Everyone please read!

[NaplesRaptor]

We all need to sign up with this organization www.ARRA-access.com . They help with keeping land open or opening more land for recreational use.  

[Qdawg76]

been there done that, We all need to do our part ...

[Shotgun]

I just signed up!

[Redgrizzly660]

Me too!

[NaplesRaptor]

Don't forget to sign up everyone in your family that rides.

[Shotgun]

I just told the old lady to sign up.

[weekendwarrior1]

I just went to sign up and found out that I'm already a member!

[YAMAHONDAMAN]

Hey Shotgun .... when she Hear's "old lady" ...ittle be like ...
WHO YOU CALL'N OLD !!! ?    
GIT IT RAG      

[Shotgun]

Good point  [smiley=Ouch.gif]

[Chuck_Norris]

I'M THERE [smiley=ThumbsUp.gif]

[NPRVinson]

I've been a member for almost a year.

[Hiram]

I signed up and sent our congressman a letter

[VForcedave]

This is bigger than we really think. It forces people to ride in areas that are already restricted or private lands. Eventually there will be additional closures because of the additional riders to these areas. We are almost out of riding realestate in S. Fla.  What can we do other than sign up? Ride our quads to Tallahasee and park them in front of the capital building? What the hell.  

[SkyHighT100]

What can we do other than sign up? Ride our quads to Tallahasee and park them in front of the capital building? What the hell.  

OOOOH.. Boy do I like the way you think!!! Now that sounds like a blast! Hell, just the amount of people we have here on this site will make somewhat of an impact if were to do that.. not to mention if we posted flyers at all the bike shops!!! OOOOOH.. Set a date for this one, lol.. You can count me in!

[VForcedave]

I can visualize a run from Miami to the capital. One could do the whole trip or partial with deisignated stops at certain riding areas, private or public.. And have different groups assigned to specific parts of the route. kinda like the Olympic Torch. There would be permits, escorts, FHP, local po po etc. It could be bigger than one thinks. Besides it would be a blast. Anybody up for the Organization Commitee? I could not do this. Im a 8 to 5 guy with limited time for anything but the family and work. You also have FTR and a couple dozen groups across the state that can assist. Lets roll.      

[big-daddy]

How about using our trailers and when we get there we can unload them, It gets little rough on the back. florida  to washington. but if we can go up the coast line! I am down. [smiley=ThumbsUp.gif]

[COOLRAUL n DOXANNE]

I JUST SIGNED UP  

[bbf]

so did I

[jbbj220]

I just signed up. Would be great if while the legeslature is in session if could go to the capital like the motercycles did some years ago. could trailer to a large parking lot then get escort to ride to capital.

[Yamahonda41]

Signed up my whole family.

[OrlandoPredator]

I just signed up

[ish]

i signed up the whole family.

[semperfi13]

Just signed up the whole famliy too

[GregsRancher]

The ARRA is great but they are in washington fighting to keep federal lands open, not state. Looks like we need to get in touch with state organizations to continue the fight.

EMAIL I recieved when I emailed the ARRA with my concern

Hi Greg,

Thanks for the email.  We've actually gotten several from people like
you
who are concerned about what is happening in Collier County.  I wish we
could do more from here, but since it is state land, there is not much
we
can do here in Washington, where we are working hard to keep access to
federal lands.

Another ARRA member sent this link to a discussion board that is
talking
about the issue right now, if you want to read some more about it:

http://www.atvflorida.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=wheretoride;action=disp
lay;num=1099419535

There are some good organizations that are working hard in Florida to
help
keep lands open for riding.  If you haven't already, you might contact
the
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council representatives in
Florida
as well as the state OHV association.  Here is their contact info:

NOHVCC contacts:
Jack Terrell
180 Sunrise Hill Lane
Auburndale, FL  33823
Phone, Home:  (863) 984-9294
Work: (863) 984-5311
Fax:  (863) 984-9235
E-mail: fltrlrdr@aol.com


Jenni Lamb
3165 Brentwood Lane
Melbourne, FL 32934
Phone: 407-752-7461
E-mail: ovine2@aol.com
Wayne Briske
8931 Scenic Hills Drive
Pensacola, FL 32514
850-476-7308
E-mail: wbblue272@cox.net

Florida Trail Riders
P. O. Box 531071
DeBary, FL 32713-1071
Contact: Dan George
Business Manager

Phone: 407-668-9700
Fax: 386-668-8421
E-mail: debarydg@bellsouth.net
Web: www.floridatrailriders.org



Please let me know if I can help you get any more information.  I know
the
fight to keep access in Florida is sometimes frustrating and difficult,
but
keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

Evan Haglund
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access
www.ARRA-access.com
ehaglund@legstrat.com

[vitaminsea]

how about we go to george w's crib and do wheelies and doughnuts on the white house lawn he's an outdoors guy maybe he'll hook us up

[eric]

I dont know about the WhiteHouse but maybe his ranch in Texas will do - yeeehaaaa

[Bigred]

Just signed up

[Its_a_Jeep_thing]

I agree with eric... I would love to shred with old George W.

