If you don't like the way a club is run, then join, and get your friends to join. That's the only way to institute change. I had major issues with the way MSA was in the past, but I still chose to join so I'd have a voice/vote....and guess what, that change finally came about with enough people caring and getting involved. Our local club, maybe it wasn't as pro-active as it is now. We are lucky if we have 20 people show up at a meeting. We have less than 100 members for the Flathead Valley. That's pathetic! It's the same folks over and over that volunteer to do clean up, help with projects, do plowing, etc. Our club gave a donation last month to Montanans For Multiple Use for the legal battle going on over lands here.
Good saying by our VP of MSA (who is a local)....something to the effect that, it isn't your daddy/grandfather's club. It's new and improved thanks to folks getting involved and moving it in the direction where most want to see it go.
Most people who take money from volunteer work, aren't really in it for the volunteering. They have an ulterior motive, and usually they are weeded out fairly fast.
I will disagree with you on the Forest Service. I have met some very fine folk, and some I'm proud to call my friends (including our Law Enforcement Rangers). They do have to follow orders/laws. If the majority of people writing or calling are the ones who are wanting wilderness, what do you suppose is going to happen? Exactly what is happening. We can't seem to garner that same sort of support from our own crowd. A lot of motorized users can't be bothered to take 5 or 10 minutes to write an email, or make a phone call, etc. It does irritate me that it's a continuing thing, but I'm not giving up. If you don't make a comment during the time something comes up, then for any future chance for appeals, etc., you have NO voice. It's sad reading the comments after a comment period is over. Very few take the time to step up for something that supposedly is important to them. I also go to the summer land use meetings and write my letters, but I don't own a ORV. Public use on Public Land is important to me.
Let me clear this....I said doing something on a job that one didn't agree with, not something one thought was wrong. There are differences there.
I'm very well aware of what the enviro-zealots are up to. I'm signed up to more sites to get their email alerts than I could count offhand. I do this with a separate email address I use just for this. Then when I get their alerts, I can write my email or make my phone call, but saying the opposite of what they are preaching. I visit their websites. I see what companies are giving money to what groups. I know we've had these people on our 4M. I've seen reports that have been given that quote specifically from this 4M. Pictures that have been posted on this site are often used. I'm not blind to this.
As for the timber company, this is their own land, that they have been allowing motorized use on. People are disrespecting their PRIVATE land, and again our club is taking it head on and trying to head off an access point being closed. We went to them, and they are willing to work with us...for the time being.
A great example is just how uninvolved sledders can be, is seen with how little views land use topics get on here (and how few actually visit the Land Use section).....unless of course they have some obscure title that doesn't directly relate to it being land use. Somehow it's more important to see what boots someone has, or what truck to pull a trailer, or bashing on someone who rides a different brand of sled, what oil to use, etc. A SAWS Alert can be posted, and it gets buried in no time with hardly any views.
I am passionate about riding, and I continue my fight to be able to do that, and for future generations to be able to enjoy this wonderful sport.
Good saying by our VP of MSA (who is a local)....something to the effect that, it isn't your daddy/grandfather's club. It's new and improved thanks to folks getting involved and moving it in the direction where most want to see it go.
Most people who take money from volunteer work, aren't really in it for the volunteering. They have an ulterior motive, and usually they are weeded out fairly fast.
I will disagree with you on the Forest Service. I have met some very fine folk, and some I'm proud to call my friends (including our Law Enforcement Rangers). They do have to follow orders/laws. If the majority of people writing or calling are the ones who are wanting wilderness, what do you suppose is going to happen? Exactly what is happening. We can't seem to garner that same sort of support from our own crowd. A lot of motorized users can't be bothered to take 5 or 10 minutes to write an email, or make a phone call, etc. It does irritate me that it's a continuing thing, but I'm not giving up. If you don't make a comment during the time something comes up, then for any future chance for appeals, etc., you have NO voice. It's sad reading the comments after a comment period is over. Very few take the time to step up for something that supposedly is important to them. I also go to the summer land use meetings and write my letters, but I don't own a ORV. Public use on Public Land is important to me.
Let me clear this....I said doing something on a job that one didn't agree with, not something one thought was wrong. There are differences there.
I'm very well aware of what the enviro-zealots are up to. I'm signed up to more sites to get their email alerts than I could count offhand. I do this with a separate email address I use just for this. Then when I get their alerts, I can write my email or make my phone call, but saying the opposite of what they are preaching. I visit their websites. I see what companies are giving money to what groups. I know we've had these people on our 4M. I've seen reports that have been given that quote specifically from this 4M. Pictures that have been posted on this site are often used. I'm not blind to this.
As for the timber company, this is their own land, that they have been allowing motorized use on. People are disrespecting their PRIVATE land, and again our club is taking it head on and trying to head off an access point being closed. We went to them, and they are willing to work with us...for the time being.
A great example is just how uninvolved sledders can be, is seen with how little views land use topics get on here (and how few actually visit the Land Use section).....unless of course they have some obscure title that doesn't directly relate to it being land use. Somehow it's more important to see what boots someone has, or what truck to pull a trailer, or bashing on someone who rides a different brand of sled, what oil to use, etc. A SAWS Alert can be posted, and it gets buried in no time with hardly any views.
I am passionate about riding, and I continue my fight to be able to do that, and for future generations to be able to enjoy this wonderful sport.
