ed's clear creek blog
Created for your reading enjoyment by Ed Tobin
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ed's clear creek blog Created for your reading enjoyment by Ed Tobin
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For up to date info on the Clear Creek closure - South Bay Riders Clear Creek BLM Forum
Join Friends of the Clear Creek Management Area
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October 5, 2008
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Sam Farr Town Hall Meeting: On Wednesday evening at 6:30 at the Civic Center in Watsonville, Sam Farr will host a Town Hall Meeting. I have contact the local motorsports dealers and suggested that they attend and tell Sam how the closure of the Creek is effecting their business. I also suggest that anyone interested in Clear Creek also attend and ask Sam to intercede with the BLM to get the emergency closure rescinded.
There will also be another Town Hall Meeting in Salinas on October 22. Information about the meetings may be found on Sam Farr's web site.
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September 26, 2008
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Summer and summer vacation is over, I guess, if you can call it vacation. I have gone through one of my periods of inactivity, writing wise, being uninspired to put fingers to keyboard. As are many of my readers, I am depressed by the emergency closure and would like to exact some sort of punishment upon those who foisted this situation upon us. We now play the waiting game with regards to Clear Creek, trusting that our dollars and fundraising efforts will bear fruit. Kudos to John at Moore and Sons in Santa Cruz for the raffle/sale of a new KTM mini-bike on e-Bay that raised almost $4,000 for the legal defense fund. Kudos to the clubs and individuals who have contributed since May 1st. I think what really pisses me off is that we the public have to spend our valuable time and money to fight this stupid action. We were not hurting anyone, including ourselves. We were just out enjoying the pursuit of happiness and relieving the stress of life when these BLM assholes have to screw it all up.
Losses: The past few months I have experienced the loss of Clear Creek and the loss of mobility due to sciatica that makes it difficult to stand or walk for any period of time. I was fortunate to get in a good ride in the Sierras in early August on a Club trail ride but soon after that the sciatica kicked in and life has not been much fun. But the greatest loss was that of a dear friend - Bear Hornady. If you read back through the archives you will see that Bear and I shared a bunch of adventures in Clear Creek, Nevada and on other rides around the west. Bear was a unique blend of intellect and energy, a scientist who rode dirt bikes.
He joined the Club in the mid-1990s after retiring from Lawrence Livermore Labs and moving to Pacific Grove with his Wife Roo (Barbara). Being an outsider is hard in a club like the Salinas Ramblers that has drawn from successive generations of Salinas residents. I know because it took me, this Fort Ord Army guy from New Jersey, a while to blend in too. I remember the first time we went to Clear Creek. We met in Spreckles and transferred his bike into my truck for the trip. It was a typical California day (when it isn't raining or foggy) with a brilliant blue sky. As we sped down Hwy 101 past Chular I so noted and Bear asked if I knew why the sky was blue. I don't remember my answer but it was so significantly poor that Bear spent the rest of the drive to our turn off in King city explaining why it was. I learned that I could make the trips seem to go more quickly by asking Bear questions that he would gladly answer.
Bear was an accomplished rider and he would follow me just about anywhere in Clear Creek. It wasn't unusual to have to stop on the way home, usually around the Hwy 25 junction for him to get out and stretch his legs because of the leg cramps he got for enduring the trails I like to ride. When I asked him to help with my LAO activities and attend BLM TRT meeting, he gladly agreed and joined me in attending these meetings. When the BLM would try to make a point using science, Bear would question and often refute it or, not knowing the answer, research it. I remember once discussing the widespread abundance of Serpentine in CA and wondering why and where. By the next time I saw Bear, he had visited the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and the library and read up on serpentine and the geology of California and was ready for the BLM to say something stupid (which is inevitable). He endured the TRT process longer than most normal humans would. He finally stopped attending when he tired of "dealing with these idiots" and " having a battle of wits with unarmed people".
After a day of working in the rain and mud preparing for the Quicksilver he noted how long it took boots to dry in front of an electric heater. The next weekend he showed up at the property with a homemade boot dryer that he built from scratch. For fun, he built his own computer and wrote an operating system for it. I am not talking about going to a computer store and buying off the shelf motherboards, chips and disk. His computer was built with a series of electronic switches much as I imagine they were back in the 1930's and 1940's. One time I was having an electrical problem with one of my old Can-Ams and he came over to the house to help sort out the problem which turned out to be multiple problems. Along the way he explained the theory of electricity and drew out the theory on a shopping bag that was lying around the garage. Sure wish I could find it now!
Bear died of pancreatic cancer earlier this month, a few months after being diagnosed with the disease. I am going to miss him. The Club is also going to miss his for the wit, sarcasm, five syllable words and electrical engineering expertise he contributed. Happy Trails on the other side!
RAC OHV Subcommittee: The Central California Resource Advisory Council (RAC) has approved a subcommittee to look at the possibility of opening additional BLM lands in Central California for OHV recreation. The subcommittee is headed up by Steve Koretoff of the Fresno area, our OHV representative on the RAC. There was an organizational meeting in July and a follow-on meeting on Saturday, September 13th in Coalinga. Word about the public meeting got out to the gem and mineral society group in the Coalinga, local hunters and landowners and they showed up in force, filling the room. Attending the meeting to discuss the OHV topic were representatives of CORVA, FOCCMA, Don Amador of the BRC and the state OHMVR director, Daphne Green. The locals were upset because the BLM had refused multiple requests for a public meeting in the Central Valley following the closure and so a bulk of the meeting was spent listening to their views and concerns.
During the meeting, George Hill reiterated the company line - that the BLM closed Clear creek to protect the public's health. After he was done I told the audience that the BLM did not close Clear Creek because of their concern over public health but rather because it is a huge management problem and what better way to make a bureaucrats problems go away than to close the area. That way they can focus on managing the land without people on it. Don Amador reinforced my statements and told the crowd that all land management decisions were political decisions and that we would have t work to change this decision.
I am hopeful that this initiative that Steve Koretoff has started will bear fruit one day. The success of the sub-committee is, unfortunately, entirely dependent upon the BLM working with the public and the advisory group to suggest areas in Central California where OHV use could be encouraged. I was glad to see Daphne at the meeting as her presence adds weight to the sub-committee along with a possible funding source for any areas that might be developed. I will post more about this effort as it develops. It is a long term effort. I want to assure the readers that this effort is not intended to find a replacement for Clear Creek but rather to find new areas to accommodate our growing sport.
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July 28, 2008
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Rick Closure: The more I learn and think about the events that led up to the closure of Clear Creek, the more I have come to believe that Rick Cooper didn't make the decision to close Clear Creek even though he has publicly stated that at the meetings. I have been told that he argued against the closure in the weeks leading up to May 1st but was over-ruled by the BLM State Director, Mike Pool. It appears that Rick was just being the good subordinate and taking the heat for the closure to cover his boss' ass. I sure would not have done it. So it appears that our anger should not be directed at Rick but rather at Mike Pool, not that it really makes a difference in the big scheme of things.
What's Going On: I see people on SBR demanding to know what's going on. Will there be a legal challenge? What is the legal defense fund doing to end the closure? I want to assure my readers that there are efforts on-going to address this closure. Meetings have been held and a report written but I have been asked by the legal tem not to discuss the details. I ask that you keep the faith as I am doing.
Reality Check: Some times you just need a good slap to set you straight. I got one the other day over at Hollister Hills. A verbal one. I went over there to do some exercising on the bike. I hadn't ridden for three months and needed to see if my knee would work well enough to go on a Club trail ride in the Sierras next month. Riding at Hollister Hills is not something I do for pleasure. It is kind of like going to the gym, something I hate to do. If you've read the blog at all you know my opinion of Hollister Hills. Anyhow, I decided to go out and inspect the new trails they recently opened on the Renz property. I was hopeful that they would be fun but had been warned by Jeff Gaffney that they had deteriorated already from overuse.
