RUBICON TRAIL 2006 - THE HISTORY OF WHAT A YEAR!

 Rubicon Trail Roundup 2006 – What a Year!

By Del Albright, 2006 Trail Boss, Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR)

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This article brings back and records some history of the famous Rubicon Trail and the Friends of the Rubicon).

 With nearly 20,000 documented hours of volunteer work time since 2001, the Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR) has set new records for keeping a trail alive and well!  2006 was another spectacular year, with our final work weekend being August 19-20, with 80 volunteers hard at work.

 FOTR started in 2001 when a rumor hit the Internet that a gate was going up on the Tahoe side. We said NO GATE, and FOTR launched full-blown into history to save the trail and keep it OUR trail.

 Since then, FOTR has grown to be the strongest and most active volunteer force imaginable, with a substantial amount of political clout. With no dues and only one meeting a year, people are amazed at what FOTR can do. Every year, we achieve new heights in projects, management,, and involvement.

 2006 was one of our best years yet.  In June we had two major work weekends.  One weekend in July, we worked extensively on the Tahoe side.  And in August, we had our big work weekend to develop erosion control measures on and near Walker Hill of the Rubicon Trail.  Projects included the construction of a log bridge with rock abutments, closed-off bypasses, a log ramp built at the base of the hill, construction of erosion measure water bars, and general trail maintenance.

 We ended the work day with a huge Mexican food buffet sponsored by Hummer and put on for us by Robbs Resort (www.dorobbs.com).  Hummer has been a generous donor to the trail this year and holds the title as the first manufacturer to donate directly to the Rubicon Trail Foundation and FOTR.  They also hold first place for contributing workers to Rubicon Trail projects.  On the July work weekend, Hummer sent eight folks with strong backs to help us on the Tahoe side work day.  For the August work day Hummer of Sacramento (http://www.hummerofsacramento.com/en_US/) sent 5 strong backs. Thank you, Hummer!

  FOTR prides itself in getting the job done while having fun – and being productive.  Every task is clearly laid out and properly planned.  Every volunteer has a job and gets credit for the work they do.  We use the Recreational Incident Command System (RICS) as developed by the author to ensure our projects come off as organized, safe, and productive.  Most all team leaders within FOTR have had some sort of leadership training, either one of the author’s courses or some form of business leadership training.  It makes a difference to the end result.  After an FOTR project, people walk away feeling satisfied and productive.

 FOTR is truly a team effort.  By using specialized email networks and lists, we ensure communications are ongoing and thorough.  All opinions count.  There are no Robert’s Rules of Order, no formal bureaucratic structure, and no delegates.  With the help of www.pirate4x4.com, we share opinions and ideas on the Rubicon Trail Talk forum.  Anyone can chime in and help.

 We rely heavily on our Team Leaders and email network administrators to provide the leadership that is sorely needed in our sport. Each level of leadership provides clear expectations and objectives to those on their Team. For the most part, leadership is earned in FOTR—not given. FOTR folks earn their place in line by hard work and a demonstrated passion for helping. 

 In addition to FOTR, we have developed a separate 501.c3 non-profit educational foundation called the Rubicon Trail Foundation.  This Foundation intends to raise money and help support FOTR and the Rubicon Trail into the future.  Eventually, we hope to buy land as funds become available.  FOTR and the Foundation work hand in hand to keep the Rubicon Trail our icon of four-wheeling.

 There will be a few more projects in 2006, perhaps with short notice.  But stay tuned and check in often at the links below or visit the Rubicon Trail Talk on Pirate4x4.com.

 The prospects for a solid, lasting, well-maintained Rubicon Trail have never been better.

Please visit our websites to learn more:

www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/rubicon.htm

www.rubicontrail.org

www.friendsoftherubicon.com

(NOTE: FOTR and the Rubicon Trail Foundation are alive and well as of this writing, still saving the trail for access for all into the future).

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 MORE HELPFUL LINKS:

DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)

WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)

PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)

 More land use and volunteerism help here:

• MEETINGS:
• RUN A BETTER MEETING
• NEPA: 
• LEARN MORE ABOUT NEPA
• LETTERS: 
• WRITE A LETTER
• SPEECHES:  
•  GIVE A SPEECH
• FACILITATE: 
• LEARN TO FACILITATE MEETINGS
• CLUBS:
• WHY JOIN A CLUB
• CONVOYS:
• ORGANIZE A CONVOY
• JOIN:
• JOIN THE RIGHT GROUPS
• TRAINING:
• GET VOLUNTEER TRAINING
• LEAD:   
• LEAD VOLUNTEERS
• JOBS:  
• CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU

Friends Groups -- saving trails together -- How to.

