Written Feb 6/02

Somebody recently commented that Harrison Lake was crowded the last time they were out there. Harrison is crowded because it's close to a major urban area. People who don't have the time, cash, or desire to get far off the beaten path will gravitate to a local area because it's quick, cheap, and easy to get to.

I think this is why all the "local" trails are doomed to closure. As our sport becomes more mainstream, more and more people are taking their vehicles to these locations, and the residents don't like it. "They are loud, littering, inconsiderate, and are generally disturbing us; we don't want them here!" Thieves are taking our trucks to the local trails and are stripping and burning them, and ICBC and the police don't like it. "If we close down the trail, they can't dump the trucks there!" Housing developments are spreading further out all the time, taking over the local trails; we can organize and complain all we want but the simple fact is that we don't have the cash necessary to fight big business, which a housing development is. "The four-wheelers want us to keep this old road open, but a development company wants to give us several million dollars and create jobs in the area!"

Governments are turning our trails into "multi-use parks", although "multi-use" apparently does not include motorized recreation. Take Eagle Ridge and the much-ballyhooed Trans Canada Trail. In BC, a large portion of the TCT is actually part of the KVR rail bed, which used to be open to vehicular travel. No longer! We as four-wheelers are shut out. Guess what? Now the TCT body wants people to donate money to their cause. Yeah right, I'm going to give them more money so they can shut me out of more areas. Do not give money to the TCT! Eagle Ridge is getting closed to motorized recreation, despite the fact that the four-wheelers are the only ones who are removing the large quantities of garbage dumped there by the local residents who are too lazy and cheap to take their trash to the dump, and the fact that the four-wheelers are the only ones who are dragging the stolen vehicles out to a location where a tow-truck can get to them. Yes, we do care about the environment.

Speaking of the environment, I mentioned "big business" earlier. So-called "environmentalism" is also big business. I agree that we all need to be aware that much of our province has a fragile ecosystem, and that we need to help protect it by staying on the established roadway. The green advocacy groups (GAG's) and the more insidious eco-terrorists have convinced corporations and governments at all levels that donating money to their cause is the politically-correct thing to do. And just what is their cause? The total eradication of motorized recreation on existing trail systems! Take the trails around Sooke. A major financial institution in that area donated money to the environmental group responsible for shutting that trail system down. That money helped enable the group to buy the land, which they then gated to motorized vehicles. But people are still banking with that institution, blissfully unaware of where their dollars are going. If any of you are reading this, you need to close your account with them, and write them a letter detailing exactly why you are doing so. Tell your family, friends, and business contacts to do the same. We cannot support those who would interfere with our way of life; to do so would be to agree with their actions.

Local trails are not the only ones getting shut down. As the local trails get gated, people will gravitate to the next closest area, such as Whipsaw. I know that the majority of the people reading this are aware of the ideals and goals of Tread Lightly!, and some of you even practice them, but we represent only a fraction of trail users. People who have no clue, and even those who do, go tearing up the meadows (they call it "playing in the mud"), not realizing that their own actions are the exact reason those places are in imminent danger of getting closed down. I cannot emphasize this enough: stay on the trail!

Don't think I agree with closing down trails; I don't. What can we do? Education is key! We need to teach as many people as we can about what we do, and correct the public's misconceptions that have been created through the actions of a few bad apples. Practice is equally important. You can be told the rules of the road, but unless you practice them, nothing's accomplished. Set a good example for the new four-wheelers you take out. Stay on the trail, drive responsibly, and don't litter. Obey posted signage, and respect the wishes of private land owners. Participate in trail cleanups and maintenance, and always pack out what you packed in. Don't drink on the trail. This is important! Many people who justify drinking on the trail say they are "off road" so it doesn't matter. These same people expect ICBC to cover them when they roll their trucks, because they are "still on a road". Well, you can't have it both ways! Save the alcohol for the end of the day. Four-wheeling can be challenging and dangerous at times; being unable to perform due to impairment can be fatal to you or someone else. Public perception is extremely important; if the "public" sees you acting irresponsibly, they will paint all four-wheelers with the same brush.

The more people who are aware of what makes or breaks our hobby, and practice what they've learned, the longer our beloved trails will remain ours to explore. Four-wheeling is a privilege, not a right.

Thanks for reading; see you on the trail.

Greg

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