Post by Wyldcomfort on May 19, 2007 0:26:35 GMT -5
Folks,
The trail review is now in process. I stopped by the ODNRA in Reedsport, Oregon this week and had a good open discussion with Sharon Stewart who is part of the Forest Service team that is working on trail inventories within all the dunes on the coast. They have huge maps that are actual pictures of the dunes. They are too big and too many to review anywhere else but at the main office in Reedsport. (It is right at the end of Hwy 38 where it ends on Hwy 101) They have a form you need to fill out to show where you ride and what trails there are. As you can imagine, there are way too many trails and most of ride on them all. It is my understanding they want us to mark up these maps to show the trails. I envision this map well marked up…..
Sharon is going to send me a .PDF file of the pictures of the dunes so I will forward when I get them. They will probably be too small to get any detail but it is a starting point. We all need to go to Reedsport and start filling in the blanks. We need everybody to get in there. Sharon is also trying to get here in Medford June 3rd with the maps so we can see in the detail what we are in for. It is huge…
I also want to put in a plug for Sharon. She was raised in San Diego and rode in dune buggies in Glamis so she is very familiar with the dunes and the sport. She was instrumental in the sand camping project which I endorsed and now we can have “quality” sand camping experiences without a huge unruly group intruding on our camp with loud music, noise and booze. I agree it is a pain but I believe it was well worth it. This exercise might help with getting more space as well.
What will be closed up for sure is where there is damage to trees. We have all been on trails that have cut under a tree and eventually the tree falls down. They are also hiring a biologist to inventory areas that are sensitive, what ever that means. They will also be looking at areas that may be bull dosed where vegetation is growing and killing open dunes. This is where we need to concentrate as much effort as possible. This is one area where we actually can help kill vegetation that stops the flow of sand. Hopefully they will look at that as well.
I have my prayers nightly that they will re-open up the Coast Guard Road that goes down to the North Spit so we can ride down there again like we used to. That was an awesome trip during the winter. There is an area down there that was as close to quicksand as you can get. Pretty cool but now we can not get there at all. Some of that land is BLM and Corp of Engineers so the FS can not help us. The key is keeping off the beach for the Snowy Plovers during summer months when they nest.
Bottom line is to visit Reedsport and start filling out forms and marking maps! I will also be writing to the ATV magazines to get the word out to anyone that rides here in Oregon. I know during the summer I see as many California and Washington license’s plates as Oregonians plus many others including Canada.
As always, please send this to as many folks as you can.
Be safe!
Sandy and Jody Phillips
Medford, Oregon
541-779-2848
The trail review is now in process. I stopped by the ODNRA in Reedsport, Oregon this week and had a good open discussion with Sharon Stewart who is part of the Forest Service team that is working on trail inventories within all the dunes on the coast. They have huge maps that are actual pictures of the dunes. They are too big and too many to review anywhere else but at the main office in Reedsport. (It is right at the end of Hwy 38 where it ends on Hwy 101) They have a form you need to fill out to show where you ride and what trails there are. As you can imagine, there are way too many trails and most of ride on them all. It is my understanding they want us to mark up these maps to show the trails. I envision this map well marked up…..
Sharon is going to send me a .PDF file of the pictures of the dunes so I will forward when I get them. They will probably be too small to get any detail but it is a starting point. We all need to go to Reedsport and start filling in the blanks. We need everybody to get in there. Sharon is also trying to get here in Medford June 3rd with the maps so we can see in the detail what we are in for. It is huge…
I also want to put in a plug for Sharon. She was raised in San Diego and rode in dune buggies in Glamis so she is very familiar with the dunes and the sport. She was instrumental in the sand camping project which I endorsed and now we can have “quality” sand camping experiences without a huge unruly group intruding on our camp with loud music, noise and booze. I agree it is a pain but I believe it was well worth it. This exercise might help with getting more space as well.
What will be closed up for sure is where there is damage to trees. We have all been on trails that have cut under a tree and eventually the tree falls down. They are also hiring a biologist to inventory areas that are sensitive, what ever that means. They will also be looking at areas that may be bull dosed where vegetation is growing and killing open dunes. This is where we need to concentrate as much effort as possible. This is one area where we actually can help kill vegetation that stops the flow of sand. Hopefully they will look at that as well.
I have my prayers nightly that they will re-open up the Coast Guard Road that goes down to the North Spit so we can ride down there again like we used to. That was an awesome trip during the winter. There is an area down there that was as close to quicksand as you can get. Pretty cool but now we can not get there at all. Some of that land is BLM and Corp of Engineers so the FS can not help us. The key is keeping off the beach for the Snowy Plovers during summer months when they nest.
Bottom line is to visit Reedsport and start filling out forms and marking maps! I will also be writing to the ATV magazines to get the word out to anyone that rides here in Oregon. I know during the summer I see as many California and Washington license’s plates as Oregonians plus many others including Canada.
As always, please send this to as many folks as you can.
Be safe!
Sandy and Jody Phillips
Medford, Oregon
541-779-2848