Tellico Update 8-24-2010

[Black97TJ30022]

Its really unfortunate that it takes kicking a BOD/ joiurnalist guy out of the loop to find anything out. They want/ expect us to keep donating money blindly. I have written the letters and donated money ($400 to be exact) over the past two years, just like many others have, but the outcome is aways the same (Rich mountain/ Amicalola falls). Just keep us informed. That is all I ask.

McCracken. My hat is off to you. Thanks for speaking out/ whatever you did to piss them off enough to kick you off the "team". I've got some beers for you if we are ever sitting around a campfire at one of the wonderful OHV parks we have in the southeast.

[McCracken]

Originally Posted by Black97TJ30022

Its really unfortunate that it takes kicking a BOD/ joiurnalist guy out of the loop to find anything out. They want/ expect us to keep donating money blindly. I have written the letters and donated money ($400 to be exact) over the past two years, just like many others have, but the outcome is aways the same (Rich mountain/ Amicalola falls). Just keep us informed. That is all I ask.

McCracken. My hat is off to you. Thanks for speaking out/ whatever you did to piss them off enough to kick you off the "team". I've got some beers for you if we are ever sitting around a campfire at one of the wonderful OHV parks we have in the southeast.

I'd hate to sit back and count up the money I've thrown down just for Tellico. If you counted the events along with the donations I'm probably close to the $1K mark but IMO it was for a good cause... at the time.

I appreciate the offer and I'll definitely take you up on it

[Skerb]

it baffles me that I have donated money blindly to this organization for so long and I kept assuming they were helping.

I was up there for the last tellico cleanup and its true that is the only real evidence I ever saw of them doing anything but dixierun, but the fact is, the clubs were the ones doing the work and planning the cleanup.

Writing this got me thinking of the places that we have lost and its crazy that more wasnt heard about the other areas when they closed, only tellico...if they keep saying that "if tellico goes, its the doorway to others" why not concentrate on the others as well...

Rich Mountain
Amicalola Falls
Cullowhee
Tellico...

all gone as we used to know them.

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by ROCKRAWL

HELL, Ive never seen the big dogs of southern on here and this website is a pretty big deal in the offroading world, I couldnt imagine being into offroading of any type and not contributing here. especially if your the pres or VP of an organization like SFWDA. I would at least get on here and defend the organization I was involved with.

I would not. I feel I have to address this b/c Pirate has the reputation as being full of ass hats and jerks. As you can see I have very few posts. There is a reason for that. If the people on here were a little more friendly you might see other clubs that are getting bashed here come defend them. Until the Tellico closure came up I think I had maybe 4 or 5 posts on here I would search if I needed anything. Come to think of it I don't think I ever really used much form here at all. I'm sure I'll get flamed but I really don't care. You know I'm right.

[95steel]

Originally Posted by Ghost

I would not. I feel I have to address this b/c Pirate has the reputation as being full of ass hats and jerks. As you can see I have very few posts. There is a reason for that. If the people on here were a little more friendly you might see other clubs that are getting bashed here come defend them. Until the Tellico closure came up I think I had maybe 4 or 5 posts on here I would search if I needed anything. Come to think of it I don't think I ever really used much form here at all. I'm sure I'll get flamed but I really don't care. You know I'm right.

That explains a lot.

[ROCKRAWL]

There's certainly no problem using the Pirate 4x4 forum to get the word out about an event or fundraiser souhern is having such as adopt a trout,etc....

Pirate 4x4 if utilized could be an awesome tool for the SFWDA.

[McCracken]

Originally Posted by Ghost

I would not. I feel I have to address this b/c Pirate has the reputation as being full of ass hats and jerks. As you can see I have very few posts. There is a reason for that. If the people on here were a little more friendly you might see other clubs that are getting bashed here come defend them. Until the Tellico closure came up I think I had maybe 4 or 5 posts on here I would search if I needed anything. Come to think of it I don't think I ever really used much form here at all. I'm sure I'll get flamed but I really don't care. You know I'm right.

Yeah, that is an issue. Many many times I've seen where they say they don't want to deal with pirate because of the asshole factor. Problem is this is the largest, most productive group of wheelers on the internet, IMO. There are thousands upon thousands of users and from all walks of life. They're spread all over the southeast and the rest of the 50 states but they're all considered assholes by anyone outside the group and some inside the group. This is a difficult hurdle to overcome when you're pushing a family friendly environment within your organization.

To me I've gotten used to the back and forth between users and learned to grow my thick skin accordingly. However, being a noob doesn't help when you don't know how to take people. A bunch of old men looking to get on the that thar interweb and talk will be shocked. I can't say I don't blame them, in a way, but at the same time I think they should make an appearance. There are plenty of good people on here but you sometimes have to weed through the process to find them.

For example, JC is a great guy. He's very active in Southern and shows up on here from time to time to tell us what he can. I think if he had his druthers he wouldn't be here much at all but he sees the importance of spreading the information he can. This is one reason I wanted to get involved. I felt as if I had something to offer. I could help the association by bridging the gap so that we could find more members who might not know what SFWDA is about. Unfortunately, this cannot happen until we get rid of the current president and find someone more open-minded who's ready to try new things. Like I said before, even Gunnar Byrd the VP said this is the future. He knows he won't get on but he sees the importance.

edit: Gary's right. pirate is just about the best tool out there for an organization trying to help the 4-wheel drive community.

