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Del Albright Speaks Out. Read

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  • Del Albright Speaks Out. Read

    A Call to Quills!
    (An Alternative to Closures)

    By Del Albright


    No more Mr. Nice Guy. I've had it! Our
    recreation is in serous jeopardy, I don't care
    what you ride. Whether a dirt bike, buggy, 4wd,
    ATV, PWC, sled, or wake skates behind a boat, WE
    are in trouble.

    I am writing this as me, Del. I am not claiming
    to represent any group or organization that I
    work for, represent or am a member of. This is
    from my guts telling me we had better change the
    way we’re doing business, or we're gonna lose our
    motors. I am getting firmer and staunched in my
    positions on land use and access. But we need an
    army of people getting in the game so our voice
    can be heard.

    Now I'm not playing Chicken Little here, either.
    The sky is not falling. But from my experience
    around the continent, the atmosphere is sure
    shaky. Tune in here and see what I think we need
    to do before it's just any further down the road,
    too late.

    To make a long, bring tears to your eyes, story
    short, this is the gist of the problem:
    1. Our image is so tainted we're an easy target
    for bad press and closures due to the few
    yeh-hoos and dip-wads out there.
    2. We deserve some of the bad press - we are not policing our own.
    3. By not showing up and speaking out as much as
    our opponents, we are the vast minority, under
    dog, get stepped on groups.
    4. We are a HUGE army waiting for the call to
    help manage our public lands, but we're not there
    in mass.
    5. We wait until the gate is up before we ask for help or get involved.

    Now with that in mind, I have some fixes. If
    you've read this far, I am HOPEFUL that you will
    do more than read. ACT. Act now. Get your
    friends to act. Do not take my gut instinct,
    based on 22 years in this business, lightly.
    Stand up and quit rolling over! Get aggressive
    and assertive about your recreation. Here's how
    in simple terms:

    FIRST: Let's clean up our web sites and bulletin
    boards where some people think they can talk like
    inmates and make us look like idiots. Clean them
    up now. Change the rules of posts if you're a
    moderator. Get rid of the idiot behavior and
    let's start showing some responsibility towards
    shaping our image. If you're posting to BBS's,
    then post like an adult. Get a private list
    somewhere if you need to launch out; but not
    where our opponents can see you.

    SECOND: if you're not a member of EVERYTHING you
    can afford to be, then you're not in the game all
    the way. JOIN every local, state, and regional
    organization you can. And JOIN BlueRibbon
    Coalition. It is through membership that we
    build strength and find money to fight the
    battles.

    THIRD: Be an advocate for your sport. Include
    others. Do ride a longs. Get political. Do not
    think you can let someone else do it for you.
    Get some training. Get some help. Do whatever
    it takes, but do it now, before YOUR gate goes
    up. Get a Trail Patrol or Neighborhood watch
    started on your trails. Advocate for responsible
    use; dump the dip-wads.

    FOURTH: Set the example in everything you do in
    your sport. Ride responsibly. Camp responsibly.
    Drink responsibly. Behave like EVERYONE in the
    world is watching and evaluating your actions.
    Have fun, yes. But realize we are threatened
    like never before. I've never seen so many
    closures and potential closures on the horizon.
    I've been at this a long time. Please take heed
    and act now.

    FIFTH: Pick up your pen. That's why I called
    this article a "Call To Quills" (pens). Pick it
    up and write a letter. I don't even care to whom
    you send it. Just start to write. Tell your
    congressman how you feel about multiple uses of
    public lands. Tell your Commissioner/Board of
    Supervisors how you feel about your right to ride
    responsibly. Tell somebody something. Get your
    voice out there. Be heard. Be in the game.
    Tell them you're tired of rolling over and
    compromising. Tell them you want no net loss of
    public land riding opportunities. Tell them no
    more unreasonable compromise that means loss for
    us.

    We are not well-represented when the letters are
    counted at the end of the day. We have to change
    that, or just give up the effort. I for one am
    not ready to roll over or give up any more. I'm
    in there with teeth barred now.

    On the other hand, continue to work with the
    great land managers who ARE working with us,
    trying to help us, and seem like they have a
    balanced approach to their job. Even if you
    don't get your way every time, do support those
    land managers who you know are trying and fair.
    Support those good politicians who believe in
    giving us a chance to recreate on public lands.
    And in both cases, where there are bad land
    managers, or bad politicians, put them in the
    dip-wad category and work to get them dumped!

    Do it now. Do something. Please do not sit by
    and wait. We can't wait. Emergency closures
    should be reserved for when management fails.
    Well, if you're not in the game, then chances
    are, management will fail. Pick up that quill.

    Del
    Visit my web site for more help:
    <http://www.delalbright.com/>www.delalbright.com


    Moderator's Note:

    If you have read this far, keep reading and thinking.

    It is up to you as an individual to demonstrate
    and take responsibility for your actions. We are
    in the midst of change. What you could do is in
    the past. Your future is now up to you as an
    individual. Get involved, clean up our image, or
    take up checkers on the front porch.

    1 - Change is inevitable
    2 - Change is tough
    3 - Times are changing, get over it.
    4 - Be an agent of change, GET INVOLVED!!!!


    --
    John Stewart
    Director, Environmental Affairs
    United Four Wheel Drive Associations, http://www.ufwda.org
    Natural Resource Consultant
    California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, http://www.ca4wdc.com
    Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
    Moderator, MUIRNet - Multiple Use Information Resource Network
    Kirk
    1997 Jeep Wrangler

  • #2
    i saw that on another forum..
    i am confident in saying that i am not one of "those" wheelers that ruins things for the rest of you. i always make it a habbit to leave the places i visit cleaner than i left it.
    i know most of the people i wheel with have the same attitude.
    it is really the few people that dont give a rats ass that mess it up for the rest of us. they need to be made aware, and be slapped into realization at the time of their wrong doing
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    ERIK


    95 yj, locked lifted, and ready to rock!

    Comment


    • #3
      Its time to act guys!

      I talked to Del before the Rubicon trip...he needs help, and he needs help NOW.

      If you want to continue enjoying the Rubicon year after year...get involved today!

      Tam
      2002 TJ on 35s a bit of lift with some stuff
      Rock-ItMan all the way around

      Comment


      • #4
        anyone have any ideas on how we can help? other than a donation system, which we talked about already i think. or maybe we can set that up!
        :gun:'99 TJ Sport:gun:

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by sarah
          anyone have any ideas on how we can help? other than a donation system, which we talked about already i think. or maybe we can set that up!
          Del already has that in place...though its not a tax write off yet, until he gets his non profit status. But that doesnt mean that you shouldnt contribute...I have already!

          You can contribute through paypal to: jeepndel@goldrush.com

          Hes currently in the process of becoming a non profit corporation...if anyone knows an attorney that would like to help in this matter, it would be greatly appreciated. Hes already started the process, on his own, but it would sure be nice to have someone whos navigated these waters in the past before!

          Money makes things happen! Give generously!

          Tam
          2002 TJ on 35s a bit of lift with some stuff
          Rock-ItMan all the way around

          Comment


          • #6
            We cant be excluded from this national treasure, pony up what you can folks.

            Comment

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