JOHNSON VALLEY EIS NEEDS OUR VOICE NOW

We need every off-roader to participate in a targeted outreach. One phone call or fax a day is all we ask. Talking points can be found below. Contact name is underlined. Congress is on recess this week, they should be in the District Office. Every off-roader must participate!

THINK of this as 7 days to save the Hammers (and Johnson Valley).  

The US Marine Corps has posted the final EIS on their website here: http://www.marines.mil/unit/29palms/las/Pages/default.aspx

USMC Preferred Alternative:
Alternative 6 was selected in the DEIS as the preferred alternative and slightly modified in the Final EIS: it is the optimal alternative for the Marine Corps considering operational and environmental impact factors together. Developed in response to public comments it was designed to rpeserve public access to important off-road recreation areas during periods when MEB training did not require use of those lands. The Preferred Alternative would allow for reopening to public recreation use approximately 40,000 acres of the acquisition area for ten months a year. The land would fall under management of the Marine Corps under this proposed plan.

More here on Cal4's site:  http://www.cal4wheel.com/

Save the Hammers and Johnson Valley Now!

This video about The Hammers and Johnson Valley tells the story.  We need your help now.



VISIT:  SaveTheHammers.org and help us keep this awesome OHV area in OUR hands.

JOHSON VALLEY (HAMMERS) LESS ATTRACTIVE TO NEW MARINES?

POST WAR MARINES MORE "MARINE" FOCUSED AND LESS LAND-BASED?

My access partner, Don Amador ran a blog about the new Marines and how they are more focused on ocean/marine issues in the future. So maybe they will leave Johnson Valley alone because like we've said all along, THEY DON'T NEED IT.

Check out his blog with more links and see how we might be winning this battle here:
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/

NAMRC Supports CAMRC to Save Johnson Valley, CA

SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY and the HAMMERS

 October 31^st, yesterday, the North American Recreation Council, NAMRC, in Las Vegas, NV in conjunction with SEMA,  made Johnson Valley and the Hammers a top priority action item.  NAMRC will basically follow the lead of CAMRC (the Calif. Motorized Recreation Council), and provide national support of JV efforts.  Whatever letter-writing, donations and action items that CAMRC puts together for a Strategic Plan, NAMRC will follow suite and jump in with national organizational support to fight for Johnson Valley.  This is SWEET news to those who love this unique place – and ask that the Marines go someplace else for whatever training needs they might have.

More on NAMRC on Cal4wheel’s website here: http://www.namrc.com

More on the “Hammers” and the Hammerdown email list at http://www.savethehammers.com

(NAMRC is hosted by SEMA every year; facilitator provided by BlueRibbon Coalition)

##

King of the Hammers Team Challenge Contest (open to all)

 Landuse and Access will be have two featured activities at the 2011 Griffin King of the Hammers.  Please share the info with anyone who might be attending KOH.
Thanks, Del Albright

King of the Hammers Team Challenge – Best Prepared Trail Rig
Applications Due by Tuesday Feb. 8th  - OPEN to KOH Participants and Spectators

EVENT: Wednesday Feb. 9th 6pm, Main Stage Hammer Town.
HOSTED by Del Albright, BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador; Cal4 EA Coordinator; Access Army Grand Poobah
 

5 teams (at least) will be selected to participate.  4x4’s and Side-x-Side (UTV) rigs. Any team of up to four (4) folks can compete.  It’s all for fun and a little fame, with a cool trophy from Raceline Wheels for the winning team.  Also, several businesses have stepped up to provide swag, goodies, and freebies to participants and the audience.

HOW it WORKS:  Put together a Team of your friends or club members who can be at the event on Wednesday Feb. 8th in time to compete at 6pm. This is a treasure hunt for goodies used on a trail ride.  No driving necessary.  Rigs will be parked.

Team Challenge Details:
Wednesday night Feb. 8th at 6pm, Main Stage, Hammer Town.
It will be a TEAM challenge and not just a CLUB challenge. However clubs can be a team. 4 folks max per rig; best prepared trail type rig; treasure hunt of things IN and ON the vehicle. Good lookin' chicks for judges (and a few old guys). In front of the crowd. 

LUCKY PARTICIPANTS WILL BE DRAWN (and notified) Tuesday night Feb. 8th during the Land Use Workshop hosted by Del Albright.
Team Challenge participants will be posted in the KOH main booth.
Team Challenge rigs must be near the stage by 5:30pm, Wed. Feb. 9th, and checked in with John Stewart, Cal4 Resource Consultant.

 Ok, there have to be rules, so here they are:
No trailers; items must be in or on the vehicle the whole time.  You have to dig for everything.
All participants must be in a safe condition to play the game.
Fastest time to the judges with the proper item AS described by the emcee; it’s important to retrieve exactly what is called out.
No dangerous things like large metal objects or spare tires will be asked for.  Safety briefing will precede Challenge.
Non-street legal as well as street legal rigs are ok, INCLUDING UTV’s (sidexside).

