ATV Florida Forum

I, along with the four other riders with me, were very disappointed yesterday when we drove all the way from north Jacksonville, only to find out that the sand pit at the Rodman Trailhead is closed.  >:( There are signs surrounding the pit that say FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY. Now I ask you, who the heck would want to WALK out there! This is ridiculous! What, if anything, can we do to get this area opened back up. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
David Hogan

The stupid brain dead response you will get from the state most likely be protecting the "sensitive" area. Nothing can grow
there any way!! Or some crap about "safety" Owell goverment at work ???  ???

I damn sure wouldn't want to walk through there that is the deepest sand I have ever seen!

There is actually a 1 foot by 1 foot section in the very center that contains quick sand! Stay out or else~!

I talked with a ranger sunday march 18th....apparently he's the head of recreation in Ocala...he and another ranger were patrolling yesterday...apparently he had a lot of influence of where the trails were placed and what areas were closed.....he told me they initially wanted to keep the pit open but decided that because the pit encouraged dangerous riding that it would carry over into the forest and that was why they closed it....he said they were looking to contract getting trails like the longleaf one groomed..can't imagine why with their new 70,000 dollar one mile a day piece of equipment they have..one mile a day..that's what i've been told by more than one ranger it can do..that'll get the job done....anyway he told me they were trying to make it a "family" thing in Ocala...i asked about opening more trails in some of the better places to ride in the forest...he said that ain't happenin'...apparent woodpecker protection....on returning to the parking area at rodman I saw him talking to this couple...i had another question for him and rode up to them...she was on their 4 wheeler and the guy was standing and listening....behind 'em were these two kids on this small atv....apparently they didn't have their florida ohv stickers and he was writing them a warning...told 'em they had 2 weeks to get proof to him they had gotten them or they faced a 180 dollar fine...I swear they looked like deer in the headlights talkin' to the ranger...they come out to do a little riding and unbeknownst this is what they get..I don't think they'd even ridden yet..anyway i asked him about the proposed fee for ocala...he said $75 per person for an annual pass by august probably...or $10 for a 3 day or $25 for a week....I know this couple loved hearing that....it woulda only cost em 40 bucks to ride that day....i could just picture the 2 little kids in the back of the squad car going to jail for not having their OHV sticker..i swear it was almost comical.....I know they enjoyed their "family" experience

My entire group received a warning for not having a drivers license on them while riding the trails.  I sort of see the reason behind this such as confirming the vehicle you are riding is yours and maybe if you were hurt, but who carries their license with them out in the dirt to play.  Answer:  We all better or you will receive a warning then a ticket.
They were also checking to make sure you had stickers AND a valid registration with the vehicle.  Make sure you do not leave them at home or once again you will receive a warning or ticket.

Sounds like I need to just set up camp in Durhamtown and just spend all of my dollars there.

My group got the same treatment. I think your right, maybe we should all start going to Georgia, because it's obvious that Florida doesn't appreciate our hard earned money. I mean, I don't mind spending the $, but if I have to pay, I would like to get my $'s worth. So let's see, are we getting our $'s worth?

1. I'd say at least half of the trails are now closed.
2. The sand pit is closed.
3. Rangers are stopping everyone on the trail and harrassing them and wasting their time
4. They've put up sections of fence on the longleaf trail in the cut through to delancy lake to keep you from going slightly off the trail. (hope you don't have to bail beause of oncoming traffic!) All this really does is create more hazards.
5. My taxes are already paying for this great place to ride, however they now want to implement a fee to ride here.
6. Oh yeah, I have two kids under 16, I will have to pay for them to take a safety course because I'm not responsible enough to teach my kids how to be safe.
7. Do I really need to continue?

End result,

People are going to stop going to ONF

I think that's what they want...
Do OHV's need to be registered to ride in ONF?

We have already sworn off Ocala's trail system just for the above mentioned reasons. We have a great time in places like durhamtown, and houston valley and coal city. If your going to have to drive somewhere to ride then make it worth the drive. the above 3 mentioned area are certainly worth that

  Registation with the vehicle ?? I'know about the sticker but carry a reg. ??

Yes you have to carry a registration

Chuck,
I've heard of DP, but not the other two. Thanks for the info!

