I'll sit this one out awhile,,,
OK, I'VE sit long enough,,,
It is amazing how many posts occur when the first two snow flakes hit the ground,,,,, How deep is it?? Where can I go???? Where can I get lodging and/or machines to rent???? Why is there such a problem with parking??? why can't I find a place to park before 5 am??? can I get there in a day before the place is tracked up? For an example of this,, see the attached jpg on General Discussion copied just prior to sending this email showing the amount of activity on different subjects versus the 28 over about 3 weeks.
This particular topic is pounded by the locals and very little else. The parking problems are created by everyone, locals and out of towners, but I seen about as much activity on this subject about as "how do I get a 800 cc long track performance out of a 1969 artic cat kitty cat?". Or maybe lets start a new thread titled "List your last machine before the mountain got closed to snowmobiling". That should generate a bunch of responses.
I am banking on the Forest Services multipurpose use strategy to make up where snowmobile users lack of "involvement" to carry this thing through. So much where I will buy a six pack for the previous commentors on this post if I am wrong.
I live in the area and love the sport but only ride maybe 2-3 times a year if I am lucky
. But I've ridden it enough since '67 to know that it is a viable activity and lots of room and area to do it in. But with the recent increase in the last 5-10 years, to make a sizeable impact with parking and masses, the management of the area, being the Forest Service or Wyoming trails, will need tons of support, especially with deals like this, public comment and/or suggestions.
Granted locals have the benefit of public notices and the like, everyone else has a true benefit of Snowest forums that for what I have seen, represents the western area and sport extremely well. For this reason alone, as much as I ride, I visit the forum frequently, summer and winter alike. And I try to make meaningful posts informative to anyone who reads them.
Bless the local club trying to start up. I know how hard it is to do this from other personal ventures and if I was more active (and at home) I would seriously consider joining. But I can't due to time constrants. But I keep extremly active reading Snowest forums and easily found issues like this without looking too hard. But more important! I write my own letters during the times that require them.
I never was interested in joining mass reproductions of mailings in that it put words in my mouth that I was too lazy to say myself (you may have noticed). But I took the time to write my own letters to represent my own views and suggestions in my own words just because I feel they mean more to whoever reads them.
Anyway, just like the 2nd amendment, it requires constant vigilance to maintain the rights and privilages we have and is not just a matter of "its hunting season, lets speak up for our rights". I am a local and I pay as much taxes as the next guy, whether I am from the Great State of Wyoming, or the States of Nebraska, Iowa, or Haiwii. And those who reside in any of the states really have as much say as I do. AND THEY NEED TO STATE THEM IN THE SUMMER, FALL, SPRING as well as winter.
Its not a case of clubs representing you, or mass mailings saying the same thing, it is a case of everyone keeping track of the issues and speaking for theirselves. Then join a club and do the mass thing and its gravy (just like Biodiversity). And by the way,,, if you don't have time for Snowest in the summer and want to know the issues, visit the Biodiversity Associates website
http://www.voiceforthewild.org/index.html and find out their approach. Doesn't hurt to know the enemy.
But again, its not a case of whoever represents you or who notifies you; YOU represent yourself as I represent MYSELF. Its not they should sent emails to you to let you know of an issure or I belong to a club and its their job etc. Its your sport and YOU who makes a difference. And don't forget to vote as your sport depends on it (unless you let others do the voting for you as well).
I hope I don't have to buy any six packs because of this and certainly hope I have NOT made any enemies,,, but I made the effort and hopefully it is read, in a 3 page letter for the public comment. And I didn't suggest supporting a 2.2 million dollar visitors center as this interpetive plan suggests.
I still feel that the Public Comment response is still pending from the Forest Service and that the publication shown under
http://http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/projects/rec/ was just a compiled document of what was documented and known prior to the public comment period.
For the future and "no offense". I will continue to post and notify all of any issues that I am aware of, which can be a lot because I have chosen to be active in my own way and actually receive most documented preliminary and final documents because of this (just like Biodiversity).
Kenny