The first one I tried was Garcia Gulch and I did not have a good time at all. The adobe in the trail was broken up, especially in the off-camber turns. Complicating the situation was the fact that I was out riding my 300EXC for the just the second time in 3.5 years and I was really missing the engine braking of my Suzuki 4-stroke. I made it through that trail and a couple more and then stopped to take a break. In the distance, I hear a bike coming and soon a rider appeared on another trail that dumped out at the Windmill. H rode over to me and greeted me with a Hello followed by "Aren't these new trails great". I offered a differing opinion which caught the rider by surprise, something along the lines of "if this is the future of motorcycling here on the Central Coast then I am going to sell my bikes and find a new sport". He countered by saying "hey, its a beautiful day, you're out on your bike, the place is not crowded, what's the problem? you should be enjoying yourself, you need to have a positive attitude. SLAP! My response was "these trails positively suck!" Before we could get deeper into our conversation, his riding partner came down the trail and they took off.
I sat there thinking about what he said and realized that he was right. It was a beautiful day, perfect temperature, no one on the trails and here I was bitching about it. I decided then and there to go out and enjoy myself even if it was Hollister Hills. So what it the trails were breaking up. I would just pretend that the broken adobe were really rocks and ride through them like I would the rocks at Clear Creek. I took off and attacked the trails with my new attitude and you know what, I had a good time. I even rode some of the new trails a second time. It also helped that I was getting more comfortable with the 300 after the long layoff. So I want to thank Brett (or whatever your name is) for giving me that verbal slap that I really needed that morning in order to enjoy my time riding.
Computer Repair: Took a vacation back to New Jersey for a wedding since the last post. While I was back there I played computer technician. My laptop had been running very hot recently and it seemed to be getting worse so I did some research on the internet and found instructions for the cleaning of the fan and heat sink. I followed the instructions and everything went fine until the CPU chip wouldn't release from the heat sink. A little gentle prying separated them and I was able to apply a new coating of silver thermal compound. Now the laptop is running cool, like it did when I first got it. Just be aware that a computer technician can clean a laptop that is overheating. Overheating is bad for a computer and can lead to premature failure and costly repairs. If yours is running hot, it isn't a big deal to have someone clean it, as I have learned.
I don't recommend that everyone try doing what I did. I just like to tinker with things. Been doing it all my life and usually I don't screw thing up too badly. One time I needed to replace the spark plug wires on my Buick Roadmaster so I pulled them off and took them to the auto parts store to make sure I got the right lengths. Unfortunately I didn't record where each plugged into the distributor and to which spark plug each went. Had to go to the local Buick dealer to get a diagram so I could install the new cables. Another time, while I was a poor college student, I tried to take apart my Triumph 250 because it was not shifting into third gear. This was probably the most stupid thing I have done (except riding through a dust devil out in the desert, but that's another story). When I finally decided that I didn't have a clue, I took the bike and the pieces I had removed to the dealer and they told me that they had never seen one of the electrical component taken apart as I had done. The end result was a life lesson and the purchase of some expensive Lucas electrical parts. So much for trying to save a buck by doing my own work. Now I take my engines to mechanics who know what they are doing.
Bikes For Sale: My neighbors are selling their mini-bikes. Available is a 2003 XR50 for $875, a 2003 XR70 for $950 and a 2001 XR100 for $1,150. The bikes were bought new and really didn't get a lot of use. The kids have out grown them and don't ride any more. You can inquire about the bikes by calling Leroy or Debbie at 831-384-5109 or e-mailing them at leroydebbie1@sbcglobal.net.
Property around Yosemite: If you are looking to escape the coast or the Bay Area where there is little riding, you might want to contact Brenda Crouse at Greeley Hill Homes. She was associated with the Salinas motorcycle scene many years ago and now is a realtor in the Sierra foothills around Yosemite. In her e-mail, she mentioned a 40 acre parcel that borders the Stanislaus National Forest on three sides and has a cedar home and a short track already built. You can call her at 209-878-8200 or e-mail her at brenda@greeleyhillhomes.net.
Afterword: I hope you didn't believe that dribble up above about actually enjoying myself at Hollister Hills. If you did and you need a good salesperson for your marketing team, please give a call.
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June 22, 2008
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Thank You Sky Painter Murphy: ...for exposing to the public the BLM's real reason for closing Clear Creek. Check out this video from the Hollister scoping meeting. In it, starting at the 3:30 minute point, Sky Painter Murphy is asked a question about the reason for the closure and he states that the BLM assumes that a federal judge would order the closure if a lawsuit were initiated. He would not state who would file the lawsuit but it was pretty clear he was referring to the Center for Biological Diversity. Because of this perceived threat, the BLM felt compelled to issue the emergency closure so they could say they were effectively managing the area.
Later at around the 7:00 minute point Sky states that the IBLA judges have already agreed with the BLM that the closure is reasonable. The IBLA is the group of judges in Washington who consider land appeals. Essentially what he has said is 'go ahead and file an appeal but it will be denied.' So much for our due process under the National Environmental Policy Act.
In video # 7 at the 8:00 minute mark I ask Sky why the BLM allowed the Racers Under The Son event that included many families to use Clear Creek when Rick Closure had already signed the Federal Register Notice for the closure. His lame answer is that "we consider the needs of the community and groups like Racers under the Son because they had put a lot of energy and time into that event and we weren't about to pull the plug at the last minute on them." My follow-on comment was "so you will let them go out there and get sick and die". Murphy responded "These are conflicts we have to deal with and Ed, I certainly understand and that is why this process (the scoping meeting) is an attempt to deal with it ..blah blah blah."
As I said before, this closure has nothing to do with human health and everything to do with the elimination of a management problem at the expense of the public. Thanks to Papi for posting the meetings on YouTube.
BLM Misleads the Senate: Here is the text of an e-mail I have sent to Henri Bisson, Deputy Director of the BLM. "Henri, I have read your comments made to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 5th. I wish that you or someone in the BLM would tell the truth about the closure. In your comments you first state that the BLM attempts to "work with affected or interested parties to reach agreement on options to address a particular challenge before issuing notices of motorized travel restrictions or temporary closures." You then cite the example of Clear Creek, leading our elected representatives to believe that the BLM actually attempted to find a workable solution before taking action to close this area. Shame on you. The BLM made no such attempt to work with the public before this closure was put into place and the closure had nothing to do with protecting human safety. It was entirely done to eliminate a management problem and avoid a lawsuit.
You also cite the area closed as being 31,000 acres when the real effect to the American public is the closure of approximately 100,000 acres, 70 % of which is outside the asbestos ore body. Today there is only one public access point to this ~70,000 acres via a rugged hiking trail. In effect this management area and an adjoining area are CLOSED.
I wish our government officials would be honest with the public and our elected officials.
You can read Henri's complete testimony here.
CBD Report on OHV: One of our former OHV commissioners, appointed by Democrats, now works for the Center for Biological Diversity and recently released a hit piece calling for OHV recreation in California to be severely cut back or curtailed all together. Titled 'Fuel to Burn' the report call for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels. Throughout the document are pictures of OHV activity and just about every one of them is filled with dust. You would think from looking at the pictures that all of us rode in clouds of dust. Anyway, this is the kind of garbage that the OHV haters at the Center for Biological Diversity are passing around Sacramento, probably seeking some Democrat in the Senate or the Assembly to introduce legislation to ban OHV use in California be it is a 'discretionary' activity that could be eliminated to help reduce global warming.
Picture of dust: Speaking of dust, it was pointed out to me that in the now famous picture of two EPA tested riding quads in a cloud of dust you can see the tread marks from a BLM bulldozer. This naturally leads to the question: Did the BLM purposely bulldoze the routes that the EPA testers used so as to create more dust? Or, was it that the EPA picked routes that had recently been bulldozed so they could get as much dust as possible?
Primrose count: I understand that the count of primrose is very high and the BLM is finding it everywhere they look. Isn't it amazing that once they got rid of the botanist bitch that suddenly there are plenty of primrose. So many in fact that they might be able to delist it some day. Of course a federal employee would never misrepresent information in order to shut down OHV recreation, would they?
Joe Racer Dual Sport/BRC Fund Raiser: Joe is hosting a dual sport ride up in the sierras on July 12/13. If you are looking for something to do, give this event a try and help the legal defense fund while you are at it. I rode one of his rides a few years ago and it was great until it snowed so hard we could not find the trail... in August!
See the Light: Here is an interesting rant by Republican Congressman Ted Poe of Texas about the recent energy bill that our elected representatives have foist on the American public. It does nothing to solve our energy problems but it does mandated that all Americans use CFL light bulbs by 2014 which are only made in China. This is very scary stuff!