David Hogan

soon enough we'll be organized enough to fight back...politics is a big game of tug of war...time to start pulling the other way

http://www.floridaatvrally.com/
http://www.floridaatvassociation.com/

Hi guys, these turds are a group of tree hugging enviromental NAZIS they
lumped in with the Aclu (All Crazys liberals united).These folks dont give a rats
a*^ about the enviroment. They just enjoy preventing normal hard working
folks from enjoying them self. They are elitest snobs that look down on
every one else.People, it dose not matter what side of the politcal aisle
you are on in this case.We have to try to fight these nut jobs.More
than likely none of these turds never set foot in the ONF. None of them
could not start a atv if their sorry life depended on it. CURSE THEM ALL!!!!
 MAY THE FLEAS OF A 1000 CAMELS NEST IN THEIR ARM PITS!!!
    Please excuse any speeeling errouzzz that occured in this rant!!!!
                            ::) ::)Medicmudder ::) ::)

Anything and everything can be accomplished.  One committed person can change laws, it's been proven.  The important thing is patience.  These processes don't change overnight, they take years of commitment.  I've been on this site (mostly as reader, less of a participator) for a couple years.  In that time, there have always been a few pockets of people on the site trying to get the rest of the site motivated to become involved, and always a few that come and go with little staying power to the cause. 

This rally as well as the nonprofit association are the first steps in the right direction.  We just have to find what works for Florida.  And we have to remember, for all the bashing people do of these other groups (i.e. wildlaw), we are absolutely going to have to work with them because I can guarantee you that unless we're talking about private land, they will be represented on any committee reviewing public land for OHV use.  Think of it as having to deal with an annoying relative. 

If enough people stay committed for a long enough period of time, things will change.  Look what the motorcycle organizations got passed with a no helmet law, look at what the snowmobile organizations do up in the northern region and the access to land they have, it just has to be an
organized effort, and the issues of all concerned interests, including organizations like wildlaw, have to be considered and addressed by representatives of the off-road world.  In no way, shape or form is any government going to give us anything, we're going to have to work for it like everything else worthwhile in life, and we're going to have to work to keep it.  Hopefully this rally becomes an annual event that gets larger and larger every year as more and more people see the benefits of power in numbers.

Of course these are my opinions only, but I like to think anything's possible

I know this won't do any good, but damn it made me feel better. The following is an email I just sent to Wildlaw ;D

Dear Mr. Lewis and Mr. Paben,

     I would like to personally thank you guys for being such a big part in ruining our national forest. I very much appreciated it when I drove my family and friends two hours to ride our ATV's in a legal riding spot, only to find out that people like you feel that saving sand is more important than having good clean american fun with your family. I guess that we might kill some endangered sand flea or something, so thank god we have lawyers of your caliber to put a stop to such a tragedy. I mean, I'm just a lowly tax paying citizen, I shouldn't be allowed to enjoy myself, right?
     I know that you guys want to remove the dam and put the sediment in that area. My question is, why can't we use the area until then? Once the sediment is there, why can't we use again?
     Don't get me wrong, I love the forest, and I'm all for preserving it. I just can't for the life of me see how closing the Rodman pit is going to help in this matter. Maybe if you would quit hugging that tree so hard, you could get enough blood to your brain to think straight.
     Now, if I offended you, I'm sorry. But, you offended my whole family and quite a few of my friends. If you feel that you have good and logical reasons for doing this, please let me know. I will always admit when I am wrong. So please, educate me on how this is saving anything.

Thank you,
David Hogan
Jax., FL
wdhogan@bellsouth.net
904-714-6591

That my friend are some very wise words.

I & some of my friend's had some of the best time's of our live's in ONF. Not anymore, were from Tampa so none of us from here had experienced a place like that before.

I remember on the new's a couple years ago & the reporter was interviewing a guy & his friend in his air boat(at the dock)
I guess it had to do w/ wanting to ban air boat's from even more places.
I'll never forget what the owner of that boat told the reporter, He said "I grew up & lived in this area all my life & now all these people from New York or wherever they come from move down here & want to start changing thing's. We've been the one's LIVING here & taking care of this place & now they want to change it,this is our back yard" When I was listening to the guy I could feel exactly what he was saying.

I agree w/ what another member of this board said awhile back,"we need a good cat.5 hurricane to move (scare)all these people to back where they came from"
 I live on the water & I feel the same way.

I don't understand why we can't ride our toy's in the forest but they can totally ruin the forest by their clear cutting. You should see some of the trash those guy's leave. I've seen a bunch of empty 5 gal. bucket's of gear oil they left behind. I wonder if they took their old oil out w/ them & what in?

Anyway's it's too bad not have a place to play w/ your toy's.

Also when we went to ONF we'd take a roll of them heavy duty contractor trash bag's w/ us & alway's left the place clean.