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Saturday, December 17, 2016

OUR LANDS IN OUR HANDS!


BEING STEWARDS OF OUR MOTORIZED ACCESS MEANS KEEPING IT AVAILABLE

Land Stewardship is the key to keeping our lands in our hands.

By Del Albright

What does "land stewardship" really mean? 
In simplest of terms it means caring, responsible management and use of our lands. If we do not take care of our playgrounds, "they" will be glad to take them away from us.
There is no better way to keep motorsports alive and trails open than to be a good steward of whatever lands you have to play on. 



Enjoy yourself; have fun; challenge your rig; ride hard; ride smart; wheel with friends; pack out your trash; set the example; and remember -- Our Lands; in Our Hands.

More about pack it out and a Date with a Paper Plate: 

More about leadership and stewardship, and a Horse Harnessed Before All Others:

More about adopting trails and Who Stole Our Crown Jewels:
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/jewels.htm

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Del


Thursday, December 15, 2016

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT TRAIL CLOSURES



DO NOT LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE!

You are the solution to saving trails.


by Del Albright


JOIN, DONATE and VOLUNTEER are the key words in this message, and quite honestly, they are THE solution to stopping trail closures.

We must stop waiting to get involved until a "gate" is in our back yard or on our favorite spot.  I know it is easier to get riled up when their is an "enemy" looking us in the face, but the tide of closure moves slowly and moves even without a face attached to it.  It is insidious -- sneaky.

Laws, rules, landowner changes, environmental regulations, etc. etc. sneak up on our motorized sports every day. Without a watch dog, these insidious incremental changes can begin to shut us out.
We must have professional career land use folks in the game being the watch dog.  But, EVERYONE who enjoys motorsports must be doing their part, in the game.

DO NOT LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.  Join up; get alerts for your areas of interest; and keep the full time land use folks/organizations up to date with what is happening in your area.  ONLY YOU can prevent trail closures.

SPECIFIC TIPS:
1.  Get alerts (Free) from groups like your state association or club.


2.  Report trail conditions or suspected land use issues by contacting your state association or club landuse delegate.
 
3.  Join and donate, but also volunteer your time to be a trail monitor, land use club delegate, or just a good informed citizen for the sports you love.  Please do not wait for the gate to go up.  Get ahead of the restrictions and closures.  Get in the game now!  Your voice counts, but you have to make it count in the right places.

Del




Sunday, November 20, 2016

PIRATE4X4 BLUE STAR PROGRAM SUPPORTS TRAILS

Once again THANK you to all the Blue Star members of Pirate4x4.com who continue to support national land use issues with their donations. 


The great folks at Pirate4x4 ship those generous donations every year to BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.Org, the largest grassroots organization in the country, fighting every day to protect our access for motorized recreation. 

Stacie and I work for you as your primary Sharetrails/BRC reps in the 4x4 world and we stand proud of the many successes we’ve helped you achieve through BlueRibbon Coalition and its many partner organizations/associations like Calif. 4WD Association (CA4WDA) and others. It takes a team.

Please continue to support Pirate4x4.com and the Blue Star program. This rocks it!



Del & Stacie Albright


Sunday, October 16, 2016

ARE KIDS BEING EDUCATED OR INDOCTRINATED?

OUTDOORS, INDOORS; INDOCTRINATION OR EDUCATION?  

ARE "THEY" AFTER OUR KIDS?

By Del Albright

In 2009 I wrote an article about "They're After Our Kids" that still has relevance today.  Although back then, I was little more agitated and faster to launch, the key points I made are just as important now as they were then.

But before I hit a few of those highlights, I have some really GOOD NEWS.

Recently I received word that two close family/friends are reviewing/studying the Vietnam War in public school.  Wow.  Most of my adult life since I left that country in 1971 I've watched the media and the educational system try to deny, avoid, debase or destroy everything about that War. So now to see folks "studying" 'Nam and the war is like a big WOW to me.  My war won't be completely lost to history.