Clear Difference in November: Come November, Americans are going to have a clear choice between an ultra liberal and a moderate. A choice between building nuclear power plants or continuing to suffer from an growing energy deficit and higher energy bills. A choice between burning coal and burning corn (which will drive up food prices). Even my left leaning brother-in-law mentioned to me the other day that Obama was all wrong on our energy policy.
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May 25, 2008
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Its been a busy couple of weeks for me with the three BLM meeting, the County of San Benito roads meeting, a couple of dirt track races and a week being sick. All this activity however has not taken away the hurt I feel for the closure of Clear Creek.
I was encouraged by the big turnout that we got for the BLM/EPA meeting in San Jose with such short notice. They scheduled the meeting with only one week notice on purpose in order to stifle public comment and participation. There are still a lot of people in the community who do not know about the closure. I understand that over 650 people turned out for the first San Jose meeting but many more were turned away because there was no room in the hall.
I would like to thank Papi for his hard work at organizing the troops, Andy at SBR for providing a forum to spread the word, Mike at FOCCMA for his efforts to build a friends group and e-mail an alert to members (please sign up if you haven't already) and Steve Koretoff for his daily efforts to get a handle on the situation.
Regrettable: I believe that this is the word that Rick Closure used to describe the closure. I have some other words that might be more fitting. How about reprehensible, inexcusable and criminal. What the BLM has done is reprehensible, inexcusable, and IMO, criminal. They have stolen something from the American public that is extremely precious. What they have done is unforgivable!
What really happened: First off, the EPA did not close Clear Creek. As they say in police talk, they were an accessory to the crime. The blame for the closure rests squarely at the feet of the BLM. They did not have to take this emergency closure action. IMO and based on the comments made by Sky Painter Murphy at the Hollister scoping meeting, I believe that this was a premeditated action that was decided on at the BLM state office by State Director Mike Pool. Rick Closure is just the poor schmuck who got to deliver the news and take the rap.
I guess I should have seen the signs, but I missed them. They included getting rid of William, not hiring a new project manager to replace Brian White, their general unwillingness to meet with the OHV community, the delay in rolling out the fee program, no newsletter since December 2007 and Mike Pool's comments at the town hall meeting in San Diego. All of these things have alternate explanations but when you take them as a whole it appears that this closure was a premeditated action that they had been planning for a couple years and were just waiting for the EPA to finally give them the excuse they needed.
Don't believe for a minute that this closure has anything to do with protecting our health.. Every time I hear that I get sick to my stomach. This closure is all about a bunch of bureaucrats who are trying to cover their asses, avoid a lawsuit, and get rid of a management headache. With the stroke of a pen, Rick Closure has given himself two years hall pass to sit back a prepare a management plan that probably will not include OHV recreation. He will not have Brian LeNeve nipping at this heels about trespass on closed routes and the EPA is off his back too. What a perfect solution! A bureaucrat's dream come true!
Class action law suit: Anyone who went into the Clear Creek Death Zone in the month of April after the BLM decided that the area was too hazardous for us to recreate in should consider starting in a class action law suit against the BLM for knowingly endangering their health. This would include those who participated in the RUTS event that the BLM authorized after they had filed the paperwork to the federal register to close the area. I have no doubt that hundreds of people including many children were exposed to this deadly cancer causing asbestos and will die a premature and ugly death because the BLM did not stop them from entering the death zone. The BLM did not have to authorize this event and they could have closed the area immediately for health safety reasons. But they didn't. If you recreated in Clear Creek in the month of April, send me an e-mail.
County Roads: The county roads in Clear Creek have been temporarily closed by the county supervisors. It wasn't a unanimous decision. Two supervisors, Marcus and Botelho, voted not to close the roads. Unfortunately, three supervisors did vote for the closure led by south county supervisor, Reb Monaco, who appears to have drunk the EPA Kool-Aid. I guess I don't understand why they closed the roads this time when they left them open during the seasonal closures. They claim it is to protect your health but, like the BLM, they are just looking to dodge a lawsuit, IMO.
If you live in San Benito County, you should get in touch with your supervisor and tell them what a bad idea it is to deny access to our public lands. If they don't agree, vote them out.
Doc Wong Riding Clinic: Harry is running another riding clinic for larger dual sport bikes next week. The classroom session is Friday night May 30th at 7:15 PM and the riding clinic is Sunday June 1st 9AM to 3 PM at Hollister Hills. Harry donates the proceeds to the Clear Creek Legal Defense Fund. If you ride a large dual sport bike and want to sharpen your skills, give the clinic a try and support the legal defense fund!
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May 11, 2008
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Thank You: My sincerest thanks to all of those who turned out for the BLM/EPA dog and pony show on Thursday night, especially all the long time riders. Didn't see any of them dragging oxygen bottles around with them. Maybe the asbestos isn't as bad as the EPA makes it out to be.
It is really unfortunate that our government is putting us through this.. AGAIN! I am sure that many of the people in the room experienced the first EPA meeting back in 1993 or 1994. When I helped Bob Wick organize the first meeting we had much more time and in fact Bob helped secure the auditorium on the Westinghouse campus in Sunnyvale. I believe that we had around 500 people show up for that meeting and it was much more raucous then Thursday night's meeting. In fact, the government made a training video on how not to conduct a public meeting after that meeting I am told.
In order to stifle public comment it appears that the BLM and EPA purposely gave the recreation community just a week to get the word out. Thanks especially go to Andy of South Bay Riders for providing the forum that made many people aware of the meetings and Mike at the Friends of the CCMA for his alert to members (if you aren't a member, you should be).
Those who attended know that you had to get a ticket in order to participate in the 6PM meeting. I understand that the facilitators retained by the BLM/EPA gave away all 650 tickets and then started to turn people away. This is a shame because it really denied a lot of people the opportunity to see the faces of the bureaucrats that just screwed them. It is also a shame that they were not prepared to broadcast the proceedings on monitors outside the hall.
"What -- Me Worry?" I am far from being like the iconic idiot of MAD magazine fame, Alfred E. Newman. Actually I do worry about the outcome of this process that the BLM has foisted upon us but, as one person observed, it will be like one of the national enduros that you laid out - tough, long, ugly, tiring and frustrating but in the end rewarding. Recently I watched a series of shows on the Military Channel about the Revolutionary War. Most people don't realize that we got our ass kicked in most of the major battles that were fought and it wasn't until the French intervened that we won our independence from England. I don't know who will come to our rescue but if we don't continue to fight we will lose.
Someone on SBR commented that I looked depressed at the meeting. Not hardly! I was tired after a three day whirlwind trip to Dallas for a trade show and that's probably what showed along with the disgust at what has been done to the recreation community. If you see the video you will notice that I turned my back to the stage when I spoke so I wouldn't have to look at them. Actually, I didn't want to compete with Papi who was doing such a good job of asking questions. Way to go, Steve!
The question I didn't ask: Rick, if you felt the asbestos was so bad and having been alerted to this fact in February, why did you not stop the Little Piglet FAMILY enduro, the Wild Boar, the Molina Ghost Run and the RUTS trail ride? Why did you allow all of these people, including children to be exposed to this deadly asbestos?
Fund Raising: I would also like to thank all those who brought donation checks to the meeting. In addition to my donation, I handed over to Don Amador checks totaling over $2,400. In addition, my friend Eric circulated through the crowd and collected an additional $250 in cash donations. Unfortunately this is just a drop in the bucket and we will need a tremendous amount of funds to counter this BLM action.
On TV: I was interviewed by Lloyd Lacuesta of KTVU before the EPA meeting and the news report has been posted on YouTube. If Lloyd accurately reported the BLM comments, then they lied again by telling him that usage continues to grow. They reduced the annual visitor use days count from 50,000 a couple years ago to 35,000 most recently. With the spike in gasoline prices, I suspect that the number is even lower.
Next Steps: So where do we go from here? First, keep the faith. Second, participate in the next two BLM meetings and submit comments before the June 21st deadline. We will be posting suggested comments on SBR. Third, make a donation to the Clear Creek Legal Defense Fund. Our legal team is already at work evaluating our options and developing a plan of attack. We are going to take our time because this is such an important issue to the recreation community both locally and nationwide. We don't want to come out with guns blazing and shoot ourselves in the foot.
