ATV Florida Forum

Below is a link IF YOU GOT TIME to read where all the BS is coming from at ONF. This is only the start of what the tree huggers got up there sleves. I would like to know how much revenue the state makes off a pair of binoculars to watch birds rather then TAXES and REGISTRATION FEE'S on a 3-10k ATV  :cursing.gif

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida/news/OcalaDEIS.shtml

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Someone sum up the article for me i'm to lazy to read it.

I think the link brings you to some of the proposals for the ONF trail system. I don't think the final draft is in place yet but I heard from a forest ranger it would be online eventually.

Ya'll should read through this. Check out the Alternatives C & D. All but one of the alternatives shut down whats being called " concentrated use areas ", I interpret that to mean the sandpits that are left and the powerline & gasline trails.

This proposal was only drafted last august. In my opinion being gov operated the "new trail" system is just the begining of it. The American public is a finicky eater. If you try to force feed them "us" something it will get rejected but if its fed to us in small portions a little at a time then in time we will accept it ie.. gas prices. Less then 1 year ago we paid OVER $1+ less per gallon for fuel. They found the reasons to start jacking the price and we are accepting it. It hasn't gone done much to last years prices. From what I heard and read the oil refineries didn't take as big of a hit as the rest of the gulf coast,but yet our oil prices nation wide along with all other energy prices have soared.
All I'm saying about ONF is that beware because we are being fead green pee's allong with our apple sauce and in time you'll love and be glad to get green pee's and foget what apple sauce was. There isn't much that can be done to change the coarse of whats going to happen at ONF, which sux.
I thought it would be interesting reading for those who are interested and take advantage of ONF.  :-\

Does anybody know if the trail system applies to the hunters, or will they be able to ride anywhere that hunting is allowed? If they can go anywhere they want on ATV to hunt then that does not seem right.

   Jim,

I think we all know how the new trail system is going to turn out. Instead of having MANY acres of land to ride on, we're now going to have a "maintained" loop of trails. I dont know about you guys, but I see a lot more accidents happening and a lot more people getting hurt/killed/upset. Our luck, the trail system will be shut down within the first year. As much as I hate to say it, we all need to speak up now while we still can or just sit back and continue to watch our privledges go down the drain. Sitting around and complaining on this site is not getting us anywhere. Until all Off-Roaders actually come together as a community/group we're not going to get anywhere. Remember the saying: The Squeeky hinge gets the oil. Anotherwards, whichever group is loudest gets their way (and that obviously isn't us).

I agree that more people will get hurt,,,,and you know that leads to lawsuits which will lead to them being closed like the pits at Scrub.

Id@

Well, Option D is what is being implemented. The open period for comments has passed and it is now too late. The trail system is being laid out and marked as we read this. It should become official in January. The hunters will not be able to ride anywhere they want. Anyone can walk anywhere in ONF, but riders are limited to the marked trails. They will start laying out the trails in the south end (Big Scrub) any time now.

Correction-
It IS official but it will begin being enforced in January. Enforcement will be "enthusiastic". Fish and Game officers will be brought in to do enforcement in the beginning. They are the most powerful of all state agencies, including Troopers. Oh, yeah- the fines have been doubled. Almost forgot that part. If any rider under 16 years of age is caught without a helmet, it will almost certainly be a child endangerment charge against the parent- a criminal offense and DCF will be brought in. Just think what will happen if you are caught riding off-trail, and try to run. Stainless steel bracelets, probably.

i geuss that im the only one that likes the idea :dunno.gif :dunno.gif i know that they will take away the land over time no matter what so i just live with that! unless you can get every ohv owner in the state to show up in tallahassee or where ever they make the laws, at the same time, we are fighting a losing battle!

one way trails are fun! just go to durhamtown and you will see!!

please dont hang me for my opinion :stoogies.gif

That environmental impact statement for Ocala looks almost like the way it was drawn up for Big Cypress.  When they finished the impact statement for Big Cypress and it was approved they said this is the way it will be done for the rest of the country to follow.  The problem with these impact statements is that just about any area can be considered environmentally sensitive.  It's a bunch of crap if you ask me.

I have to agree with dreth.  Unless they severely limit the areas we can ride, i'm for it.  My biggest fear with Ocala, especially when riding with my family, is someone coming the other way wide open throttle, and we have a head on

THEY WILL NOT BE ONE-WAY TRAILS!!

Are you still going to be able to ride your ATV  to the campsites or are they going to make you trailer them to the designated trails like is done at most campsites in Big Cypress?

West Delancy will be a trail head.

Get used to this. Folks just have to realize that something is better than nothing. The days of riding wherever you want, on what you want, how you want and when you want are over. Some might say it stinks.

On the other hand, if this is what it takes to keep at least some trails and areas open, then what can you say? I don't particularly like it, but its too late now.

and that is what I see the problem as.

Id@

I was thinking that I had heard that the trails were going to be one-way. And if they are I like that idea as it is also a fear of mine running head on into some one on a blind turn.

   Jim,

I took this post of mine from another thread of similiar discussion and still feel the same.  Have to agree with dreth and ida-it would take a long time and a lot of work to compare to Durhamtown, but I don't how there would be more accidents with a one-way trail system as earlier stated in this thread so again.......