How to APPLY:
Apply online/email by sending the following information to del@delalbright.com; or bring the info filled out hard copy to KOH and hand it in at the KOH Merchandise Booth, or to the Raceline Wheels booth, or bring it to the Land Use Seminar Tuesday.    All applications must be in before the Land Use Seminar Tuesday night, 6pm – that is when we’ll draw the participants.

Please provide the following information (don’t worry if you don’t have your whole team assembled until you get there; we can add their names then).
TEAM MEMBER NAMES:
TEAM MEMBER CLUBS and ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
RIG: (year, make model, type)
TEAM NAME: (make one up if you don’t have one yet).
BRIEFLY Describe what Team Members have done for landuse and access efforts:
Describe why your team should be selected:

Email Del for any more information or questions:  del@delalbright.com
More about King of the Hammers at http://www.ultra4racing.com/

BFGoodrich Tires Winning Streak at Hammers

I'm pimping this because BFGoodrich Tires is also setting the example nationwide for businesses helping to keep our sport alive and our trails open. BFG is doing more than any company I know of, on many fronts, including the racing field, but also Outstanding Trails program, support for BlueRibbon Coalition with tire sales on off-road tires, magazine adds to support land use organizations and many other helpful donations to raffles.  They just plain ROCK in my book.

Del
##

BFGoodrich Tires Continues King of the Hammers Win Streak;

Claims Top 11 Positions

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Feb. 16, 2010 – BFGoodrich® Tires once again reigns supreme as it remains to be the only tire manufacturer to come out on top at the challenging King of the Hammers. More than 30,000 fans witnessed Loren Healy take home the coveted scepter this past weekend at the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers. Healy, along with co-driver Rodney Woodey, became the only team to take the checkered flag after qualifying at the 4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier earlier in the week.

Winning 667 buggy driven by Loren Healy.  Photo credit: Harry Situations

Healy and Woodey, who started the race in the 53rd position, battled through the difficult terrain of Johnson Valley, Calif. and conquered the 135-mile loop course in 6 hours 57 minutes and 53 seconds. Of the 100 competitors that started the race, only 43 finished, 34 of which chose to run the ultimate desert-and-rock race on BFGoodrich tires.

Healy’s winning rig was equipped with 39” BFGoodrich Krawler™ T/A®KX tires, which are designed for unprecedented grip on extreme rocks, mud and dirt.

“These BFGoodrich Krawlers are unbelievable,” said Healy at the finish line. “I have always competed on BFGoodrich tires and this is the reason why. The pit support, the onsite support and the tires are the reason why I choose BFGoodrich.”

Team BFGoodrich driver Brad Lovell barely missed out on the win, finishing only 28 seconds behind Healy. Lovell and co-driver Bill Kunz chose 37” BFGoodrich Baja T/A®KRT tires while third place finisher Derek West and co-driver Jason Henne chose 39” BFGoodrich Baja T/AKRT tires, which are designed specifically for rock racing and King of the Hammers.


“We can’t thank BFGoodrich Tires enough,” said Lovell. “They're the greatest tire and you can see that because the top 11 finishers in this race were on BFGoodrich tires.”

“Having the first 11 teams and 80 percent of the finishers who come across the finish line on BFGoodrich tires not only continues to prove the extreme capability of our product, but also shows that winners choose BFGoodrich,” said Roberts Kukainis, Motorsports Manager, BFGoodrich Tires. “Healy’s determination to qualify for the big race at the Last Chance Qualifier and then go on to conquer all 135 punishing miles is an incredible story. Congratulations to him and his team.”

In addition to being the official tire for King of the Hammers, BFGoodrich Tires provided pit and communications support to teams through its fleet of off-road motorsports vehicles. This immense undertaking involved more than 40 off-road enthusiasts and volunteers who donate their time to help BFGoodrich support the organization of King of the Hammers. BFGoodrich also introduced a new 42” off-road racing tire at the event.

BFGoodrich Tires hosted an on-site media hospitality center during the event. Located immediately opposite from tech and contingency and next to the start/finish line, the hospitality center allowed media to cover the race while enjoying complimentary snacks and beverages. Race tracking and updates in the media hospitality center were provided by Pirate4x4.com.

Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally, and extreme rock-crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires online at www.bfgoodrichtires.com

###
Media Contacts: Tonya Polydoroff

864-458-4511

tonya.polydoroff@us.michelin.com
David Gordon
949-223-2314
David.gordon@hillandknowlton.com

BlueRibbon Travels and Southwest Crawlfest

Reporting from the road -- we are in Las Vegas today, headed over to King of the Hammers shortly.
In the meantime, we have to report that this new event we attended, Southwest Crawlfest, was an absolute four-wheeling DREAM.  We had a ball, gained several new BlueRibbon members, hooked up with great folks, talked trail-saving by the hours, and found some marvelous trails.