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May 3, 2008
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The blog had been kind of "dry" for a while but the closure of Clear Creek has given me something to write about. I wish that was not the case but it is what it is. What really pisses me off is that I now have to invest my time and money in fighting an agency that wants to protect me from a threat that doesn't exist. I believe that this action can be reversed and that there is a future for OHV recreation in Clear Creek, however we will not know unless we challenge them. Stay tuned for more on that.
Who made you God: I have learned that the judge, jury and executioner of the Clear Creek closure was Rick Cooper. At least that is what he claims in an e-mail sent to our RAC representative Steve Koretoff. In it he writes: "I made the decision to immediately close Clear Creek" and later "My decision is based my confidence in EPA, OSHA and World Health Organizations classification for asbestos. I believe the BLM should not authorize a use on public lands when the agency knows that the authorization will result in the public being exposed to high concentration of asbestos unnecessarily."
So my question is 'Who made you God to decide the fate of Clear Creek?' This claimed unilateral closure decision flies in the face of the National Environmental Policy Act and the land use planning process that we were promised. It has the potential to destroy lives, destroy businesses, and devalue property. This extreme and unwarranted action will certainly be challenged in court.
Rick Cooper has severely prejudiced himself by his words and his action and I have no confidence that the recreation community can trust him to lead the EIS process in a fair and impartial manner. He should either disqualify himself from the Clear Creek planning process or the State Director should appoint a new person to lead this planning effort and the plan alternatives should include a range from completely open (24/7/365) to completely closed.
The closure area: It would be nice if Rick would have been honest with the public. He claims in the closure notice that the area affected is approximately 31,000 acres. The truth is that almost the entire 75,000 acre management is closed - with the exception of one hiking trail located at the Condon Peak access at the San Benito Fresno county line. The rest of the BLM area that isn't formally closed can only be accessed by routes that are closed. In other words, to access the areas that are open, you have to cross an area that is closed and risk getting a ticket. Classic Catch 22. So much for the 2008 deer hunting season.
County Roads: At the present time the county roads are open and are shown on the closure map as black lines. The BLM has stated that they plan to ask the board of supervisors of San Benito County to close the roads. If you live in San Benito County, you should contact your supervisor and tell them that it would be wrong for the county to close public access to this important recreation area.
Meeting attendance: I certainly hope the 200 plus people who commented on the closure thread on SBR and the 10,000+ who have viewed the thread show up for the EPA meeting next Thursday at the Santa Clara Convention Center for the EPA presentation of their findings. There are only 600 seats in the auditorium so get there early and bring a friend or two. Save the environment and stop global warming by car pooling!
Donations: I will be collecting checks at the EPA meeting. Please make them out to the BlueRibbon Coalition and note at the bottom CCLDF. To reverse this onerous action it is going to take money for the lawyers and scientists we will have to retain to challenge the closure. Here are some other ideas:
Season Pass Fee: When the BLM returns a portion of your season pass, write a check and send it to the Clear Creek Legal defense Fund that is managed by the BlueRibbon Coalition. Heck you already spent the money on Clear Creek so put it towards a good cause - the opportunity to buy a season pass in 2009!
Economic Stimulus Check: When my check come in I will be donating my $600 to the legal defense fund. While this might seem extreme to some, I believe that it is going to take an extreme effort to restore OHV use in Clear Creek
Elected Representatives: This being an election year it is extremely important that you contact your local legislator. You should start with your congress person but also meet with your California Senator and Assembly person to let them know the dire situation that Rick cooper has put us in. Thanks to Papi for putting together information on your elected representative. Check out his SBR post. While you are at it, talk to your local dealer and encourage them to join you at the meeting. Every motorcycle dealer and accessory shop in central California is going to be impacted by this action, so get them involved.
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April 30, 2008 - A Day of Infamy - BLM Closes Clear Creek
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The day that I hoped never would arrive is here. The BLM has closed Clear Creek and probably only an act of God will see us ever legally make another track in one of the top riding places in the entire United States. I have posted meeting notices and season pass notices on South Bay Riders so click on the link above to see them.
I feel like I have wasted a third of my life trying to keep Clear Creek open, time spent that I can never get back, thanks to bunch of gutless bureaucrats more concerned about their careers than doing what is right for the American public.
That's it for now. I am too upset to write any more. Fuck 'Em!
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April 29, 2008
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I had my life and problems put into perspective the other day when I called a customer in Arkansas. I innocently started our conversation by asking how she was doing and Angela proceeded to tell me about the car accident (flipped four times) that she walked away from, the 12 inches of rain that flooded her house and the tornado that leveled a house she was visiting. Considering all that she has been through, I guess I should feel lucky that my knee is only swollen.
I did go riding last Saturday. The knee actually felt pretty good after a month off so I took my recently repaired KTM300 down to the Creek to see how it ran with a new ignition. I had not ridden it in over two years because it hurt my hip so much to kick start it. It was still a bit of a pain because my right knee just does not bent enough to return the kicker to the top of its stroke. To compensate I would try to stop in places where I could bump start it or where there was a mound of dirt for my left foot to stand on. I really like the 300's power so I suspect that I will have to get one of the new electric start KTM 300s in the not to distant future (after new carpet and tile for the house and a new truck to replace the Pig Killer).
EPA Report: I understand that the EPA's final report on Clear Creek will be released this week or early next week. I don't expect it to be pretty. They have a burning desire to shut down Clear Creek. Their position has not changed since the early 1990s - one fiber will kill you, and by God they are going to protect the American public from that fiber.
On Thursday I spoke to a couple of scientists who have studied chrysotile asbestos for years. One is retired from the US Geologic Service and one of the first persons that I talked to about asbestos 17 years ago. His name is Malcolm Ross. I still remember his reply to my question "What kind of risk do I face by riding in Clear Creek"? His reply was that I stood a far better chance of dying after a head-on collision with another rider at the top of one of the barrens then I ever would from breathing in the dust at Clear Creek.
EIS Process: Once the EPA report is released, the clock will start ticking on the EIS process once again. It is time to finalize any comments or suggestions on how to improve the recreation experience at Clear Creek. More about the EIS and input forms can be found here.
Time to Contribute: The current EIS process and EPA report are the greatest threat that the OHV community has faced in the battle to keep Clear Creek open. The previous engagements have taken their toll on our legal defense fund and we are once again spending money on legal and scientific resources as we prepare to fight this next battle. I know times are tough but we really need to ask the Clear Creek faithful to get out the check book and make a donation to the legal defense fund. Contributions should be made out to and sent to the BlueRibbon Coalition. The mailing address is: 4555 Burley Drive, Pocatello, ID 83202. Make sure you write CCLDF or Clear Creek in the comment area of your check. Thanks!
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April 14, 2008
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Sucks to be me: I have been listening to Glenn Beck recently. Another ultra-conservative. Picked up his show while driving home from Clear Creek on 580 KMJ out of Fresno. He is kind of out there but entertaining. One of his favorite sayings is 'Sucks to be you' when referring to someone who screwed up or is in a bad way. I guess I have to say that about myself given the situation with my knee.
I have been taking it easy since the first weekend of March when I hit the trails hard (literally and figuratively) for two days. Immediately after the rides, my knees were both swollen and painful. I gave it a few weeks during which time I caught the cold that is making the rounds. Towards the end of March I had had enough and went to see the doctor who worked on my knee because the swelling would not go away. He had me get a physical that proved nothing except that my bad cholesterol had dropped. Next he took some x-rays and they revealed the cause. Apparently my leg bones have been growing more bone around the pieces put in my knee and on the back of the knee cap and the result is bone spurs that are causing the swelling. The solution, he said is to wait until the bones stop growing new bone and then operate to remove the growth. I asked if this could be done orthoscopically but the answer was NO. Now you can see why it sucks to be me.
EPA Report: There have been a lot of rumors floating around about the EPA closing down Clear Creek. I suspect that will be their recommendation when they finally release their risk assessment. I had heard that the report would be out in the middle of April and now I am hearing the beginning of May. Whatever! The bottom line is that we will need to fight this risk assessment and we will need legal defense fund to do it. Please ramp up your giving as lawyers and asbestos scientists don't come cheap.
