Search This Blog

Friday, June 22, 2012

DATE WITH A PAPER PLATE (ARTICLE)


A Date with a Paper PlateBy Del Albright, BlueRibbon Ambassador


I am convinced our future lies in not leaving our past behind...



NOTE: We must pack it in and pack it out when recreating in the back country and on our trails. We need to set the example and show our kids how to be responsible in our pursuit of motorized and non-motorized recreation.

There I was, lying in the cupboard, minding my own business like any good napkin, when this paper plate starts coming on to me. Oh, she was cute all right, all decked out in flowers and looking good. But like any single male napkin, I played hard to get and not interested.
She kept chatting away, being all flirty, and finally I started to like the way things were shaping up. Hey, you never know, she might be the one.
She kept telling me that we should get together and go on a date. You know how paper plates can be. Pretty soon my resistance waned and I gave in to a date. We decided to give it a shot and I thought that this might just work out great.
Then, old what’s-his-face decided to take us on a picnic out in the woods. He loaded us up in his old truck and off we went.
Next thing I know I’m on this picnic table with a bunch of other paper products and old what’s-his-face has a bunch of his friends gathered around eating greasy chicken. But my date is nowhere to be found. I don’t see her anywhere. Now I figured I’ve been stood up. You know how paper plates can be.


Read the rest of the story on my website here: http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/paper_plate.htm

Thursday, June 21, 2012

OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FROM OIA

Outdoor Recreation Worth Billions!!!



Outdoor Recreation in America is a huge business, bringing BILLIONS of dollars into our economy.

The numbers are in....look what outdoor recreation does for America:


- 6.1 million american jobs
- $646 billion in outdoor recreation spending
each year
- $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue
- $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue
-  $53 billion on snow sports ($54 billion on internet access)

140 million americans recreate outside.
50 million use OHV’s

This is HUGE news.  Be sure to share with your politicians, newspaper editors, website forum moderators and your club/group.  Shout it from the rooftops!

More details and study results here from the Outdoor Industry Association:

Del

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

I REFUSE TO PLAY!

MY OFF ROAD WISH...by Del

I refuse to play; but if I do play, I refuse to play hard and break. But if I do break, I refuse to whimper.  Hey, but if I whimper, I refuse to do it where anyone can hear me.  On the other hand, if someone does hear me whimpering, I refuse to let them see my face.  So my wish is that I can always hide when I break my junk!


If you wheel or ride hard, you're going to break junk.  It just happens.  Be prepared as best you can to fix it when you do.  Be considerate of others when you do break (don't block the trail unnecessarily).  Be ready to spend some bucks with businesses who support keeping our trails open when you have to buy stuff to fix your junk. Be an example for others to follow, even when you break -- whimper in private and thank the heavens that you have the opportunity to ride, wheel, boat and break!


Rambling...Del



Thursday, June 7, 2012

CA FOLKS TAKE ACTION ON OHV FUNDS IN TROUBLE



URGENT! California OHV Program In Jeopardy - Urge Governor To Veto Transfer
IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEM -- MANDATORY!



Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
As you know from our previous alerts and updates, the “transfer” (theft) of up to $31 million dollars of your OHV registration fees will have a devastating impact on destination recreation areas that are mostly in rural areas already hit hard by the current fiscal crisis.

There is one last chance to save these programs. The Governor has the ability to veto this proposed transfer from the OHV Trust Fund out of the final budget.

California's OHV community has the numbers to make this happen. Think about it, if every single OHV user in California contacted his office today, millions would call.

Tell your friends, family and any other OHV person you know to contact Governor Brown and urge him to line-item veto any budget proposals that would undermine California State Park’s Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Program.

Since there is the chance that emails may be deleted… calls and faxes are best (talking points are below.) Phone: (916) 445-2841 Be brief and polite. (The staff who answer the phone are not the people taking your money.)