The trails wove in and out of red rock domes like you find in Moab, UT.  In fact, in many ways this place rivals Moab.  Plus it's a State Park OHV Area with tons of obstacles and trails to challenge all types of rigs.

The event started Friday am with a driver's meeting, safety briefing, and introductions.  I heard there were 320 rigs signed up that were spread out over 11 trails.  AWESOME.

 Big Sarge was there for Utah 4Wheel Drive Association along with other members.  Many land use groups were there as well, because the Crawlfest donates most all their proceeds to help keep our trails open.  Another AWESOME.  BlueRibbon Coalition is one of their primary recipients of donations. 

The trails offered runs for everything from SUV to buggy.  It was a blast for sure with beautiful weather.

You can see the trails were mostly up on the red rim rocks above Warner Valley outside St. George, Utah and just spectacular scenery.

After Crawlfest we moved over to Kanab, UT to link up with some BRC members and members of the Canyon Country 4x4 Club who built Hog Canyon OHV Trail System.  We got snowed out of seeing very much of the trail, but had a lot of fun getting out in the area and visiting with the local folks.

We did manage to get in a quick trip to Page, AZ to see a slot canyon.  Enough said.

Next stop, Hammertown for King of the Hammers.

Del

King of the Hammers Race Driver WANTED! Apply now.

Simple question: "Do you want to drive in the Griffin Radiators King of the Hammers race in a fully sponsored race vehicle?"

No, I'm not joking! If you haven't been paying attention, Pirate4x4.com is giving away the driver's seat to a fully prepped 500 horsepower race buggy for the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers race!

The Pirate4x4.com - MFS race buggy is currently being prepped at Motorsport Fabrication Services for this unbelievable opportunity. You can check it out here - http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=828024



So what's the catch? No real catch, you just have to reply to this thread (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=827246) on Pirate4x4.com and tell us why in 500 words or less, why you think you should be chosen to drive the Pirate4x4.com - MFS buggy in King of the Hammers. Oh yeah, and you have to be a red or yellow star member. But you've already got that part covered!

The winning person will get the following:

• A free entry into the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers

• A fully prepped race vehicle to drive in KOH

• Pre run time to learn the vehicle and the terrain

• A full pit crew

• All the logistics handled - just show up and race!

Nothing like this has ever been done before. It truly is a dream giveaway!

All entries must be submitted by December 25th, 2009 Pirate4x4.com users will begin voting for their favorite of the top 5 January 1st, 2010. Voting will close February 1st, 2010 and WE WILL HAVE A DRIVER!

Winner must be in Johnson Valley by February 8th, 2010.

Johnson Valley (and Hammers) Letters Needed

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

SEND A LETTER TO HELP SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

The Marine Base at Twentynine Palms is considering expanding because they claim to need more room for training purposes. The proposed expansion could functionally close most, if not all, of the Johnson Valley OHV Area. In order for the Marines to expand the base they need to go through a public process called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In NEPA, it is very important that the OHV community submit letters during this scoping process requesting the Department of the Navy analyze impacts they feel would be made by the proposed project and to offer alternatives. Now is the time when we can have an impact on the proposed project. The deadline for submitting these comments is January 31, 2009.

Get the whole story and letter details here (download/read the BRC Alert in WORD)

http://www.delalbright.com/Access/jv_hammers-letter.doc

Thanks for your help in continuing to save the Hammers and Johnson Valley,

Del

Help Save Johnson Valley and the “Hammers”

Help Save Johnson Valley!

Attend Public Scoping Meeting on

Proposed Marine Base Expansion

Working together everyone can help save Johnson Valley. However, your participation in the public decision making process is critical. You can help save Johnson Valley by attending one of the three Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base expansion scoping meetings. Just walking through the door of one of the meetings to ask questions and gather information sends a loud and powerful message that the future use of Johnson Valley by the public is important to you!

Meeting Dates

December 3, 2008, 5 p.m to 9 p.m., Twentynine Palms, CA (Twentynine Palms Junior High, Hay's Gym, 5798 Utah Trail, Twentynine Palms, CA)
December 4, 2008, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Victorville, CA (Hilton Garden Inn Victorville, 12603 Mariposa Road, Victorville, CA)
December 5, 2008, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Ontario, CA (Convention Center, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA)

Read more about the Marines wanting to take over Johnson Valley (including "the Hammers") here:

http://www.delalbright.com/Access/hammers_meeting_08.html

Thanks, Del