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March 23, 2008
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RAC Meeting at Clear Creek: Last Saturday I attended a tour of Clear Creek with the Central California Resource Advisory Council. It was not an earth shaking event, just one of those things you have to do to keep the BLM honest and to counter any arguments that the environmentalists might make. The tour was an eye opener for the RAC members, most of whom had not been to Clear Creek before more less a OHV use area.
It started with the group meeting at Oak Flat at 10 AM. The OHV community was represented by Steve Koretoff of Fresno. Besides myself and spouses of some of the RAC members, the only other member of the public was Brian LeNeve who handed out a report of his monitoring of trespass on closed routes. The group then went to the entrance station where they were briefed on the user fees. The BLM did not have any specific numbers that they would share and my worry is that they are not keeping an accurate accounting of the fees. Time will tell. From there we traveled down Coalinga Road to the KCAC mine haul road. The lower end of this road up to the white gate is controlled by Lee Scazghini who has hunting cabins on his property and sells memberships in a hunting club that he started. The BLM had hoped to have him give a talk about landowner issues but he was a no show.
He has complained bitterly over the years about motorcycle trespass on his property. The question came up about what type of agreement the BLM had with Lee and they said that there was no agreement but that he allowed the rangers and other BLM personnel to use the road. My take on it is that the BLM and Lee were instrumental in getting the KCAC property closed to OHV use. The ability of the BLM to use his road is payback.
We stopped at the junction of Sawmill Creek road and the paved road for a briefing on the area. Just as we got out of the vehicles, one of several snow showers hit along with a cold wind blowing up the San Benito River valley. After the briefing, we traveled up the paved road and R15 and to the overlook at Santa Rita Peak. I made a point to tell many of the RAC members that we had just driven up a closed route and that both Santa Rita and San Benito Mountain were no longer accessible by 4 wheeled vehicle. I have checked the maps I have and I don't think the road from R11 to Santa Rita has ever been GPSed. Very strange!
After a brief lunch, we headed to the opposite end of Sawmill Creek road at R11 for another briefing. Those familiar with the area know that there is a pipe barrier fence with a gate and a gap for motorcycles and quads to pass through. Stuck right in the gap were two red Carsonite signs indicating the route was closed. This route has also been eliminated from the latest user map by the BLM. They are trying to close this route, quite illegally, by pretending it is not open and by posting Closed signs. I was prepared with my copy of the trail designation and a print out from the county web site. I challenged Rick Cooper and the County Supervisor, Reb Monaco, as to whether this route was actually closed and they both had to admit that it is not. I think this was an eye opener for some on the RAC.
From there we rove down R11 and stopped to view some barrens rehabilitation on the right side of the road. The RAC also got to see numerous incidents of trespass. I pointed out that for the past ten or more years the BLM has failed to finish the fencing of this corridor. I then asked when this work would be completed and could not get a straight answer. This really pisses me off because the BLM has spent untold amounts of money to close the Larious Canyon area north of R2 but they leave this area open so that the idiots who don't care can rip up the hill sides and Brian LeNeve can drive around and take pictures of the trespass. I believe that R11 is the highest priority fencing project is all of Clear Creek.
A little further down R11 we drove by an area where the fence has been ripped out on the weekend of March 2/3. Steve Koretoff had organized a workday and got a group of volunteers together that morning to repair some of the fence. When we got to the intersection of R11 and R14, the workday had been completed and the fence repaired. Good job by the volunteers who showed up to make the OHV community look good including many from the jeep community and RUTS.
From there we traveled up R14 to R2 and along the ridge top to a play area overlooking Larious where Rick explained the rationale for closing the area. I pointed out that the play area that were stopped at was actually PRIVATE LAND that the BLM designated as an open play area without the concurrence of the property owner.
Our final stop was at upper Jade Mill where the BLM and (I believe) Americorps volunteers have been working to formalize the camping area. It looks to me as though they cut down a forest to build the log barriers and it also looks like there is 50% less space available for camping. Once this campground reopens I would think twice before trying to park a truck and large toy hauler up there. Time will tell. While at Jade Mill there was a discussion about the RACs role in helping the BLM create the next plan for Clear Creek and about a OHV recreation sub-committee to take up specific issues. The next RAC meeting is in June, I think, and I hope to make it to that meeting to follow up the discussions started on the tour.
Carbon Monoxide: I called my Mom the other day to wish her a happy 81st birthday and she told me that she had a faulty flu on a water heater in her house and that the carbon monoxide had made her very sick and that she thought she was lucky that it didn't kill her. She has a single story ranch style house with gas heaters and water heaters. Apparently the flu rusted out and started leaking. Fortunately, the water heater was located in a closet and so the carbon monoxide was not able to spread easily throughout the house. After this incident, my Mom went out and bought carbon monoxide detectors for both end of her house where the heaters are located. A word to the wise, if you have a heater or water heater inside your living space, you should invest in a detector.
Pinit Yamaha: Pinit Motorsports, run by Salinas Rambler member Steve Polk, recently acquired the Yamaha brand from Chris Buckner (another member) who owned Yamaha of Salinas. Steve has a selection of current year models as well as a number of previous year models that Chris had in stock. He just took over the Yamaha line and has not yet updated his web site but you can call to inquire what they have available if you are looking for a prior year new Yamaha.
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March 10, 2008
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REWARD: The big news this week is that there was some major vandalism last weekend over on the New Idria side of Clear Creek. According to the reports I have received, someone or most likely a group ripped out a bunch of fence along R11 and R14, destroying an estimated $40,000 worth of fence. The BLM has posted a reward of $4,000 for information leading to an arrest.
I have seen the conspiracy theory put forward on the SBR forum that a bunch of greenies did this to give the BLM a black eye in advance of the Resource Advisory Committee meeting next weekend. More likely it was a bunch of drunks from the large gathering that took place at Mexican Flats last weekend. I did have someone advance the theory that the BLM did this themselves so that they would have justification to ask the County of San Benito to bar camping and riding on the property. Now I see that the Futures Foundation's property may go up for auction. Believe what you like but the bottom line is that the Mexican Flats days are numbered, IMO.
The lead BLM Ranger, Jerry Tuma, advised me that they were going to step up patrols in that area and that they are going to be writing tickets. Question is, why were they not aware of the large gathering there last weekend? If I were enforcing the rules and knew that people who wanted to avoid the user fees were staging out of Mexican Flats, I would have a ranger posted in that area every weekend instead of patrolling the KCAC private property. It is time for the BLM to get their priorities in order, IMO. He was also warned that the BLM will be patrolling with helicopters in coming weeks to catch people riding out of bounds, so watch out for the black helicopters!
Tip of the Iceberg: I have had a number of conversations with riders since I learned about the vandalism and the reward. Most of the people I talked to would like to think that the vandalism was due to radical environmentalists monkey wrenching. That's not my take on the situation and suspect, as the BLM does, that it is renegade riders who were responsible. I also hear many people, most long time riders at Clear Creek, say "Screw the BLM, they are getting exactly what they deserve for screwing the OHV community." While I don't condone vandalism and destruction of public property, I can certainly understand this sentiment given what has happen over the past few years.
The BLM did not have to select Alternative A, they did not have to restrict the route network as they have done, they did not have to close the Bowl. As one rider said to me today, "if the roads become congested, you build more roads, if more people are getting sick you build more hospitals. The BLM is doing just the opposite at Clear Creek and Jawbone, jamming more people into smaller areas and ruining these areas."
I think it is time for the BLM to wake up and realize that there is a strong undercurrent of resentment in the OHV community over the closures brought on by the Trail Designation EIS and by the use fees. This recent vandalism is just the tip of the iceberg. I would strongly suggest that the BLM move forward with the designation of additional routes as they have said they would do at public meetings, that they reopen closed hill climb areas and that they open up the books and let people know how much they have collected in fees and what they plan to do with them. I certainly hope that they have a financial report available for the RAC meeting.
Fettuccini Cream Sauce: One of my favorite places to take clients for lunch in Salinas is Gino's Fine Italian Food Restaurant and my favorite dish is Blackened Chicken Fettuccini that has a delicious cream sauce. I is not Alfredo. Rather it is orange in color. They don't provide recipes for their dishes so I have tried to recreate the dish with a number of different combinations of ingredients. I originally thought the color came from tomato paste or tomato sauce but I finally found a sauce recipe that is very close in taste. I made it for dinner the other night and it came out perfect. I didn't blacken the chicken; rather I marinated it in red pepper marinade before cooking so the chicken would have some heat. Give it a try!
