Brad, you understand and know SO little that it makes you dangerous. You weren't at the meeting so don't spout off about what we did or did NOT stand up for. The four of us that showed up gave our best input into the discussion. I didn't speak for YOU, I spoke for the PNW4WDA and the 4x4 community as a whole. You don't like what the results fine, get involved, learn the ropes and have your best shot.
I almost want to just be a fly on the wall at this next meeting and watch people like you accomplish absolutely nothing, because that's what will happen. There's a lot more too this that you understand.
Rich, you have a point about an organized front and that is what the PNW4WDA has been doing for years. That doesn't mean that they stood for everything that everyone wants, because frankly, that is impossible. They have worked with the government agencies for a long time and at high levels to maintain, improve, grow or save trail systems for the good of the ENTIRE 4wd community, not a specific group or segment of the community. As a result some people are going to win and some people are going to lose, it's simply inevitable.
Brad, you MUST understand once and for all, I don't know how many times I can say this or how many different ways that I can say this. Doing nothing about the busywild is NOT an option. Period, end of story. Leaving it as is is NOT going to happen. DO you understand that yet. Something is GOING to be done, the question is what needs to be done to meets the DNRs needs. Have you got that yet?
I've said this a dozen times and still some people can't get it through their heads. There are going to be changes to the busy wild. This is the opportunity to provide your input, along with the other people what are going to provide your input and then DNR will then make a decision. They are open to alternatives and new ideas but NOT DOING ANYTHING IS NOT AN OPTION. You think they just spent $23,000 to fly in rock along the busy wild and nothing's going to happen with that? Get it through you head that NO is NOT an option.
I would not be surprised to see an equally sizeable contingent of people at the meeting in support of the restrictions or perhaps even shooting for tighter restrictions. Those people use the trails too.
I've asked in other threads for suggestions and ideas to be put on the table and inevitably we get the same garbage about "do nothing." So Rich, if you can get some people together to present a common plan, more power to you. Here's a couple of problems in your ideas that you will want to consider.
1) the use of poles and such are fine. Preventing people from simply finding a way around is the problem.
2) Many people on this forum have very openly said that they'd break the rules anyway. Our club ran into a guy last week going to wrong way on the busy. They asked him about and he said, "Yea, I know and I don't care." That mentality is killing the efforts of all the people who DO care.
3) We've tried lining the trails with trees and stumps, jerks simply hook up a winch and pull them out of the way. We aren't allowed to use blown down trees that are over 20" in diameter either.
4) There is a plan in place to mark the trails better and a trail rating system with difficulty ratings and vehicle RECOMMENDATIONS that should be up by the spring.
5) IIRC, we cannot charge a user fee on DNR land for this activity or even for camping. As such, we cannot issue special permits or licenses to use the trails. I like a permit idea. Required a simple responsibile wheeling class, like they do know for boating before you can use the trails. I'm just not sure that it's enforceable under current DNR rules. That's a possible change but it's probably 2-5 years in the making.