[sk8r_dude]

Of course we all know you are just kidding, but it is exactly that kind of behavior that is our problem.

[BIGWORM3699 ( ECP RACING)]

Im in.SO is family

[VForcedave]

So we all signed up. Now what. We just lost the squares and bad luck. whats left. Not much. Personally I think the dealers, riders , manufacturers should get organized and push for riding areas. We are a silent group. The bird watchers are more organized the the OHV riders. OHV riders can be a force to reckon with if they could organize and push for the same rights as the rest of the outdoor people.

[Thrumud]

I agree

[K5OSCAR]

On the trailer was:
2005 red Honda 450r bent grab bar removed tail light stock
2004 red Honda trx 90 stock ridden a good bit but no broken plastics
1987 quad sport 230 beat up a bit with a new croom sticker
2005 blue Yamaha pw80 stock  
2001 raptor 660r raptor +8 swing arm with scat track haulers and a full pro circuit exhaust renthal bars and aftermarket levers and grab bar
2000 Honda cr250r red and white

all stolen on a home built trailer, Saab wheels  with extensions on the rear of the trailer to fit the raptor and a wood box up front

If you have any info please either call the police or let me know.



A better description of the trailer, the frame is 1X3 channel iron. The deck is extended metal. The trail itself is 21 feet long by 5' 6" in the back. There is a wooden tool box painted gray on the front. The right tail light is very hard to see because of the 6" extension for the raptor on it. It also has SAAB wheels, a 4" pipe along the back where the tail lights are. The tag number is out of Pinellas County 193eh, located on the left hand side of the trailer. If anyone sees or knows anything please help us by calling the Marion county police department.

Here is some information that might help. I have all the Vin Numbers for all the bikes

2005 Yamaha PW80-JYA3RV0355A048410
1986 Suzuki Quad Sport 230- JSAAJ43A8FZ113800
2001 Yamaha Raptor 660R 4-wheeler - JY4AM01381C024465
2004 Honda Sport Trac 90 - JH3TE18024K904163
2005 Honda TXR 450 R - 1HFTE300X5A105751
2000 CR 250 We do not have a vin as of yet.

SOMEONE CAME INTO THE CAMPGROUND AT 3 AM--SAW A GUY BY THE TRAILER AND BIKES--AT 3:20 SOMEONE GOT UP AND FOUND THE TRAILER AND BIKES GONE!  SOMEONE WAS IN A CANVAS CAMPER RIGHT BY THE TRAILER AND DIDN'T HEAR A THING.  BY THE WAY- THE TRUCK THAT WAS STOPPED WAS PROBABLY THE GUILTY PARTY.  TIRE TRACK MARKS MATCH THE TRACKS NEXT TO THE TRUCK.  THERE HAD TO BE AT LEAST 2 OR 3 GUYS. THAT WAS HEAVY WITH ALL BIKES.  THE TRUCK THAT WAS STOPPED WAS A LOCAL.

It was mid 80 square body FORD F-150 white with a primer bed.

I am posting this to all the forums I can so all can see this!

[LonesomeTriZ]

I just joined. Thanks for the information.

[mud_monkey]

just got done sighning up will help in any way i can

[qt314nfla]

Better late than never I guess.  I just signed up.

[Raceme]

Me to just signed up

[MotoMike]

Signed up!

[53yfz450]

Just signed up!!!

[YFZ450AndyH]

Im in

[yesitsfast]

 just did my part. hope everyone else will do the same

[dirty2]

I did it I'm a member now [smiley=Approve.gif]

[AintSkeered]

Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee Meeting:
April the 26th from 1 pm to 7 pm
International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame and Museum
300 Gulf Stream Way
Dania Beach, FL 33004

For more information, contact: Chris Reed at 352/ 544-5136, email reedj1@doacs.state.fl.us.

I emailed Chris Reed and here's his replay;

Robert,


           The OHV Advisory Committee Meetings are open to the public and we invite your comment.  The status of potential areas being sought to provide OHV recreation will be discussed.  At this time I do not have a finalized agenda, but as always there will be a time on the agenda for public comment.  I understand folks have to work, so I plan to schedule the public comment portion of this meeting from 5:30 to 6:45.

Chris Reed, OHV Coordinator

FDACS – Division of Forestry

So, those of you in SFL should attend the comment portion of this meeting two weeks from tomorrow. See ya there!

[ROC0999]

Just signed up the whole family !!!

[lisa]

 OH, I am SOOO jazzed! I just joined the board and what do I find? A thread talking about the exact thing I joined to talk about! Now, before anyone gets mad at me, I want to clarify something; I don't own an ATV. I joined because we all, all of us who use the parks and forests, need to band together.