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February 24, 2008
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This weekend's trail cutting workday was postponed because of bad weather so I stayed home and worked around the house. Kind of kicked myself for not going down for Saturday as it didn't start raining until late in the day. The ten day forecast looks good for next weekend so I hope to make it back to the Creek for a ride.
Clear Creek on Google Earth: Thanks to Randuzi (Randy) on SBR, you can now download a file that will overlay the trail network on satellite photos. Check it out. If you don't have Google earth loaded on your computer, scroll down through the post to find the download site.
Obviously the BLM staff that put together this screwed up plan for Clear Creek never took the time to do something similar or they would have seen how many of the barren areas they left open are covered in vegetation. Here is a good example. This barren area is near Picacho Peak and the open area is inside the yellow line. Here is an even better example. This one is along R2 and the last time I was up there I believe I saw a fence blocking the trail that cuts through the middle of the area. For the life of me I can not understand why this area is designated open. It has absolutely no recreational value to the OHV community. Repeatedly in technical review teams meetings leading up the the trails and barrens EIS we asked the BLM to find an area that had some recreational value but they refused. Just so you know, I believe this area was one of several selected by the Bruce and Julie Ann Delgado, the last two people on the BLM staff who should have been selecting OHV play areas. It is time for the BLM to swap this area for the hillclimb area off of T125 and make other adjustments..
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February 17, 2008
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Last weekend I worked at the National Hare Scrambles that the Ramblers put on. I didn't really have an assigned job. I just did things that needed to be done around camp. I worked the entrance on Friday morning, getting release forms signed by members and contestants until the Camp Dick and his welcome committee showed up later in the afternoon. On Saturday we set up a display of Save Clear Creek t-shirts and swingarm stickers and was promoting them until we ran out of small bills so I made a run to Coalinga to go to the bank. When I got back I took some pictures and helped with sign-ins. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday without the trip to Coalinga.
What a difference some moisture makes. This year on Sunday the AA/A/B riders were blitzing through the endurocross section like it wasn't even there. Big difference from last year when it was covered with slimy mud. We had a good turnout and will likely be applying for a national hare scrambles again next year. If you rode this years event, Thank You on behalf of the Salinas Ramblers. If you didn't, hopefully you will have another chance next year.
Took this weekend off. Got out the chain saw yesterday and filed the chain in preparation for next weekend's trail workday. Click on the link above for more details.
Clear Creek may not be for you: Apparently some of the riders attending the Picacho Creek National Hare Scrambles appreciated the more technical (enduro) nature of the course that Joe Gomes and Skip Melvin put together. Makes for interesting reading.
T-Shirts are Available at FOCCMA e-store: Mike has the FOCCMA e-store up and running and you can now order swingarm stickers and clothing. Proceeds will go to the Clear Creek Legal Defense Fund. Here are two pictures of some of the shirts. Didn't get any of the hooded sweatshirts for the event but they are available.
Watch yourself in the Staging Areas: Two weeks ago I received a copy of the following e-mail from three different people: "A friend of Matt's was given a ticket for doing a wheelie at the base of Indian Hill. You read that right- he was cited for doing a wheelie on dirt bike at a designated riding area. He was approached by an officer who said he saw him doing a wheelie there earlier in the day, and cited him for "exhibitionist speed". It wasn't even at the time of "violation", it was later that day. The fine is $100. This is no joke!
How is it possible that things have come to this? Clear Creek has been managed with a total disregard for what the people want. Government agencies responsible have completely lost their mission of serving the people. Whatever happened to "WE THE PEOPLE"? No longer is the guiding principle "How can we serve the citizens?" but "How can we wipe out OHV?". That's right, not only are they not interested in the will of the people, but they are out to get us!!! I ask you, have you ever, just once in the last ten years, heard something regarding public policy and Clear Creek and thought "Gee, that's great news!" I already know your answer. Now, law enforcement officers follow riders around with binoculars to see if they can nail us for a citation.
Even if you're not a Clear Creek user, as a taxpayer, one must be enraged. Let's take uniformed law enforcement, on government, payroll, pension, benefits, buy them OHV's, and send them to a remote area to cruise around in the hills. How much is this costing the taxpayers? And for what? A couple of wheelie violations and some expired green stickers? No rape, murder, burglary, assault, DUI, or illegal drugs out there? What a shock. God helps us!!
Can anybody stop the harassment, discrimination and total disregard and misuse of public funds? Friends, be sure not to wheelie, because Big Brother is watching (really)!
I e-mailed this to Rick Cooper and here is the response that I received: Follow up on ticket. Both rangers have written tickets for unsafe driving in areas where people camp. Unsafe driving could include excessive speed, wheelies or any action that might endanger others. Neither remembers the Indian Hill incident as described, but in all likelyhood one did write the ticket. Both have been deligent about monitoring camping areas and staging areas for unsafe practices, such as shooting, driving under influence, speeding, campfires, driving out of bounds, vandalism etc.
Recipe - Ed's Rice and Beans: Someone, I forget who, mentioned at the National that I had not posted any recipes lately on the blog. Lately I have been taking a break from watching the Food Channel. Don't know why. Guess this stuff just runs in cycles. I did see a recipe on Yahoo for an Enchilada Pie that I made a couple weeks ago. It came out pretty good and I would make it again. Since the recipe called for black beans and they were on sale, I purchased several cans.
A week later I cooked a tri-tip and was looking for something to go with it and I decided to use some of the ingredients from the enchilada pie to make a side dish. I took two 15 oz. cans of black beans (undrained) and mixed in a cup of instant rice, a whole sweet onion chopped, a red bell pepper chopped, a cup of Chipole medium salsa and a half cup of barbeque sauce. I put all of these ingredients in a big pot and cooked it on medium heat for about 20 minutes. No need to add water for the rice. It will absorb the water and juices from the beans, pepper and onions. I used Safeway Chipole Sausa and Bushes black beans. The recipe should feed 4-6 people. Enjoy!
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February 4, 2008
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I spent most of Saturday helping on the BLM workday to make a bypass on T166 around the KCAC property located around R16. I have helped on a lot of BLM workdays but this was by far the most challenging because of snow. I would like to thank all the volunteers who gave up part of a day at Clear Creek to help with the trail project.
My Story: Driving in on Saturday morning I could see snow at the higher elevations of Clear Creek but it wasn't until I headed out R7 that I realized how much snow there actually was on the ground. My first clue was broken pieces of manzanita laying in the middle the road. At first I thought someone with a 4WD might have broken the branches but there were no 4WD tracks. Then I remembered back to 2002 when we had the last heavy snow. Back then I witnessed entire manzanita bushes ripped out of the ground by the weight of the snow on them. Mother Nature is a powerful force!
I was warned as I was leaving Rambler camp that it was going to be hard to get to 4 Corners because of snow and downed trees. The warnings were correct. I was fine going up R7 but as soon as I turned onto R5 the snow got deeper and about a quarter mile from the intersection a tree blocked the entire road. I tried to find a way around but it was hopeless so I headed back towards Indian Hill and then took T134 to T151 then T149 (the sunny side of the hill) eventually working my way to 4 Corners and then taking R8 to the paved road. The snow covered roads were terrible because of deep ruts cut into them by riders on Thursday and Friday. When possible, I would try to cut my own line through virgin snow but eventually I would be forced back into an existing line.
At the paved road I met up with a group that had taken T151 all the way to Sawmill Creek Road. When we got to the staging area for the work party on R16 I was pleasantly surprised to find over twenty riders preparing to help with the workday. Because of the deep snow, we hiked to the start of the trail instead of riding to it. It didn't take long for my feet to get very cold. I wore two pair of socks but it didn't make a difference because of all the snow on the trail. David Moore broke the work party into two groups. I worked with the group cutting uphill while his group hiked uphill and cut down. We met in the middle and then called it a day. David told me that we accomplished more than he had hoped for so it was a very successful day! I have posted pictures on SBR. Took about two hours for my feet to thaw out once I got back to camp and changed into dry shoes and socks.