Be that as it may, public schools are laced with opinionated "teachers" who tend to indoctrinate rather than educate kids at every opportunity.  My wife, Stacie and I have seen it first hand for the last 12 years.  Call it brainwashing, call it indoctrination; whatever.  It's not teaching history, facts or truth.  It's pushing an agenda.  We have to be on top of it.

Again, certainly not all teachers or schools are like this.  Many are stellar in their programs and teachings.  But there are enough of the other types to worry me.

Below is a link to the article I wrote in 2009 about bureaucracy and schools being "after" our kids. It stemmed from a National Park Ranger "swearing" in kids to the Junior Ranger Program.  The Ranger had a good heart and thought he was doing good things for kids.  And he probably did more good than harm.  But when you live in a bureaucracy like the National Park Service, you begin to absorb their lifeblood of "protect it" do not "use it."  I speak from 32 years of government service.

The Park Ranger rebutted my article and I still have his letter on my website (in the link).  But after all was said and done, he still did not understand that having 5 to 13 year-old kids raise their hands and SWEAR to PROTECT and CARE for Parks and the earth, while leaving out any mention of "use it wisely" or conserve it or responsible use, is a less than subtle way of saying, do NOT USE IT: just take pictures.

I am adamantly against this type of indoctrination that suggests to kids to not use our lands respectfully, but rather to lock up public lands -- other than those very special places the nation deems significant enough to do so.  And no; not all national parks are deserving of such padlocks.

The only solution is to stay in tune and in touch with our kids and their education. 


Here is the link to the original article and the Park Ranger's rebuttal to my thinking:


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Del









Sunday, September 11, 2016

IT IS OK TO FIRE A VOLUNTEER

IF SOMEONE JUST CANNOT FIT IN; FIRE THEM!


By Del Albright

The purpose of this note is to reassure you that it is OK to fire a volunteer when all your efforts to help them fit in, or fix a behavioral issue are just not working out.

There is no law, or anything to stop you from firing a volunteer.

Now please do not get me wrong, our first choice should always be to give a person a chance.  But sometimes a volunteer just cannot meet simple expectations or objectives, and they cause more damage than any good they might do.  You are left with no choice but to fire them!

The worst thing you can do for your organization or group is to let a problem volunteer build negativism or destructive behavior that ruins any good you might be tying to accomplish. In volunteerism, good people will leave faster than you can imagine when a negative loud mouth starts taking unjustified pot shots at the leadership.

We all know that most of our volunteer efforts are driven by egos and personalities.  That is just the way of humankind.  But all volunteers should remember that our efforts need to be directed at the problems, and not usually at an individual.  In other words, name-calling and silliness in public places that cast dispersion and ruin a group are just unnecessary and should not be tolerated.  Fire them!

A good volunteer leader should always set expectations and objectives for being on the team or in the group.  When those are violated, you point it out to the person and help them find a way to get back on track.  However, if that is not possible, you just have to send them packing.  If you wait too long or let it fester, you will loose other good volunteers.

The key to good leadership has always been, in my thinking, setting expectations. Here is more on setting Expectations: http://delalbright.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-to-succeed-in-volunteerism-and.html

It is my hope you never have to fire a volunteer; but when and if you do, do it before they ruin your group or your efforts.
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Del








Sunday, August 28, 2016

PACK IT OUT EVEN IF NOT YOURS

PICKING UP AFTER OTHERS IS JUST A NECESSARY EVIL


Some people have no manners and just do not get it.


By Del Albright


Keeping our backcountry open sometimes means getting our hands dirty -- even with other people's trash. It's ugly; it seems unnecessary; and it certainly isn't fair.  But as good stewards of our public lands, sometimes we just need to stop and clean up someone else's mess.

I think there must be a place where some inconsiderate people are born in a barn and raised by monkeys without manners or consideration of our great country. Thank goodness for clubs like the Mile-Hi Jeep Club and their famous event All-4-Fun in Colorado every year where good stewards like Matt Hiller and Cory Moul lead land use clean up runs every day of the event. (snown in pic above).


Every off-pavement recreation group advocates taking care of our public lands and waterways; and packing out your trash (and sometimes even your human waste).  Unfortunately the idiot behavior of some of our fellow humans does not get this message and we must clean up after them like the children they are.  More often than not, I am cleaning up after people who are not even motorized recreationists; they are just tourists or visitors with sloppy life habits.