I get asked often about saving trails with a "friends" type group (or coalition).  It's easy to do and very powerful.  Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR) is the most famous friends group in the country and the largest coalition ever formed to save just one trail -- the Rubicon Trail.  Here's why friends groups work so well.

Friends groups set aside club issues and bring everyone together under one banner.


Friends groups are usually multiple use (wheeling, dirt bikes, hunting, fishing, atv's, etc. and access in general).

Friends groups become the central point of contact for agency folks (USFS; BLM). It makes it easier for all of us to work together.

Friends groups become powerful proponents of public lands (quickly), recognized by the agencies as the folks to deal with!  Let alone that friends groups are the ones that get the work done.

Go here to learn more and see how (step by step) to start a friends group (or coalition) for your trail or riding area: http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/coalitions.htm

Del

Volunteer of the Year -- Friends of High Lakes

Friends of The High lakes received the Volunteer of the Year award for work in The High Lakes OHV area, for Region 5, California.


Friends of The High Lakes ( FOTHL ) has been organized since July 2007 as a 501(c)3 Public Benefit Corporation, to assist Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District with the OHV area known as The High Lakes. The area holds 16 lakes, and more than 50 miles of trails, including over 40 camp sites. The web site is:

http://www.friendsofthehighlakes.com/

In that effort, an Adopt-a-Trail Program, A Trail Patrol, and various Educational materials, including a map of the area were created and put into effect under written agreement for a 5 year period with USFS.

The main efforts have been in mitigation and repair of many areas that were in need of a lot of rock ( over 100 tons ) to prevent tire to mud contact, better signage, elimination of instances of leaving the trail, installing fire rings, with major help from and work being done by members of 9 local clubs.

The focus of FOTHL is to ensure the area remains a viable OHV area for use by all genre of motorized and non-motorized users, and offers terrain suitable for most vehicle types, with mild to very minor wild challenges. In doing so, the emphasis has been on Management, Maintenance, and Education.

The Ranger District saw fit to nominate FOTHL for the National Volunteer of the Year award.

While the national award went to another group in the US, FOTHL was honored to receive the Volunteer of the Year award for Region 5, which includes all of California, and the off-shore islands.

This award will be presented to the crew that is instrumental in ensuring the success of FOTHL at the semi-annual work party / clean up, on Saturday, September 26, at 9:00 AM at Spring Valley Lake, in conjunction with the third participation in National Public Lands Day.

The award will be presented by District Ranger, Al Vazquez; Resources Officer, Jane Goodwin; Recreation Officer, Michelle Ahern, and several other staff from the District.

FOTHL is extremely proud to have been selected for this honor, and 100% of the credit goes to each individual, and each club that has done an awesome job in making it happen.

After a briefing, and awards ceremony the entire crews will head out to take care of each of their individual pieces of the area. They will return to Spring Valley Lake at 4:30 for a raffle, and dinner provided by two more clubs and yet more outstanding volunteers.

All are very welcome to join us for the all-day event.
For further information contact Chairman, Ken Knull at (530) 873-2430 or ken@friendsofthehighlakes.com

Build a coalition; save a trail

Friends groups or coalitions are a significantly solid way to save your trail or riding area – especially where you need mixed uses working together. For example, if your riding area is used by dirt bikes, atv's and 4x4's, a Friends group (or coalition) is the way to go. This will save your trail in the long run. Folks have got to work together and find ways to cooperate in order to keep the anti-access crowd from shutting you down. I started Friends of the Rubicon 8 years ago and we've been saving the Rubicon ever since. We had to ban together for several reasons, but most importantly we also had to set aside club and organizational issues so we were all on the same team.

When you work under a Friends group banner, it's easy to set aside turf battles or disagreements, and get the job done together.

There are literally dozens of new Friends groups formed up all over the country recently. They are saving trails and winning land use battles. Some examples include Friends of Eldorado, Friends of Fordyce, Friends of Greenhorn, Friends of High Lakes, and many more. It WORKS! You become a much more powerful group when you include other groups, clubs and recreationists. Give it a shot. I'll be happy to help you get started.

Read more about the process on my web site right here: http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/coalitions.htm

Del