[Az-Geocaching] FW: Arizona Game and Fish wants to hear from ou

[Roping The Wind]

>From: <AZcachemeister at getnet.com>
>Reply-To: listserv at azgeocaching.com
>To: listserv at azgeocaching.com
>Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] FW: Arizona Game and Fish wants to hear from 
>ou
>Date: 20 Nov 2006 09:07:50 -0700
>
>Licensed vehicles will not be required to have the sticker according to the 
>discussion @ virtual jeep.

(disclaimer: this might be a bit controversial.... call it what you want, 
but this is what I have seen and witnessed, so I can say it 'matter of 
factly')

That is how I understand it. Only UNREGISTERED vehicles have to have this 
permit. That would be ATC's and ATV's and Motorcycles that are generally 
trailered to their starting points (and of course rockcrawlers and jeeps 
that are not driven on the roadways). I knew something like this would 
eventually happen. The website says something like 'due to the recent heavy 
growth of off road activities". In my opinion, that huge growth of off road 
driving is all ATV's and cycles. In my opinion, they are the ones that do 
the most damage to the environment. Of course, there are good people and bad 
apples in every group.... but in general, from what I have seen over the 
past 15 years that I have really been paying attention to this stuff... 
jeeps (and similar vehicles) tend to 'tread lightly'. They usually can be 
seen just crawling along. Not kicking up a lot of dust (which is another 
huge issue with the local government agencies) and not tearing up the 
desert. The ATVs/quads and cycles are usually the ones racing across the 
desert, kicking up tons of dust and creating new trails. The area of desert 
SE of Apache Junction is a PRIME example. That whole area (south of US 
60/West of State Route 79) and east of the CAP canal) has a good number of 
trails out there. They  used to be all 2 track 'jeep' type trails. Lots of 
pinstriping along the way! Over the past few years, those 2 track trails 
have become very wide and sandy. The amount of vegetation along these 
roads/trails have become very sparse. Why have these trails become so much 
wider? Why cant the riders stay on the original two tire tracks that used to 
be the trail? Then after heavy rains, the 'mudders' have to come along and 
tear the trails up farther by creating huge ruts (this is the reason the 
forest service closes its roads in the winter). Then, the ATV's and Quads 
come back in and have to ride around the mud hole full of ruts and thus 
create a new trail... thinning the vegetation and eventually widening the 
trail (this is called 'no respect for the land'). This is what is happening 
and in my opinion is very damaging to the environment. I dont like it one 
bit and I think the state needs to put a MUCH tighter rein on these ATV's 
and motorcycles. I know there might be a few on here that rides cycles and 
quads and I know there are some of them that are very respectful of the 
land, but in general... these types of vehicles are doing the most damage... 
due to their popularity. Just my opinion. But I think alot of the Jeep guys 
will agree with me on this. I have witnessed this first hand as I spend alot 
of time over this area of desert. and.. no... I dont own a Jeep and I am not 
a hardcore 4 wheeler. So my opinions are not biased. It's just that I have 
personally never seen a jeep racing across this area of desert, spewing a 
ton of dust in the air and tearing up the desert. The most lack of respect 
for the land, that I have personally seen, is coming from the ATV/quad and 
cycles sector. Again, I am sure there are alot of very respectful riders out 
there... but as I said before, due to the popularity of these vehicles, 
there are more bad apples in this group now then there was before.

This area of desert has become what is known as an OHV area (off highway 
vehicle). It is a place that these types of vehicles can be ridden. I think 
with the popularity of them, the state couldnt really 'put a rein' on them, 
so they just made the area an OHV area (just like the Rolls near Saguaro 
Lake). Its a shame, because that desert used to be very green and pristine. 
What is very disspointing to see is that the quads and cycles are now 
starting to migrate north of the highway and outside the designated OHV 
area.

Scott
Team RTW

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