Every out-of-state trail system I've been to-GA, PA, NC-have all had designated trails-usually marked for their difficulty at the trail heads.  I've had a good time at every single one of them.  Especially for the fact I knew nobody would be hitting me head on coming the opposite direction!!  I've also had to pay a daily/weekend permit fee-usually not more than $10-$20.   Not too sure what all the   is about!!  It's also nice to know where you're approx. located-especially in an emergency situation.

Even if a fee was created to help maintain these trails-daily/weekend/annual passes should be available; as long as they are going to be maintained.  Croom-at least up until last year to my knowledge has 1 option and that is the annual pass.  In my opinion, Croom is not worth $50 for someone out-of-state visiting for 1 weekend of riding.  As I've stated before in other threads-I don't see where the money for Croom goes, other than cleaning up-The park is clean but not very well managed/organized.

Take it from me. They will NOT be one way trails. Their belief is 1 way trails encourage racing and they won't let that happen.

you have to understand that they only want you to ride slowly through the forest, treading lightly and watching the birds :( you can be sure the trails will have no mud, no hills, basically no challenges. It will be somewhere to take your grandmother riding. We really need a privatley owned riding area, like some old mining property with pits and challenging terrain, like croom only bigger.

I can tell you the rangers don't want us riding in any of those fun sinkholes. The ranger at scrub mentioned to me that there should be vegetation growing in them not trails going up and down them from riders. In my head I was thinking who the heck is concerned about some grass and plants in a mother nature made hole while you clear thousands of acres of wood with huge tractors and drive your forestry trucks all over the forest? My biggest concern with the new trails is the lack of challenge. Trails are fun but you gotta have some hills and pits to play in or it gets old riding in a line fast. Also with Federal funds being tied up in all these natural disasters how good is trail maintenance going to be in the years to come? And how long will it take them to clear tree's out of our way after a hurricane? Maybe if we are lucky they will run out of funds to even have the trail system in place or people to restrict our access. I pray sometime soon someone in this state opens a place like Durhamtown with all sorts of terrain and lets of have our FUN!

I totally agree Eric, one of the best features and aspects about riding ONF is the EXPLORATION. I love going out on a journey and not knowing what trail is going to bring be back to where I was. Its almost impossible to memorize all the trails there unless you go weekly or live there. I also hope the funds get allotted to hurricane relief or saving the reef, but leave our only GOOD trail riding,exploration area alone. Seems uncle sam has to get his greedy hands in anything that people do that includes fun and freedom of where and when to ride on lands paid for by us.
As far as someone making a place here like Durhamtown the property values are too high to set aside that big of a piece of land. Althouth the phosfate mines do have thousands of acres throughout the state deemed unusable for most purposes that would make perfect areas. The mine alreade raped the land, what more could a bunch of ATV riders do. Last time I checked ATV"s are not nuclear powered and cause nuclear emmissions like the mining companies have left. One of the biggest problems I was told with mining lands is the radiation. Shoot I'll glow in the dark if you tell me here's 10,000 acres have at it.   :B :B :B

this is where having dual talents ( trails & track) comes in handy! atleast i can ride somewhere until i move out of state in a few years :-\

That's it, if LT and his family wind up moving out of state... I'm SO hiding in the trunk and tagging along, lol. ;)

I hear alot of talk about no one way trails, can anyone tell me how wide the trials will be????

About 60 inches, I believe.

60 in. is not very wide to pass when you meet some one head on. If the trails are not one-way then when you meet someone one of them will have to make a new trail to get past and that is something that the rangers fuss about. I for one hope they will do one-way trail system.

   Jim,

Looking into something as we speak. We are traveling to Coal Creek and meeting with some officials from Windrock ATV club to see exactly how they worked this out with the mining company. Can't get into many specifics now but will provide info as we progress.

Florida gator, I see you are from Inverness. That is where the best riding in the state is ;D. I sure wish some of that land could be used for an off road park.

One of the most important issues concerning these new designated trails is trail grooming.  Will they be groomed and if so, how often?  If trail grooming does not take place we will be looking at woops worse than Croom immediately!

Yes, they will be groomed. That is the biggest complaint that is heard. They are getting a special vehicle to bull the groomer so that it will fit on the trails.

I aggree

Chillin, not sure which area you refer to but there are several great places to ride here. I will post on details as I am able. Can't say much now. We will be in Tn getting ideas for our plan Thurs night.

GSPKURT... Thanks in response to my question about trail grooming.  This is good news. If grooming does take place on a continuous basis as you say this will make the difference from a good trail system to a bad one and keep alot of people happy and save thousands of complaints.  Also I was wondering if all of the trail heads will connect.  This is also another concern to many that I have spoken with.  I am assuming they will and if so this would be another good choice allowing exploration from one destination keeping many happy and allowing the group rides to continue as usual.

The trailheads will connect. About grooming- they are saying it will be groomed, but right now I don't know how often, or when it will start. Once the trail system is in place, we will be recruiting atv, jeep and dirt bike clubs to help with maintenance and upkeep. Right now, there are less than a dozen volunteers for all of the forest, and it is a little intimidating.