Another story regarding the DAC meeting last Friday that will be in the next issue of one of the local papers in Yucca Valley.
On Friday, Mar. 20, there was an unusual gathering of extreme four wheelers out on Means Dry Lake, surrounding a yellow bus.
The occasion was the quarterly BLM field trip with the Desert Advisory Council. They came to Johnson Valley, to visit the world-famous Hammers trails.
(Possibly word had reached the BLM that something goes on in this neck of the woods—er, rocks—that attracts people by the thousands, and not just for special events like the King of the Hammers Race.)
County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt rode along. Roxie Trost, District Manager for the BLM was asked when she came back, "Well, were you scared?" She exclaimed, "No, it was FUN!"
Helen Baker of the Partnership for Johnson Valley wrote on
www.pirate4x4.com <http://www.pirate4x4.com/> , "It was truly wonderful that all of you gave freely of your time and your equipment to show the Advisory Council just how special Johnson Valley is to all of us...With this tour being an unqualified success, and without a doubt, one of the best that has ever been presented to the DAC, I, and I'm sure all of you, had high hopes that surely the DAC would be very vocal in their comments to the BLM and the Military, that Johnson Valley MUST be saved."
But Helen goes on to report that, sadly, at the follow-up meeting on Saturday, little was said about the outing.
Too bad. We heard their excitement ourselves when the rigs returned to camp. Once again, it looks like the message gets across, but does not get passed on, to higher-ups and decision makers. The Desert Advisory Council offered no advice that Johnson Valley must be saved, for all kinds of recreation.
Colonel Wes Weston, USMC, and Joe Ross, Land Acquisition Program Manager, were at Means, also, and they heard. The Marines make a persuasive case for the expansion of the Base, to train to safely execute national strategies planned far, far away.
We must continue to make the case that the community of Johnson Valley, the visitors who use the Open Riding Area, the local economy and the economy of the state of California will be hit a body blow if we are closed out of these unique public lands forever.
There's just nowhere else like it.
The extreme four wheelers certainly did their best to make the case. There were over 20 rigs there, this on a work day, come together to show the BLM and DAC people just what the shouting was all about.
You may not be particularly interested in this kind of recreation, but these people deserve credit for helping Johnson Valley.The Victor Valley 4 Wheelers were represented; they are the intrepid folks who first developed trails in impassable rocky canyons. Extreme Wheelers 4 Christ was another name we saw. Thanks to Helen for this list of some of the others: Bear Valley 4 Wheelers, CA4WDC, CORVA, Chuckwalla 4x4, Friends of Johnson Valley, Inland Empire 4 Wheelers,
, PFJV, Tin Benders and Waywegos. Praise to all.
See trail photos by Max Yedor on the "thank you" thread on
www.pirate4x4.com <http://www.pirate4x4.com/> .
• And how about signing an on-line petition? Log on to
www.savejohnsonvalley.com <http://www.savejohnsonvalley.com>
Im thrilled
