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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

New Year; New Country; New Hope


2015 - The Year of Better Times for All
by Del Albright

I consider myself a top shelf, full blown, get 'r done Patriot and love this country -- albeit a few times these past few years I've had to remind myself to stand proud in spite of the antics of some of our political leaders.  But no matter, I still wish all a Happy New Year and a new year of hope and better times. 
I've been shot at in three countries and will never surrender my love of our freedoms.  I hope you will stand with me in 2015 and make some change that really counts.


Friday, December 19, 2014

American Bantam Jeep -- the Story (in video)



The American Bantam Jeep Project


Coming in 2015 as a Mini-Series on TV


SNEAK PREVIEW with Del Albright
Big thanks to MetalCloak for the studio time, props and support.




 

View it on YouTube here:http://youtu.be/MJf0eFQrjxQ


Thursday, December 11, 2014

ARE FEAR AND EGOS STOPPING US FROM WINNING THE WAR ON ACCESS?


  LEARN OR DIE: BOOK REVIEW FOR RECREATIONAL LEADERS


 By Del Albright

Caroline Cornell interviewed Edward Hess, author of Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization, in Communication World Magazine (Dec. 2014), the voice of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).  The link is below.  I took Mr. Hess's words and just substituted "companies" and "businesses" with our OHV words like Groups and Organizations to show how his wisdom and advice applies to off-road groups as much as it does to today's business world.    

So when you read this really valuable article (link below) about technology and learning, see if this hits you the way it hit me as to how it relates to off-roaders and backcountry recreation groups.  Here are some highlights that slapped me across the face as applying to those of us in the recreational world, especially those in leadership positions.
  • Those groups that best incorporate the science of learning into their culture, processes and practices will be the winners.  Winning groups learn better and faster.

  • That learning environment will be a humanistic, positive, emotional environment that results in high employee engagement—designed to mitigate the two big learning inhibitors, Fear and Ego.  (Note, back in the 80’s the big thing was “Japanese Style Management – known as Quality Circles where the guy putting the widgets together had a huge say in the way the widgets were made.  Factory workers helping designers).

  •           Emotionally we are defensive “thinkers” seeking to protect and affirm our self-image.  Real learning (old dog new tricks) requires optimizing our humility and opening the door to better listening.  Most folks in our organizations listen to confirm we were right in the first place and have trouble suspending judgment while the other person is still talking.  It makes our motivation appear more to look smart than to learn. (Read more on my take on "aerobic listening" here on my website: http://www.delalbright.com/articles/opponents.htm.)

  •   Many OHV group leaders have yet to figure out how to be an open-minded, non-defensive, good listener who is willing to subject his beliefs to challenge by others.

  •   One of the big tricks to “being smart” for our organizations is to KNOW what we DO NOT know, learn how to overcome that and learn from our mistakes.
   So I'm curious how this applies to what you've seen in OHV/Recreation groups and organizations, even clubs?  For me, to take this info and build it into our strategic plans, training workshops, business plans, club bylaws, whatever, just the way we do business, might give us a heads up to win more and back-track less.



Good information on how we can get better with using our technology.


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Del

Friday, December 5, 2014

Empowering Kids for a Motorized Future


YOUTH IS THE FUTURE OF MOTORIZED OUTDOOR RECREATION


LET'S GET THEM OUTSIDE!

 By Del Albright

Kids in the outdoors -- such a crucial part of the future of outdoor recreation. The Wilderness Society, Sierra Club and about every other enviro/eco organization has a focused youth program designed to get kids outside with an indoctrination towards protecting, preserving but not really "using" our resources. Look but don't really touch. 

Then those of us who love motors and exploring by vehicle have to compete with electronics, video games, ear buds, pods and pads, We have a few OHV groups with great programs for kids, for sure! But I don't think nearly enough. We have to find ways to empower our children to enjoy, use smartly, conserve wisely, appreciate, and yet be able to ensure a future of access for all. 

There is a difference in youth involvement between the various motorized sports.  Dirt bikers get their kids on a machine nearly as soon as the little one can walk.  Hero-worship sets in early for motorbikers too, as their sport is full of champions, races, and heroes.  Plus, the kids can go out and ride before they have a license.

Four-wheelers have a different path for kids.  The kids get to ride; a few might drive under careful supervision in controlled circumstances, but for the most part, for a kid, it's being an "observer" rather than a participant. That doesn't invoke the same commitment and enthusiasm for the sport as a dirt biking kid.

So we have to fin ways to empower our kids, treat them to fun, and show them the excitement, while teaching them our common sense ways of using public lands.    You can good samples of kids programs at http://www.nohvcc.org, http://www.treadlightly.org; and other big associations.  Just do a search and see what you come up with for your kids.

If you were to share a group with a great kids/youth program, who would that be?

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Volunteer Training VLLS Thank you to Sponsors

Post by RLTC Volunteer Training. Saying thanks to all the great sponsors of the upcoming VLLS training in February near Sacramento, CA.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Cyber Monday -- Freedom For Sale?

Big Sale Today Only -- the American Dream

Are your freedoms being bought?

By Del Albright

This is not about the "sky is falling" or some presumptuous opinion I might have about how our government and economy works.  This is about some facts that will scare you and make you wonder just how much our freedoms are at stake, every day.

Your FREEDOM is for SALE!

RANGE Magazine is a fact-filled, well researched publication that I read from cover to cover every issue.  And the Winter Issue (on sale now) just slapped me upside the head -- again.  I'm reminded of an article I did many years ago called "The Vicious Green Circle" (http://www.delalbright.com/articles/vicious.htm) wherein I tied things together like The Wildlands Project, Wilderness Study Areas, Buffer Zones, Clean this and that Acts by Congress, Landscape Level Planning, ecosystem management, sound buffers, and on and on. RANGE just tied it all together even MORE!

This Winter issue explains and documents how enviro/eco groups are funded, so closely bound at the hips that you can hardly tell one from the other, in a great article by Dave Skinner titled, "Identify Your Enemies."  Then Michael S. Coffman, Ph.D, gives us the low-down on how rich left-wingers control the U.S. environmental policy in his piece called "Green Billionaires."  You can't imagine the terror these articles inflict on red-blooded, patriotic Americans like us.

If you love America and the freedoms we enjoy, you HAVE to get this magazine and read these articles. The way the basically, same big money supports all these "green" groups and their causes, through grant funding and interwoven boards of directors and funding sources, will shock you to the roots.  

You will recognize many of the "false fronts" and "front men" in the enviro/eco world that always seem so well funded and covered in the media, usually trying to close our roads or lock up our freedoms in some way.  Do you remember Tellico and Trout Unlimited (TU)?  Wait until you see the source of much of their funding and philosophy.  And wait until you see how just a few big rich funding sources grant money to a slug of pseudo-legitimate groups all dedicated to the same goals -- buying your freedoms and closing this country up to all but their own agenda. 

I know there is a lot going on in this world, and we all have a list of priorities; but I stand against this and I will fight to oppose the taking of my freedoms and the locking up of my country to an elite few.
Del

NOTE: these stories noted above will likely be featured on the magazine website within a few days of this blog.
Visit and subscribe to RANGE magazine here: http://www.rangemagazine.com
Or call: 1-800-RANGE-4-U

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