Please do your part.  Pack it out.  
thanks, Del


Thursday, August 25, 2016

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR (OFF-ROAD) COWBOYS ANYMORE

The Days of Running Free and Riding Off Into the Sunset Are Only For the Movies!

But Freedoms Still Exist and We Need to Keep Them.


By Del Albright


This story is about off-pavement motorized recreation and how the "cowboy" claim to fame of riding free is just not real anymore.  Not for us as people who put a motor rather than an horse under us.

Now please don't get me wrong, there is a ton of "freedom" built into what we do; but in today's world we cannot behave like riding and roping cowboys on public land and expect to have a "horse" under us much longer.  By that I simply mean we must follow the rules, obey the laws, be good stewards, and set the example for the younger folks behind us.

I also pray (literally) that we will always have real cowboys on ranches, doing real horse riding, roping and cattle driving.  I also fight for and work hard to help make sure cattle grazing on public lands continues to be a viable lifestyle.  But here I speak of motorized recreation and how the "cowboy" in us must be corralled.



While it would be hard for me to argue the point that we might have too much big government in some circumstances, there are just some rules we need to follow when you are on the throttle or gas pedal.  And if we follow them, and be part of developing them by getting involved, then we can keep our motors running and our "horses" fed.

It still boils down to all of us doing our part; joining organizations that make sense to us; being good stewards of the lands (and waters) we enjoy; obeying the rules; and setting the example for others who also want to enjoy our great backcountry by motor.

NOTE: for a good example of a recreation code of ethics, see what BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails has to offer: http://archive.sharetrails.org/node/14768

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Friday, August 5, 2016

HELPING HANDS BUILDING BRIDGES IN VOLUNTEERISM


The Spirit of Cooperation Through Helping Hands

Is the Solution to Successful Volunteerism and a Better Future for All


By Del Albright

Volunteer efforts from churches to charities to clubs and organizations must engage the concept of "helping hands" in order to build better bridges to a successful future. That was the theme of a recent talk I gave at an off-road/four-wheeling event in Empire, CO (August 1, 2016) called All-4-Fun conducted by the Mile-Hi Jeep Club of Denver, CO.

Too many volunteer efforts fall apart because of egos, personalities, bickering or even jealousy.  Turf battles take over meetings and conversations.  People drop out right and left and find something else to do -- or another club/place to do whatever it is you were doing. It has to stop if the effort is to survive at all.


The best solution is to encourage everyone involved to use their "helping hands" to save the cause; keep the sport alive; or the charity strong; or the trails open, by working together to build a bridge that will get everyone to a better future.

To build a "bridge" each person uses the strengths they have to "lift" and install the part they are assigned, then turn and help the person next to them do the same.  With everyone using their "helping hands" the bridge is quickly built in a team effort that helps everyone achieve a better future.

I would hope that everyone would share the spirit of cooperation and helping hands to amplify the effect of all of us in one cause, working towards a common goal, whatever that may be....for sure, in my off-pavement motorized recreation world, that would be more trails saved and open, and a stronger future for all of us with a bridge that cannot be torn down!

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Monday, July 11, 2016

DON AMADOR JOINS HALL OF FAME


Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee Don Amador.

Don joins class of 2016



Really, seriously proud of my Sharetrails/BRC team mate, Don Amador for being inducted into the 2016 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame with a distinguished list of inductees.  Wow, what an honor!  And Don is deserving as he has devoted the majority of his adult life to motorsports and keeping them alive and well, with access and opportunities for all.



Don the politician, who knows the insider tricks to keeping trails open.

Don the rider....gettin' it done on the trails, for the trails, for all of us.


Learn more about Don's sound/noise work at Quiet Warrior Racing where quiet is cool:


And more at the General's Recreation Headquarters here:


More about Don's induction, and the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame here:
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Honored to work with and know Don as my friend,
Del



Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Green Wheeling

GREEN WHEELING

By Del Albright, Albright Enterprises

(Re-posted from BlueRibbon Coalition Magazine, Issue #4, 2016)

I don’t want you to frown at the title of this article and think that I am going to suggest you recycle your toilet paper or any other extremist radical-enviro malarkey, because that’s not the case.  