[big mudder]

Originally Posted by McCracken

This is a difficult hurdle to overcome when you're pushing a family friendly environment within your organization.

Thats because it's not a family friendly enviroment anymore.Now a days it's all about goin out and raisin hell and then tiein one on back at camp.We talked about this before on NC in the resturant/kids thread.When I 1st started it was alot better,people watched their mouths,and minded their manners.Now if you dont like it tough shit deal with it.

[florida4x4]

Originally Posted by big mudder

Thats because it's not a family friendly enviroment anymore.Now a days it's all about goin out and raisin hell and then tiein one on back at camp.We talked about this before on NC in the resturant/kids thread.When I 1st started it was alot better,people watched their mouths,and minded their manners.Now if you dont like it tough shit deal with it.

This is the real problem with offroading today. There used to be a day where park rangers laughed at the antics, people picked up their trash and showed some respect for others.

[jeepyj027]

I'm about to be thrown to the dogs for this one but to hell with it. From my experience the overall picture the public sees of "4 wheelers" is a bunch of drunk, outlaw, unruly, trash slinging, wildlife destroying idiots. They have NO experience of what wheeling is about so they form their opinion on what they see. We have been losing dirt to play on for years and it's getting more frequent that another area dies. The only solution will never happen because people are so damn stupid. The wheeling community as a whole will never be able to band together and fight the politics and the eco-pussies. It pretty much seems to me like we attempt to fight for land and we fail every time. We should be gaining places to ride not losing them. I really do want to know what will happen when all of our wheeling land is gone.

[BigGreenMonster]

Originally Posted by jeepyj027

I'm about to be thrown to the dogs for this one but to hell with it. From my experience the overall picture the public sees of "4 wheelers" is a bunch of drunk, outlaw, unruly, trash slinging, wildlife destroying idiots. They have NO experience of what wheeling is about so they form their opinion on what they see. We have been losing dirt to play on for years and it's getting more frequent that another area dies. The only solution will never happen because people are so damn stupid. The wheeling community as a whole will never be able to band together and fight the politics and the eco-pussies. It pretty much seems to me like we attempt to fight for land and we fail every time. We should be gaining places to ride not losing them. I really do want to know what will happen when all of our wheeling land is gone.

100% agree... i have said it many times.

[nuthinfancy]

You'd be better off starting a corporation to buy/long term lease private property. Start a private park.

[jeepyj027]

Originally Posted by nuthinfancy

You'd be better off starting a corporation to buy/long term lease private property. Start a private park.

If this sport/hobby has any future, that's where it will be. Public wheeling land is a dying thing, like it or not.

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by jeepyj027

If this sport/hobby has any future, that's where it will be. Public wheeling land is a dying thing, like it or not.

Unfortunately the argument they used to close Tellico could be used against any and all land in the US where there are streams nearby.

[Eventhough]

Originally Posted by Ghost

Unfortunately the argument they used to close Tellico could be used against any and all land in the US where there are streams nearby.

All need to read this, then read this again...and then you guessed it, read this again. Don't think for a second that other public, and then private land won't be in the cross hairs for closure.

[bcmorrow]

Originally Posted by jeepyj027

I'm about to be thrown to the dogs for this one but to hell with it. From my experience the overall picture the public sees of "4 wheelers" is a bunch of drunk, outlaw, unruly, trash slinging, wildlife destroying idiots. They have NO experience of what wheeling is about so they form their opinion on what they see. We have been losing dirt to play on for years and it's getting more frequent that another area dies. The only solution will never happen because people are so damn stupid. The wheeling community as a whole will never be able to band together and fight the politics and the eco-pussies. It pretty much seems to me like we attempt to fight for land and we fail every time. We should be gaining places to ride not losing them. I really do want to know what will happen when all of our wheeling land is gone.

Correct, this is because all anybody hears about riding is "man i was giving it hell up this huge hill climb, i was drunk off my rocker by the way, and i broke this that and the other. but you know what, its all good because after i went and drunk a 16 pack and left all the cans on the trail". More and more every year it seems that this "wheeling hobby that drinks" becomes a "drinking hobby that wheels". i mean sad to say it but its not just once in a while this happens, its very frequent. Even in private parks. People leaving trash, not cleaning up, and tearing up land is what will lead to private park closings, not so much the streams and stuff.

[rabunjeeper]

Originally Posted by Eventhough

All need to read this, then read this again...and then you guessed it, read this again. Don't think for a second that other public, and then private land won't be in the cross hairs for closure.

Totally agree! Closing Tellico was so to speak "testing the waters", no pun intended. If they can successfully close down the best wheelin land in the southeast, then LOOK OUT! All other government wheelin lands are next on the agenda. I tell people all the time that this is dying sport. Some of my best memories growing up was going out wheeling with my family, and we rode some of the best trails around. But, year by year, I have seen these trails get slowly get closed one right after the other. I am very diappointed cause now I know that my kids won't get to enjoy the same things as I did.