New To Forum.....AZ Wheeling?

[Sean K.]

Okay, I read it. ASA4WDC wants us to call our senators and reps and tell them to vote "NO" on SB 1508.

It's not that the ASA doesn't support SB 1508 aka "Copper Sticker" program (similar to "green" stickers in CA), they simply don't like the wording.

Personally, I'm completely against the sticker initiative.....the Federal Government has mandated "designation" of trails but the important part is: they haven't allocated ANY money to make it happen. Therefore, with no money to sign the trails open or closed and no money to pay for law enforcement, we maintain access to every trail regardless of whether or not BLM or the FS say an area is closed. They simply do not have the resources to enforce that closure.

Now, is the ASA's sticker plan a good one with good points? IMO, yes, but it also gives the govt. the funding they so desperately need as well as the information as to the mapping of our trails to actually enforce closures.

The real question is: how much do you trust the government? I've been involved in a lot of these "scoping" meetings in the past. They all start out the same way...."Tell us where your trails are so we can document them. If you don't tell us, they'll automatically be closed."

Keep in mind they don't know where these trails are even located when they start this process....So, stupidly, we tell them the location.....and within a year, they usually close several of them.

Why do we keep doing this? If we'd keep our mouths shut, there'd be no need for regulation (at least in the areas I wheel) and no need for anything more than a STL permit.

Sorry for the rant.

Sean