If you want to send a fax, click HERE and select the California OHV link under Letter Campaigns.
Thanks,
Don Amador
BRC Western Representative
BlueRibbon Coalition

Dear Governor Brown,
I am strongly urging you to line-item veto the portion of the budget that would transfer up to $31 million dollars from the OHV Trust Fund’s local assistance grant program.  The proposed transfer of funds would have a devastating impact on destination public land recreation facilities.   Recreation staff would be laid off, trails would not be maintained, important resource restoration projects would be tabled, and rural law enforcement officers would be fired.


The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. With members in all 50 states, BRC is focused on building enthusiast involvement with organizational efforts through membership, outreach, education, and collaboration among recreationists. 1-800-BlueRib - www.sharetrails.org

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

TPAC SUPPORTS SENATE CANDIDATE WINNERS


Pro-Trail Senate Candidates Win in Key States 


Dear Trail Voter,
 
Here is a quick overview of yesterday's primary results.   In two key battleground states, it appears that TPAC supported Denny Rehberg (MT -R) and Heather Wilson (NM - R) won their respective primaries and will go on to vie for the chance to win in November so they can vote Harry Reid out of his position as Senate Majority Leader where he continues to block House bills that seek to address public land access issues.

Although CA is not a battleground state, Congressional Candidate Dan Lungren (CD-7) won the primary and got a significant majority of the total vote in CA's new "open primary" where the top two contestants (regardless of party) go onto face each other in November. As you may remember, Lungren attended and spoke at the 2012 Hangtown MX (which was in his District). It appears he picked up some off-road votes there.

As TPAC focuses its resources primarily at our 7-8 key battleground senate races in AZ, MI, MN, MT, NV, WI, and VA, it will also look at supporting a few key House races where a pro-trail candidate is in a tight contest.

Your donations will be important to help TPAC support those key races in our national strategy to elect a pro-trail majority in the U.S. Senate and to help keep a pro-trail majority in the House of Representatives.    

To Donate $25 - $5000 dollars go to:


Thanks!

Don Amador, Founder
The Trail PAC

TPAC paid

Sunday, June 3, 2012

CA OHV PROGRAM GUTTED!


CA LEGISLATURE VOTES TO GUT OHV GRANTS PROGRAM TO FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS


SACRAMENTO (May 31, 2012) -  Earlier today, the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation voted to steal up to $31 million dollars from the California Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund and transfer it to non-OHV related programs.   This pilfering of user-pay funding is part of the “Sustainable Parks Proposal” being championed by the California Parks Foundation, other anti-OHV organizations, and California State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).  

Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D- Petaluma) argued strongly in favor of the plan which he knows will directly impact destination OHV areas throughout the state including nearby units on the Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests,  the BLM Cow Mountain Recreation near Ukiah, and the BLM Samoa Dunes Recreation Area near Eureka.  Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) was the lone voice on the committee that opposed the continued theft of trust funds monies.

Don Amador, Western Representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, states, “I am extremely disappointed that Mr. Huffman has apparently joined ranks with the anti-OHV community in their ongoing efforts to defund the OHV grants program via fiscal schemes such as the Sustainable Parks plan.”

“After witnessing today’s vote, it is clear to me that urban legislators have made the conscious decision to engage in political warfare against rural interests, economies, and local elected officials.  It also daylights the false promises made to special “user fee” programs (e.g. OHV, boating and waterways, special license plates, etc.) that their dedicated funds are protected.  Rather, it points to the fact that those funds will be raided in perpetuity to help mitigate the legislature’s failure to substantively address the state’s fiscal crisis,” Amador continues.

“It is also interesting to note that not one of the Sustainable Parks Program’s proponents had the courage to show up and speak in favor of the plan at today’s hearing.  Equally disappointing was that State Park leadership sat in stone cold silence while this issue was being discussed.  It is a sad commentary on the state of affairs in California,” Amador concludes.

Representatives from the following organizations attended and spoke at the hearing.  Those groups include the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, American Motorcyclist Association, American Motorcyclist Association District 36, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, and the BlueRibbon Coalition.

# # #    
BRC NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Don Amador, Western Representative
PHONE: 925.625.6287
EMAIL:  brdon@ sharetrails.org