A parade from Miami to Tallahassee of just ATVs is a good idea; a parade of ATVs, Jeeps, Mud Trucks, RVs, etc. en masse is a better one!  [smiley=EvilSmile.gif] THAT would get state wide media attention.

There is a site being put together (note, not operational yet) called F-R-A-N, Florida Recreational Action Network. The site will be a clearing house of environmental information for all state parks and forest users. There will be information on bills that will affect the parks and forests; there will be information on what environmental groups are doing to push for closings, etc. If you want to check it out, the link is: http://www.F-R-A-N.org Please note, the site is still being constructed and not operational yet.

I am working on getting information on the Future of Florida's Forests. This is a 25-year-plan that will affect the future of our forests and their usages. So far, no user groups are involved on the panel, but there are three "greenie groups" involved that have actively worked to close areas to public use.

I live in the ONF, I hear how USFS is thinking of closing a lot of land for ATVs there as well, making all ATVs use a circuit of 2,000 acres (or miles, I don't remember which) of trails, banning ya'll from any trails except those allocated to you. This is wrong. Everyone of you pay taxes and have as much right to ride our trails as I do.

If you are interested in working here in our state to get closed places opened back up, or to keep potential places from closing, feel free to pm me. We can turn the closings around, we can protect the trails we all have right now.

Okay, well, that is about it for now. I look forward to getting folks together and standing for our rights! Fighting back to keep our trails and our woods open for us!

[FRAN]

This is bigger than we really think. It forces people to ride in areas that are already restricted or private lands. Eventually there will be additional closures because of the additional riders to these areas. We are almost out of riding realestate in S. Fla.  What can we do other than sign up? Ride our quads to Tallahasee and park them in front of the capital building? What the hell.  

In response to the question what can we do other than. . ?

Joining ARRA is good. However joining an organization that represents your particular user group within the State of Florida would be even BETTER. National level organizations wont ride in on a white horse and "save the day" unless there is a rec user organization that's doing the leg work.

I've been working with a handful of people in the state and with a number of rec user groups orgs in an effort to get better organized in so much as being a clearing house or a com link from one group to another so that when there's a issue or online advocacy campaign concerning public acccess, or public "water" access each of the other groups can weigh in on an issue in a show of solidarity and support. Much like the anti-recreationlialist and animal extremeists are doing with online networks.

For example, recently rec boaters and fishermen came to the aid of Airboaters in Citrus county when there was a proposed noise ordinance being proposed that would have greatly limited public access. Together and through a combined effort from four state rec user organizations they were successful in preserving public access. Those organizations were Standing Watch, Florida Guides Association, Save Our Sandbar, and the Florida Airboat Association.

I use this as an example for what can be accomplished if we all pull together with the common goal being protecting "public access".

Sooooooo if you have a chance, please check out the Florida Recreation Action Network (FRAN)
Web: http://www.f-r-a-n.org

and if you know of, or belong to an organization in Florida that represents your user group, please have them get in touch. E-mail: info@f-r-a-n.org

Stand together or hang divided.

[HondaBeaterSFL]

cool good idea

[lisa]

 I have started a blog on environmental issues here in our state. The link is: http://politicalgalgab.blogspot.com/ I have links to environmental groups to watch, and issues the public needs to be aware of an involved in.

Please feel free to add comments, links or anything else that will help others get motivated to be involved!

[lisa]

I encourage each of you to look at this bill real close.

I understand the advisory committee that is being established in this bill now has an OHV-person seat on the committee. It was changed from a motorized-person seat to OHV. Good and bad; what about Jeeps/airboats/swampbuggies?
There is a horse-person seat.

Also, the bill has "health" mentioned a bunch of time.  What is a "healthy recreation"? What is an "un-healthy recreation'?  This bill should not be supported or passed until these terms are defined in user activities names.  It must be an important issue because the horse people now have "horse riding" as a listed activity. Along with hiking and biking.

The Greenways and Trail bill also states "nature base recreation" a bunch of times. Well, what is "nature base Recreation"?  They list hiking, biking and horse back riding. Is not OHV riding and hunting "nature base recreation"?  We can do neither if we do not have a natural area to do these activities in. We cannot ride OHVs or hunt in a new town area that once was woods or swamps.

The Greenways and trails bill also states that OHV trails will be drastically reduced.  Read the handwriting on the wall.

On HB331:  The bill states that State Agencies can post inland waters and canals. This means that any State Agency can do so or any local agency can do so.  Thus a Water Management District can post their canals to get motorized boaters 50 feet from the bank. It can also be used to keep PWC's 50 ft from the bank and make more space for canoe and kayak people.  DEP can post any of these water ways and to only allow for canoe people to use these areas.

My blog has some new information as well:
http://politicalgalgab.blogspot.com/