Diversion of the water is accomplished by allowing it to simply move. "Go downhill like you're supposed to!". Join a local club and lift a shovel and learn what it takes to help out with a bit of your time that will last a lifetime.

#3: Waste and trash.
a) Carry bags for hauling out other peoples' trash. Of course you're taking your own trash home. But every trip you take you'll make sure you got extra bags to pick up anything you may see along the way. It feels good, doesn't it?
b) Many products on the market for portable toilet systems. Don't have money - grab a bucket, some kitty litter, and plastic bags. You can never walk away from a piece of toilet paper in the wilderness.

#4: The law and safety.
a) Know, respect, and abide by the law. If it feels wrong, don't do it. If you don't know if it's wrong, find out first. If you are contacted by the law, be respectful and act like an adult, you'll have a day in court to argue.
b) Know your limits and your potential for reaction in an emergency. If you can't swim, don't wade into deep water. If you doubt your truck, don't do try that line. If you lack the safety gear(seatbelts, rollcage, etc) - don't jeapordize yourself or anyone else. Nobody wants to make the news.


I think if we put forth these simple commandments, our trails stand a good chance of seeing the future with our kids.

I'd like some of the leaders and smart folks to chop this post up, and see if between us, we can put together one solid post that can stay on top after today - to ensure there will be a tomorrow for our babies.

At some point in time it's no longer about us, but about our kids. I wonder if some of those greenies realize that the trails they try to close today just might be desired by their very own children tomorrow?

Sorry for the long post - it's just a load of thoughts. So, let's revise it and clean it up and trim to perfect and make it a sticky! It may not save the world, but it sure as heck shows we tried our best.

All those in favor, please say "aye".

[Lil Uzzi]

Read it, Live it, Do it, Dispose of it. Thanks Yoda, I mean Yota

Can we sticky this ??

[randii]

Aye!

Originally Posted by Yota Up

A built rig is a gentle rig.

Stunningly simple, and true, but we do need to factor in the driver, as well. Good driving weighs huge in minimizing impact.

Originally Posted by Yota Up

Know, respect, and abide by the law. If it feels wrong, don't do it. If you don't know if it's wrong, find out first.

Another simple truth... don't assume!

This is a VERY strong start!

Randii

[cruzila]

Generally stickies get ignored. Better to bump periodically. You know, that cutting tool gets dull so you sharpen it.

Great Stuff Martin. Keep it up!

[Rubicrawler]

Aye!

Enough said...great post!

[Bebe]

Aye...

Driver skill has a lot to do with it....but they have to care first.

[sluicebox]

Hi Yota,
What search engine were you using when you searched for "oil spill kit"
This is the results I got from goggle.
Results 1 - 20 of about 3,420,000 for oil spill kit. (0.19 seconds)

[Kurtuleas]

Values of an OHV enthusist.

John Arnez taught them to me once. Let me see if I get them all right. Grade me John!

1. Pack it in, pack it out.
2. Use a toilet on the trail
3. Stay on the trail
4. Steward you trails and your campsites
5. If you see a problem fix it.
6. Educate others in responsible use.
7. if you see Kurt on the trail give him beer.

There they are. All 7 of them.

[resqme]

Hmmmm, no wonder I only remember six!

OK, I'll abide by them...make sure and hit me up for the beer when you see me!

[Yota Up]

And here I was expecting to see comments about how sappy and cheesy of a hopeless romantic I am.

Ya'll think it would be a good idea to have a brief version of the above posted at the entrance to the trail? An additional benefit of that is the visibility to other users of the trail(hikers, bikers, etc), shows the greenies how much we care, etc.

[Yota Up]

+

* Fix leaks BEFORE coming to the trail.
If you know you got a bad leak, address it with a pre-wheeling repair, NOT by bringing a bunch of additional quarts to keep topping it off out there.

[ReidB]

AYE!!!

Just yesturday leaving buck there was a guy in his jeep at the top of the slabs (near loon) that broke down and had oil leaking everywere.

asked him if he needed help, gave him one of my spill kits, reminded him to even take the oil infected dirt, and went my way

Originally Posted by Kurtuleas

1. Pack it in, pack it out.
2. Use a toilet on the trail
3. Stay on the trail
4. Steward you trails and your campsites
5. If you see a problem fix it.
6. Educate others in responsible use.
7. if you see Kurt on the trail give him beer.

Here you go in advance

Originally Posted by Yota Up

At some point in time it's no longer about us, but about our kids. I wonder if some of those greenies realize that the trails they try to close today just might be desired by their very own children tomorrow?

Very true! im afraid of only being able to tell my future kids only stories about this beautiful place, instead of showing them. lets hope the greenies get a clue.