What I do suggest is that we all love four-wheeling and going the places we go, seeing the things we see.  But we don’t enjoy seeing a pile of trash left behind or some idiot getting off trail and tearing up the countryside.  “Green” wheeling is actually an acronym as well as a concept that help solve these problems. 

Admittedly, I have some “green” concepts that make full sense to me and what I leave behind for younger folks, such as 1) conserving and using our resources wisely; 2) keeping our outdoors clean; 3) cutting back on waste a bit; 4) using common sense to reduce air and water pollution; 5) making America more energy self-sufficient; and 6) curtailing illegal and outlaw behavior on public lands and water ways.

So when it comes to four-wheeling, here’s my suggestion for “GREEN.”
G = Get serious about land use.
R = Read the riot act to outlaws.  (or Read from the Good Book?)
E = Educate yourself and others.
E = Eradicate trail trash.Whee
 = Never be the drip.

Getting serious about land use means three things: JOIN, DONATE and VOLUNTEER. Join everything you can afford to join, including national, regional, state and local clubs/associations that make sense to what you believe in.  Donate (beyond membership) at tax return time or when you have some extra cash.  And volunteer your time and energy at least a few times a year to those causes/groups doing what you know makes a difference.

Read the riot act to outlaws means not letting someone tear up your recreational opportunities and trails. Ask them to stop; show them the error of their ways; or just report them (with pictures) to the nearest law enforcement authority.  If there is a trail patrol or trail watch program, be a part of that.  STOP the outlaws, AND the ill-informed from ruining our future.




Educate yourself and others on good trail behavior such as theBlueRibbon Coalition Recreation Code of Ethics and Tread Lightly principles.  Carry handouts and freely offer ideas to others on how we can keep our trails open by “doing it right.”

Eradicate trail trash is just that – carry a trash bag and pack out more than you brought in.  Set the example for others and stop and pick up that can alongside the trail when so many others may have driven by it. Proudly display your trash bag and fill it up as often as you can!  Clean up messy left-behind camp fire rings, even those you did not create.

Never be the drip and set the example for having a rig that does not leave a fluid trail or sit and drip in camp. Maintain and fix your 4x4 so it doesn’t pollute the trail.  Fix your muffler; tighten up hoses; replace seals; and stop any fluid leaks on the trail.


If we all practice this idea of Green Wheeling, our trails will be in better shape than ever, our image will improve immensely with those who watch us (or even don’t like us), and our future will be brighter.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Moab Easter Safari Underway

EASTER SAFARI MOAB, UT
It's About Freedom

By Del Albright

The 50th Annual Moab Easter Safari is underway this week and wow, is town hopping.  No matter what you wheel or drive, Moab and the surrounding incredible scenery represents a lot of what our motorized sport is about.

While the town itself and some of the businesses may be confused about who brings the money to this small town, four-wheelers are not!  We explode the local economy and bring more focus than any other activity to this Utah community.

And it's about freedom.  Taking a drive around the red rock country, or challenging your rig in some big rocks, Moab area has it all. And the freedom to do this adventuring is what we love.  Unfortunately that freedom is always under attack by, as Stacie my wife says, exclusionary elitists who would rather not have rubber tires anywhere on the red rocks.  I say let's tell them to pound sand!

There are several groups fighting to keep Moab motorized trails alive and well for us all.  BUT it takes all of us doing our part -- whatever your part is in this tangled web of politics, meetings, letters and fight back efforts, you MUST be doing your part if you love Moab for four-wheeling.

I recommend you realize that all fights for trails begin at the top -- Washington DC and national politicians.  So being a part of national groups like BlueRibbon Coalition and United Four Wheel Drive Associations is essential to saving our sport -- from the top down.  Then also join regional, state and local groups that make sense to you and that you see fighting for your freedoms.  WE MUST BELONG and be counted to make a difference.

