You have a great magazine. Keep promoting four-wheeling.Raymond T. Holland, via e-mail
Raymond, thanks for your thoughtful letter. For many years, as a member of the Red Rock 4-Wheelers, I led the Behind the Rocks Trail during Easter Jeep Safari. I now go to Moab during Easter week because it's a good place to get together with friends I only see once a year, and it's a place I've been heading to for decades (we used to have a house in Moab). Some people go to Moab then, as it's the only time they can go. That the RR4W holds its event at that time is fine. I don't agree that people aren't acting responsibly if they visit Moab during Easter week and aren't EJS participants. Moab is surrounded by public land that can and should be enjoyed by all. That includes hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, motorcyclists, ATV enthusiasts, off-roaders, etc. Easter week is crowded. Those who are there need to work together and get along, whether they like the other groups or not. Those who don't like the crowds should take our advice and go somewhere else. Thanks for the suggestions, by the way.
Now, Raymond, this doesn't have much to do with your letter, but it's a point I'd like to make: We need to act responsibly off-road. Acting responsibly and doing the right thing does not mean lying down and caving in to those who try to enforce laws that don't exist. It seems that the only time off-roaders are "working with" others is when we let them take away more roads and trails in the backcountry. Any person or group that tries to keep anyone else off public land for any reason needs to be fought, not appeased. In the fight for land access, the only people compromising, meeting others halfway, or appeasing are us. Those who would keep us off public land aren't compromising, and they're winning. If they knew they'd get bloody noses every time a closure was proposed, maybe they'd think twice before acting. The enemy is no longer just green groups or enviro-Nazis: Some in our own community want to control everything we do and limit access to a few elite people (them) or types of vehicles. Thanks again.- Phil
Phil, I just now read Off-Road Notes in the August '07 issue and I commend you. Say it like it is, name names, and be right. Great job calling out the Red Rock 4-Wheelers to control its ranks and keep Moab open for all to enjoy without being harassed.
Also, local law enforcement there and elsewhere needs to get back to a "protect and serve" policy of days past rather than merely creating income. Four-wheeling has changed little over the years - it's the attitudes toward four-wheeling that have become the problem.Jeff Mello, via e-mail
Jeff, those in Moab who support off-road enthusiast visitation need to make themselves heard to overpower those who want to close the place down. Runaway enforcement of laws that don't exist and the in-your-face attitude of many law enforcement officers and rangers in Moab during Easter week need to go away. I've found that most of the attitude and problems came from officers and rangers imported to help that week. Most of the local Moab law enforcement didn't seem to like what was going on either.Good to hear from you and thanks for writing.- Phil