The snow on Saturday was tough but nothing compared to the Thursday before the Quicksilver in 2002. A major storm dumped a ton of snow on the Creek just before our event. The AMA does not like it when a club has to cancel a national event because it is often hard for them to find a replacement event or date. Billy Waltrip and I decided that the only chance we had to pull of the national would be to create a wet weather course on fire roads and to keep the course as low in elevation as possible. We took off with William to mileage the wet weather course and were soon confronted with snow on R5 that was a foot deep. At one point about half a mile from 4 Corners the drifts were even deeper and you could get off your bike and it would stand upright in the rut. Billy was in the lead and he would get off his bike, stomp the snow in front of his front wheel then back up a bit and launch the bike on down the trail until he ran out of momentum. Then he would repeat the process until we had punched through to 4 corners. From there we took T149 to T151, trying to stay on the sunny side of the hills. We eventually worked our way down to Clear Creek Road where Bill went on reserve after traveling 12 miles (for an average of 4 miles to the gallon on his 300 EXC). That was a tough day!
T151: It's bad enough that the BLM maintains the roads because their work adds to erosion but I think they have gone over the top with T151. This route is now a dirt freeway through the Creek. How wide and how smooth do they have to make these roads? They are 4WD routes after all and should be rough. Quad riders should love T151 but I hate it. The BLM is slowly destroying the character of Clear Creek.
I have two memories from T151. The first was from our first national enduro in 1984. I was out on T151 checking markings. We had a left turn into a tight trail that led down to Hillclimb Canyon (upper Clear Creek - now closed). At the time T151 had a lot of rocks on it and they were wet. Nevertheless, the AA riders came blitzing down the trail in fifth gear and overshot the turn because our first turn arrow was marked too close to the turn. I learned how fast these top riders were and from then on went to great pains to mark turns for the speeds that AA riders were capable of attaining.
The second was from a trail ride that I, in part, laid out for a BMW club. The Ramblers were asked by a bay area BMW group to lay out a trail ride through Clear Creek for GS type bike and to put on a barbeque. One of the routes I picked was T151. At the time it was a bit technical but was a relatively flat except for one downhill section that had a deep grove in it. I didn't think anything of it but the BMW riders with their opposed twin motors were not real happy because the groove was deep enough that if (when) the strayed from the center of the groove their engines made contact with the ground. Needless to say I was not enlisted to lay out a route the next time the club had a ride through Clear Creek. The groove is now gone, replaced by a two lane wide freeway.
FOCCMA T-Shirts: The e-store is up on the FOCCMA web site and you can now order Save Clear Creek t-shirts, long sleeved shirts and hooded sweatshirts. Don't have any pictures yet but they can be ordered in multiple colors. I will try to get some pictures posted next week after the hare scrambles. We should have some for sale this coming weekend at the event.
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January 27, 2008
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Took the weekend off since Clear Creek was closed and did some work on the bikes. I used to enjoy working on my bikes but now it just seems like a chore. If you don't do it, however, it could get expensive. Talk about expensive, I took my 1997 KTM 300 out of the shed to clean it up and get it ready to ride. It has been sitting the better part of two years because it was hard to kickstart with a bad hip. It would not start. I learned long ago if you have spark and fuel, a bike would run, maybe not right, but it should run. Since it had been sitting for a while I drained the fuel and cleaned the carburetor. Still wouldn't start, so I checked the sparkplug and no spark. Got a new plug out of the toolbox and no luck. Tried a third and still nothing. Unplugged the kill button. Nada. Checked connections and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Guess I will have to take it down to my friendly KTM dealer and on the way stop by the bank and arrange a home equity line of credit just in case.
Ask the BLM: As hard as it might be to imagine, the BLM has stepped up and has a representative answering questions asked on a thread in the Clear Creek BLM sub-forum. David Moore, the Trails Coordinator, has been given permission to address questions asked of the BLM on the forum. I don't know if this is a first for a government agency, but it sure is refreshing to see an agency interact with the public in this format. I have been tempted to address some questions on the thread but since it is directed to the BLM, I have held off. Instead I will try to address some of the questions here on the blog based on my 20 years of fighting to keep Clear Creek open.
To start, how about asbestos issue since this is a thorny issue. First you have to understand that the EPA and the BLM are both parts of the federal government. The EPA is a cabinet position to the President and the BLM is an agency in the Interior Department which is also a cabinet level position. The BLM has to take recommendations from the EPA and evaluate them just as they have to look for guidance on threatened and endangered species from their sister agency, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They are going to do this as part of the new EIS that they began last August.
The EPA is due to publish their final report on the Atlas Asbestos Mine and included in it will be a health risk assessment for various types of recreation and (I assume because I have not seen the report yet) for age groups . I fully anticipate that the EPA is going to recommend additional limits on seasonal use and a possible restriction on the age of people who can recreate in Clear Creek. The BLM will take this information and create a number of possible management alternatives ranging from totally open to totally closed.
What you have to understand is that the BLM is a land management organization and not a bunch of scientist. They have to use the information given to them by the EPA because the EPA are the government's specialists at hazardous waste and health risk assessment. Is the EPA fair and balanced? Not only NO but HELL NO! Most of the EPA people I have spoken to think we are crazy to ride dirt bikes in Clear Creek and that it is their duty to save us from ourselves, because you know that one fiber will kill you and all that bullshit.
On the other side of the coin is information developed from numerous studies of people who have been involved in the mining and milling of chrysotile asbestos and the results of these studies show no long term effects from exposure to Clear Creek asbestos. It was based on these studies that Dr. Ed Ilgren testified that the asbestos in Clear Creek was not harmful.
The bottom line is that this will likely be a political decision and , unfortunately, reason, logic and facts always take a back seat to politics, and so the question is who is going to decide it. It certainly won't be decided by Rick Cooper in Hollister. The reason that Clear Creek is open today is because a strong BLM state director basically thanked the EPA for their input back in the early to middle 1990s but decided to leave Clear Creek open because he view the Creek as an ideal place to host OHV recreation. I don't know if the current state director feels the same way. I certainly hope so!
Swingarm Stickers: Justin has received a batch of swingarm stickers in the classic red/black as well as in KTM orange and black/gray. Pictures can be seen on this SBR thread. I bought a set of black/gray for my Suzuki.
KTM Convention: Anyone observing the line of trucks entering Clear Creek last Saturday might have thought that there was a KTM convention going on. At one point it seem like every truck driving in was filled with KTMs. KTM should be proud of the way they have captured a dominate share of the off-road marketplace in northern CA and perhaps the entire country. Just goes to prove that if you build a better mousetrap the public will buy it.
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January 21, 2008
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What a difference a week makes. Saturday morning the BLM was out in force to sell passes and speed riders through the process. Well "speed" is probably not the right word to use to describe the process because of all the forms to fill out, but it was a heck of a lot better than the previous weekend. Thanks to Lesly, Angela, Harrison, David and Jerry for being out there to get the riders processed and on their way. To speed up the process I recommend that you get a season pass if you are a Clear Creek regular or follow the suggestions I posted on the Salinas Rambler's web page regarding passes.
Saturday afternoon I took a road ride with Bear and came across the destruction
the BLM bulldozers inflicted on Clear Creek while I was recovering from my
operations. My guess is that the bulldozers displaced as much dirt this
summer and fall as all of the dirt bike use in the past 30 years. Don't
they read their own reports? The biggest contributor to sediment in the
creeks is the road system yet here they are plowing major routes all over Clear
Creek including T151, a route that just three years ago they made me photo
monitor because they were concerned about possible habitat and water quality
issues from running an enduro over the route. Now it is a frigging highway
and any plant habitat that existed is washing down Sawmill Creek creating water
quality issues that will be blamed on OHV use.
Sunday morning I did something I have not done in quite a while - I slept in and didn't go down to the entrance. Felt very strange having an extra three hours in the day. Not sure I will make this a habit just yet because the threat to Clear Creek is not over yet.
EPA Report: According to Rick Cooper, the EPA is suppose to send the BLM their preliminary report later this month and he expects that the EPA will release it to the public in March and schedule a public meeting to discuss the report. Once this sequence of events happens the clock will start ticking on the thirty day comment period for the scoping period for the BLM's the next Environmental Impact Statement.