JOIN and get your name on those rosters of enthusiasts who are really doing something and not just being virtual where your name (and voice) never really shows up.  Take another step and BUY only from businesses in our sport who are doing the same and are on the land use team.

It's about freedom; Easter Safari in Moab represents that freedom.  Go have fun; but BE part of the solution.
Del
BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador, http://www.sharetrails.org



Monday, February 15, 2016

TDS Desert Safari News 2016

TDS New Location; New Fun; Huge Raffle; and New Obstacle Course


This year TDS Desert Safari is located down the road 8 miles east of the old location at the Training Area. CA State Parks are not issuing permits this year so don't blame the club for the move. 2016 Safari HQ is at Johnson's Landing,  a private RV park facility.


There is limited dry camping north of the HQ. Camping and normal recreation (that doesn’t require a permit) is still available on the State Park lands. TDS club folks are building an obstacle course at the new HQ, complete with a mud pit. And, as a bonus this year Johnson’s Landing will have a BEER GARDEN for your enjoyment. 



Let’s not forget the Fireworks Show! The club promises it will be LOUD and in-your-face fun this year. Finally, our famous Raffle is now up to $150,000.

One more note: as you get close to camp, dial your radio to FM 99.9 to hear the club broadcasting directions/information about the new HQ.




And with so many new folks coming to TDS Desert Safari these days, the club has established some “rules” around HQ/camp to ensure we all have a great time.

See Headquarters/camp rules here: http://www.delalbright.com/tds_rules2.pdf

For more on TDS and the Desert Safari, visit: http://www.tds4x4.com


On behalf of the club,

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Up-Purpose Your Volunteerism

Purposeful Volunteerism: Pushing Beyond Holding Our Ground

Only by escalating to more offensive strategies will we win the battles for access.

 By Del Albright, Ambassador Sharetrails.Org/BRC

Do not just volunteer; but rather up-purpose your volunteerism! In today’s world when we are all torn in many directions by multiple jobs, kid’s school games, community involvement, paying bills, family commitments and more, we must stop wasting our precious volunteer time.  Too many of us have become trapped into the status quo of losing ground in the long run.  Herein I will explain purposeful volunteerism and how we need to push beyond just holding our ground when it comes to access to responsible motorized recreation.

First of all, we must embrace the concept “think globally; act locally.”  If you want to up-purpose your volunteer time, I suggest you always consider the big picture before you invest your time.  Ask yourself, “in the big scheme of things, will this project I’m about to undertake make a difference worth my time invested?”  If it will, then do it.  If it won’t, then don’t do it  – find something better to do with your volunteer time.  But it must start with a serious and purposeful consideration of the global picture – the overall future of motorized recreation in America.




Working Association Events:  Yes, I believe that working (volunteering) at state association or club events does make a difference in the long run to the big picture.  When the event is geared towards raising funds to help the association/club accomplish its mission, you are helping the global cause by being involved.   The extent of your involvement is not as important as the purpose of your commitment.  If all you can do is run the sign-in table at convention, which frees up other people to do more complicated jobs, then smile proud and do your job!  You are helping the global cause.

Curing Toenail Fungus:  No, I don’t think investing my discretionary off road time and money into curing fungus among us is the right way to be a purposeful volunteer for motorized recreation.  Even if you do cure the fungus, you’ll be lucky to get a 1/16 page blurb in the newspaper and a fleeting thank you in some newsletter/website that people might remember for a week.  You will not be curing our loss of lands and access with this supposed image-enhancing effort.  The trick here is to invest your time in events and causes that MOSTLY support off-road recreation and also to a smaller extent support a feel-good cause.  There are exceptions to every "rule" and please don't be offended if you are supporting or working one of those events dedicated to a particular cause that really makes sense to you.



Being a Club or Organization Leader:  Yes, for sure I believe that taking on a leadership role in a club or association is a key factor in being purposeful in your volunteer efforts.  The entire motorized world does not have enough people with the time to invest in being a leader.  So if that is you, jump all over it and do it with gusto – but also do it with the global picture always forefront in your mind.  Ask yourself, for example, if being part of an ego squabble is the right way to protect our access future? Play your own “devil’s advocate” and challenge the actions you are taking or about to take.  Will your next step really help the big picture – are you being purposeful in your volunteerism?  As a leader, this is a key component to inspiring others to do the same.  When you can influence the actions, beliefs and productivity of several other volunteers, then you have become an unstoppable force in the future of motorized access.



