I'm 100% behind the mission of the AZOHVC. It's abundantly clear to me that the only really effective voice we have against the threat of slowly losing access to our trails is through this watchdog group and their lobbyist at the state government level. Although I fully appreciate what the Blue Ribbon Coalition is about, I've aware of zero BRC presence in the face of those things that immediately threaten our access. BRC is a national organization, but Arizona trails are a state matter.

My dollars will vote accordingly.

I'm extremely appreciative of the efforts that Chris has made over the recent past, personally reaching out here to us, actively spreading word of what's going on, where there are perceived challenges, and what can be done. I try to stay informed, but it can be difficult, and this has been very helpful to me.

I asked Mike if it would be possible to add an AZOHVC link somewhere in the margin here on this board, as a reminder to check on their efforts now and then, and think about sending them a few bucks. He tells me it could be done.

Their page links to ours, and your vehicles are featured there, so it feels right to me.

I'm curious about what other people think.

Any objections?

I like it.

I like Chris--he's a stand-up guy; I think some people blamed him for what happened to Table Mesa and believed he was the reason that some trails got shut down because he is the face of AZOHVC.

I believe he and AZOHVC operate in our best interests and the BLM and whatever government powers that be tend to be swayed by the Sierra Club since they have so much influence *cough*money*cough* and muscle *cough*money*cough*. AZOHVC has lobbied to have some trails reopened successfully--but it costs money to have a lawyer to lobby for our rights, and I think they will continue to have limited success until people really start backing them. Until we build a following like the Sierra Club, I think it's going to be a struggle.

The bottom line is that there are idiots out there--high school kids, young college students, and trashy people--who ruin it for the rest of us. AZOHVC tries to educate people but they need more backing.

All agreded..
..chris is a good guy and i too believe he and his organization are trying to do good for all off roaders. But i also think its a futal effort without numbers. Until the offroading community can get their shit together trails will be closed.the all mighty dollar always wins period. Look at hackberry perfect example their. Mining company won over a indian tribe. Now hackberry will only be a memory.

The best thing we can do is set a good example for others when we are out on the trail and vote with our wallets.

So I just "voted" them a $300 donation on behalf of www.AZFJ.org, so I think we've just "joined". However, I don't expect it gets us any secret keys to the basement clubhouse or the code for the pool on the roof...

I would love to see a "Proud Supporters of the AZOHVC" logo here on our forum website though!

I used Paypal, and I had to individually enter in the "[email protected]" for the payment. There's no slick link, or at least if there is, the net-nanny here at work killed it.

Oh... and I almost goofed by trying to set it up as a "gift" rather than a "payment". That would have cost me an additional 9 bucks that would have otherwise been thrown away. As a "payment" It appears that I spent 300 and they got 300.

I feel good about this donation. I'm not a huge charity giver in general because I'm usually a bit worried about how much good my money does when it gets managed by someone else. However, this is something that means a lot to me, and frankly I'm just pissed off about being under-represented and otherwise ignored on this issue. AZOHVC is too small and too angry to waste my money on internal bureaucracy.

Not everyone has the cash right now to share, and I get that. However, if you can, throw them a few bucks and post up here to show your solidarity. Everything counts.

I made a donation as well before writing my post. I am happy to support those who are fighting for open access.

Ive tried to donate to then since the first time they came to this site.

I gave up as the donate now link has never worked.

Sounds like it still doesn't ???

It just dropped me off at Paypal which is way low tech, unfortunately. It says on the page that you can Paypal to azohvc @ yahoo.com so I dropped Chris an email and then sent some $.

Either it worked correctly or else I just bought a round for the house somewhere in Nigeria.

I donate my time and effort on the Friends of Redington Pass Cooperative Area Management Plan group.

I have to read more... Who knew that buying an FJ would thrust me into grass root politics.

hypertencio wrote:

I have to read more... Who knew that buying an FJ would thrust me into grass root politics.

Amen to that. I found it eye opening.

So who's going to run for AZ legislator and push to get the laws changed? I find it ridiculous that land "owned" by the state of Arizona is consider private. It's under the control of a public entity, it should be publicly accessible; not to mention the lack of signage and the stiff criminal penalties, it's ridiculous and needs to be changed.

It's certainly not private.

It comes from the Enabling Act of 1910, in which Congress started to set up how AZ would go smoothly from Territory to State. It invovled deeding parcels of land to the state that would create income so that there would be funding for schools. They rightly concluded that this was a primary responsibility of States and not the Federal government, and needed to be in place.

AZ State government then defined the State Land Department. Their job was to extract income for their public institutions, by interacting with the land users, who were essentially ranchers and miners. The economy of Arizona at that time was almost exclusively about EXTRACTING something from the land, and the State was going to be in for a cut.

Only comparatively recently has the economic priority moved (partially) away from extracting the riches out of AZ, to actually living and existing here as a goal on it's own. This whole concept of recreational land use is extremely modern, and as far as the State is concerned, it's not a major source of income for the public institutions, so it's priority status is going to be weighted accordingly.

What I'm saying is that you're not likely to win this one. Whether it works correctly or not, the funds are earmarked for K-12 education, and since our school system sucks as is, nobody is going to endorse the plan of cutting off this income source to the already underfunded system, once the spin doctors start presenting any anti- initiative in that light. Besides... this is a phenomenon reinforced by not just State Law, but also an Act of Congress more than a hundred years old.

As much as I hate the idea of putting signs in the wilderness, I can see your point. Signs remove ambiguity and resolve arguments.

The criminal penalties need to be fought, unfortunately. In my opinion, this isn't a problem for adding laws to the books, it's a problem for interpreting existing law, which means test cases.

However, I don't plan to be one. I keep a permit at all times.


Come to think of it though... doesn't this seem like a good argument for having a lobbyist around who can watchdog our interests as AZ citizens who want public land access to be maintained for OHV use? We're not likely to GAIN rights but we're certainly at risk of LOSING them if we don't actively intervene.

I started this thread with the question as to whether or not anyone had any objection to posting a logo/link to the AZOHVC on this page, so we could easily click on their page whenever we want and see what they're up to... and maybe pitch them some support.

It would seem all are in agreement that these issues are important to us.

spaldam wrote:

So who's going to run for AZ legislator and push to get the laws changed? I find it ridiculous that land "owned" by the state of Arizona is consider private. It's under the control of a public entity, it should be publicly accessible; not to mention the lack of signage and the stiff criminal penalties, it's ridiculous and needs to be changed.

Since you find it ridiculous why don't you go for it instead of wanting someone else to do it. You don't like the system? Become part of the system so you can try to change the system.