FOCCMA: I understand that we have had over 50 people join the Friends of the Clear Creek Management Area. Progress on the organization is going slowly but this organization will be a great vehicle to disseminate information and for raising funds for the defense of vehicle access to the Clear Creek Management Area. I urge everyone interested in seeing Clear Creek remain open for OHV use to join. When you join, please make a donation using Paypal to help fund the organizational costs of running this group. FOCCMA is 501c3 charitable non-profit so you can itemize the donation on your taxes. FOCCMA is entirely a volunteer group but there are costs for accounting, web site development, etc. We hope to start signing up business sponsors in the near future and including discount coupons for paid members
Fee Collection on the New Idria Side: There is no fee collection on the New Idria side of Clear Creek and my understanding is that the BLM does not intend to collect fees over there ever. You must enter and pay on the Coalinga Road side. Don't be surprised if the once private land on the New Idria side is posted closed. The New Idria property is in tax default and the previous owner, Futures Foundations, is now a defunct organization and the land belongs to San Benito County. I believe there is a move afoot by the BLM and the County to close that side to all parking and camping because many of the acts of vandalism in Clear Creek can be traced to that camping area. I just hope they don't close the access road in the process.
Quads will hurt you: I saw the head BLM Ranger, Jerry Tuma, at the entrance on Saturday morning and he told me that he was just told by the doctors that he had a broken back as a result of an accident on a quad while working with another law enforcement agency searching out pot gardens. This is on top of the 10+ broken ribs and broken collarbone. Recently it has been suggested to me that I am too old to ride a dirt bike and perhaps I should get a quad and join the geriatric crowd. My response was that I would rather stay home and go shopping with my wife - in other word, not something likely to happen in this lifetime.
Gem Mine: On Saturday afternoon Bear and I took a ride into Clear Creek and while out near the KCAC mine (mine at the end of the paved road) we went over to the Gem Mine to see if it was open. We took the T175 turn off of R15 and found the gate open so we rode down to the camping area where we met the owner, Dave Schreiner. Dave bought the mine in 2005 and hosts tours and specimen collection. We had a nice chat and engaging conversation about the properties of Benitoite, the theory of relativity and other sundry scientific topics, most of which went right over my helmet. Bear, you see, is a retired physicist and very knowledgeable on a wide variety of subject.
In parting, Dave asked me to note on the blog that he would appreciate it if OHV users would respect the no trespassing signs he has posted and stay off of his property because he does not carry insurance and requires a signed waiver to use the property. You are welcome to make a reservation and take a tour!
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January 15, 2008
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My Weekend: I had a busy weekend. On Saturday and Sunday mornings I went down to the BLM entrance station to help sell the passes because I knew that there was going to be a lot of traffic, that Lesly Smith, the recreation planner was going to be out of town and that the BLM would probably not be prepared for the rush of traffic early in the morning. I was right and only Angela, a park ranger, was out there to collect fees. Maybe it was because I told them in advance that I would help that they did not assign someone else to work - I don't know. What I do know is that they are going to alienate a lot of riders if they only have one person out there this coming weekend which is a three day weekend for many people. To top it off, they were handing out copies of the Salinas Ramblers web page on fees that I put together as their information sheet. How lame is that?!
Both days I went back to camp and helped a bit with national hare scrambles course set-up for a while and then went riding.. Talk about being out of shape. I was helping with the placement of some culverts and I had little upper body strength to shovel dirt or wield a pick. My nine months of recovery from operations has taken a toll on my body and I was hurting both Sunday and Monday mornings, especially across the upper back.
I went riding by myself on Saturday afternoon around 3PM and promptly was hit by another rider just outside the Rambler gate on R7. Fortunately it was minor and I wasn't hurt or knocked over. I wrote details about it on the SBR forum and asked others to contribute their stories of head-on and near head-on crashes. On Sunday I took a ride with my brother-in-law Brian. We used to ride together a lot especially while we were both racing or setting up the enduro. My last ride with him was almost two years ago on the weekend of the postponed Wild Boar just before I had shoulder surgery. We had a good ride and hit a bunch of single track trails that also tested my endurance.
Volunteer Workdays: The BLM is planning two more volunteer workdays, the first on Saturday February 2 and the next on either Saturday February 23rd or March 1st. The purpose of the workdays is to create a new route to bypass the KCAC property north of Condon Peak and to tie T166 into R16. Information about the workdays can be found on South Bay Riders.
IQ Test: Think you're smart, give this a try.
New Swingarm Stickers: Justin sent me a picture of the additional colors he is getting for the swingarm stickers. The classic red and black sticker is available today and the KTM orange and black /grey will be available soon. His contact info is on this SBR thread.
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January 9, 2008
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Wet Season Closure: Clear Creek never received 8" on rain last year and consequently there were no wet closures. This year is a different story so the next time it rains it is possible that the BLM will shut down Clear Creek because of their stupid wet season closure rules. According to Lesly Smith, the average of the four rain gauges around Clear Creek comes to 7.4" as of this morning with potentially more rain on the way tomorrow.
Word to the wise, call the Clear Creek Conditions Line at 831-630-5060 before you go to make sure the place is open.
Stickers and Shirts: Justin has received the new Save Clear Creek swingarm stickers. You can see pictures of them on his bike at South Bay Riders and you can contact him through the forum if you would like to add them to your bike and show your support of the Clear Creek Legal Defense Fund. This week I also received a Save Clear Creek t-shirt from Mike t-shirt What do you think? Like it? Ido!
Whose your Candidate: My wife sent me a link to a web site that claims to help you pick your candidate for President after answering a series of 11 questions. I took the quiz and the web site said that the candidate that best represented my views was Mitt Romney (43) with John McCain (42) a close second. Not surprisingly Hillary was way don the list (9) and Obama was in the cellar(4). Not sure who I will vote for next month but I can guarantee that they won't have a "D" after their name.
How many times do you go to Clear Creek: There is a poll on South Bay Riders asking how many times you visit Clear Creek. Please take a moment to answer the poll and if you would like to make a comment, please do so. Seems to me that with the cost of fuel and now the user fees will cause people from the northern part of the Bay Area to perhaps go to Middle Creek or Stonyford instead of making the drive to Clear Creek. The Mendocino National Forest is still free to the best of my knowledge. I expect that Hollister will see an increase in activity so a word to the wise and get to Hollister early on winter weekends or you may not be able to get in.
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January 2, 2008 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Back in the Saddle: Took my first ride around the Creek after almost 10 months on Saturday afternoon. Tested out the new brace and it seemed to work well. It fit comfortably and didn't limit my ability to transition from sitting to standing. I think I will need a longer foot peg because the brace pushes my leg out away from the bike and my foot is not entirely on the peg as a result. Even tested it unintentionally by dropping the bike and stepping off on my new knee. I was riding with Bear and I stopped to wait for him at an intersection, I spun around on a high spot to watch and when I went to put my foot down, the ground was further away then I expected. Rather than struggle trying to keep the bike upright, I just let it drop and stepped off. On Sunday I went on a Rambler family ride out to the Condon Peak area for a BBQ. Rode some more serious trails without incident. Got my first serious leg cramp of the season on Sunday night, the painful type that run from the groin down the inside of the thigh all the way to the ankle. Fortunately, I only got it in one leg but I felt the other leg ready to snap so I walked around straight-legged all evening. The things we do in the name of fun!
Swingarm Stickers: Justin, the creator of the Clear Creek bumper sticker is working with Powersport Graphics to come up with a new Save Clear Creek sticker you can put on your swingarm to show support for the Clear Creek Legal Defense Fund. As soon as he has some available for sale I will let you know.
Season Passes over the phone: If you don't live near a shop selling the season, you can call the BLM office and give Lesly Smith your VIN numbers and credit card information and the BLM will mail you season pass stickers and the transport vehicle tag. Phone number is 831-630-5000.
Airplane Loop Reopened: Thank to Steve for posting information on South Bay Riders about the Airplane loop being reopened. Steve posted pictures that he took right as David Moore was placing a new T166 sign in the ground. To get to the new access, get on the paved road at the intersection with T158 and head east. You will see the sign in a bank on the right side of the road. I understand that they have also marked a new exit at the