Taking it to Court:  Only by escalating to more offensive strategies will we win the battles for access.  This means we need a war chest that will allow us to take it to court when needed –to go legal and go strong!  Those who oppose our way of life have the funds and legal teams to file lawsuits at the drop of a hat. They tie up land management agencies in fearful legal engagements and threats that tie up our access in the meantime and many times in the long run.  We must get ahead of this curve and be preemptive where needed. Donating to legal efforts like those of the BlueRibbon Coalition is the primary thing we can all do to take it to the next level – or at least be willing, prepared and able to go on the offensive.

Joining and Donating:  There is nothing more fundamental to up-purposing your involvement than joining, renewing or donating to everything you can afford that helps protect recreational motorized access.  If you do nothing else, an on-going donation program or an annual contribution on top of your renewing memberships is globally significant!  We must unite our voices and build our access forces, as well as our war chests if we are to win these battles.

JOIN  --  VOLUNTEER --  DONATE --  SUPPORT

Summary:  Continually ask yourself if you are making progress to the global picture, or just staying trapped in the status quo of losing ground.  Remember to be purposeful in your volunteer efforts by investing your time where the payback is worth it to the big picture of keeping our access to responsible motorized recreation.  And let’s go beyond just holding our ground! 

More on ShareTrails.Org/BRC legal program:  http://www.sharetrails.org


More on volunteer/leader training: http://www.rltc.biz
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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

NATIONAL AND STATE-LEVEL COOPERATION AND COMMUNICATION -- NAMRC

 HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS DO WE NEED?

WHAT IS NAMRC?

By Del Albright

Originally published 1998; re-published with additions January 2016


 I had my new TJ Jeep hung up and somewhat wounded in a “crack” in Moab not too long ago, about to get out the duct tape and bailing wire, when a couple dirt bikers came by.  They saw my delimma (mechanically disadvantaged that I can be at times) and stopped their bikes to watch the show.   I was grunting and moaning and shaking my head like a guy who must know what he’s doing.  They smiled, pulled off their helmets, and settled in for a long show.



Well, the gist of it is, they were not only mechanically knowledgeable, but also very helpful.  I gave up on the duct tape and got out the Hi-Lift jack.  Between the jack, a few tools I had, the trusty winch on the front of “C UN RD” (Seeing Red), and the three of us, we got the Jeep out in no time and back on the trail. 

As we stood around and celebrated our engineering feat, I told them how much I appreciated their stopping to help.  I don’t remember the guy’s name, but he did have an AMA (American Motorcycle Association) sticker on his bike.  But his comment to me has stuck with me (get it, stuck?) until this day.  He said: “Hey, pard, all trail users gotta stick together!”  Boy, ain’t that the truth?

Well, sticking together means more than just helping each other out on the trail.  We’ve got to band together politically as well in order to keep our trails open for all to use.  The importance of this cannot be over-stated.  All motorized users need to come to the realization that the only cure to resisting the current trend to close everything, is to band together in a unified multiple use voice.

When the radical enviro-protectionists say they want public land closed to motorized use, they aren’t just talking about four wheelers.  In fact, if it’s got a motor or a mechanized way of motating (like a mountain bike), they want it OFF of public lands.  Heck, this even applies to quiet forms of transportation like horses in some areas.  In other words, if you’re not doing it on foot, some folks would just as soon have you not do it!

So what’s the solution?  Well, in my opinion, it means dirt bikers, four wheelers, snowmobilers, ATVers, equestrians, and anyone else who wants public lands open to their recreation (and their children) MUST come together to the same table.



Yes, you’re saying, the Blue Ribbon Coalition is just such a group.  And BRC does one heck of a great job of being political activists on a national level.  They are one organization I think we should all belong too because they are activists for multiple use.  We also have many fine, and very effective national/regional/state organizations fighting similar battles.  But until now, no such group existed that brings us all together at the leadership level just to share information, set common strategies, identify common battles, and unify our efforts back within our parent organizations.  I say no such group; because this group I’m talking about has no dues, no structure, and no members. 



NAMRC, the North American Motorized Recreation Council is just such a group.  It is a coalition of national leaders who come together like Knights of the Round Table, to share, inform, exchange ideas, develop strategies to common problems and unify the efforts of all motorized recreation.  At first, NAMRC was four-wheel drive oriented, with leaders from all over the nation gathering at a common table.  It didn’t take but two meetings for the realization to set in that NAMRC needed to include all forms of motorized trail use.  That’s the key to the future.  All of is working together, getting the most out of our individual and group efforts.

Many folks have contributed to the initiation of this Council.  Leadership from the East Coast Four Wheel Drive Association suggested a similar 4wd council years ago.  I started the Land Use Network (LUN) as an email version of this very same idea back in 1994.  Leaders from national snowmobile groups have kicked around this idea in the last year.  So we’re all saying the same thing.  Let’s get together a few times a year and unify our efforts.  Rest assured, this group, NAMRC, steals no members from any organization.  It is merely a collection of leaders of already existing groups.  And the activist’s activities that we do STILL take place within our parent organizations. 

At the last meeting of NAMRC in Las Vegas on Nov. 4th, 1998, it was resolved to include leadership from all forms of motorized recreation on our council. As of now, we’re inviting many new groups, from all forms of motorized trail use, to join our group.  If your organization would like to participate in NAMRC (2 meetings a year), then contact me or any of our supporting participants.

Tom Crimmins and myself are the NAMRC facilitators for the meetings.  We make sure notes are taken and the group stays on track with the meeting.  It’s a very productive gathering.    I take a little personal pride in the fact that it was through the LUN (neutral, no dues, non member stealing group that it is) that I was able to get all the major four-wheel drive leaders to the first meeting in Vegas back in November 1997.  Back then we called it the Meeting of the Minds (MOM).    It took the help of a lot of folks networking on the phone and email to get us started, but once we hit the ground, we hit it running. 



NAMRC has now taken its place in the world of trail use coordination/cooperation.  Leaders from all sorts of groups will be involved and helping to build an Action Plan to take back to our parent organizations to fight to keep public lands available and open to the public.   Our parent organizations still have the option how much they want to be included; but the handwriting is on the wall.  We all want the same things.

Here is the adopted MISSION of NAMRC: an alliance of many organizations that accomplishes many purposes to include: facilitate communications; share information, expertise and resources to enhance unity; and help the organized motorized recreation community and other interested groups become more effective in their efforts to maintain, improve and expand opportunities and experiences in our many forms of recreation.

 The future is now.  Please offer the support of your organization/interest to ensure the success of NAMRC.  We can make a difference.   Can you imagine the strength of all motorized recreation groups banding together to unite our battles against those who oppose our form of recreation?  Stand by radical protectionists, there’s a new kid on the block with a big (and effective) mouth!!

Feel free to write or email if you have any questions or concerns.
Del Albright
NAMRC Facilitator, www.namrc.com


AFTER NOTE:
We later, as a group, established this foundation:

PURPOSE: The NAMRC group proclaimed the strengths and resources of NAMRC to be:
·         Sharing of Newsletters and information
·         Ability to collaborate and do fund-raising events
·         Developing equipment manufacturing relationships
·         Regional Networking
·         Volunteer force building
·         Web page sharing and development
·         Youth Program sharing, ideas and development
·         Core workshops for volunteers
·         Internet mailing lists
·         Ability to transfer and share knowledge and resources
·         Legislative and regulatory tracking
·         Building a cadre of youthful leadership
·         Ability to monitor CFR and Distribute Information
·         Able to tap into Dedicated Executive Boards
·         Special Event participation
·         Affiliations with Peterson media (at the time)
·         Training and other materials/resources from groups like                        NOHVCC and BlueRibbon Coalition
·         Sharing of experienced competitive infrastructure, safety and       sanctioning
·         Lobbying expertise and ideas.


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Del