>From: >Reply-To: listserv@azgeocaching.com >To: listserv@azgeocaching.com >Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] FW: Arizona Game and Fish wants to hear from >ou >Date: 20 Nov 2006 09:07:50 -0700 > >Licensed vehicles will not be required to have the sticker according to the >discussion @ virtual jeep. (disclaimer: this might be a bit controversial.... call it what you want, but this is what I have seen and witnessed, so I can say it 'matter of factly') That is how I understand it. Only UNREGISTERED vehicles have to have this permit. That would be ATC's and ATV's and Motorcycles that are generally trailered to their starting points (and of course rockcrawlers and jeeps that are not driven on the roadways). I knew something like this would eventually happen. The website says something like 'due to the recent heavy growth of off road activities". In my opinion, that huge growth of off road driving is all ATV's and cycles. In my opinion, they are the ones that do the most damage to the environment. Of course, there are good people and bad apples in every group.... but in general, from what I have seen over the past 15 years that I have really been paying attention to this stuff... jeeps (and similar vehicles) tend to 'tread lightly'. They usually can be seen just crawling along. Not kicking up a lot of dust (which is another huge issue with the local government agencies) and not tearing up the desert. The ATVs/quads and cycles are usually the ones racing across the desert, kicking up tons of dust and creating new trails. The area of desert SE of Apache Junction is a PRIME example. That whole area (south of US 60/West of State Route 79) and east of the CAP canal) has a good number of trails out there. They used to be all 2 track 'jeep' type trails. Lots of pinstriping along the way! Over the past few years, those 2 track trails have become very wide and sandy. The amount of vegetation along these roads/trails have become very sparse. Why have these trails become so much wider? Why cant the riders stay on the original two tire tracks that used to be the trail? Then after heavy rains, the 'mudders' have to come along and tear the trails up farther by creating huge ruts (this is the reason the forest service closes its roads in the winter). Then, the ATV's and Quads come back in and have to ride around the mud hole full of ruts and thus create a new trail... thinning the vegetation and eventually widening the trail (this is called 'no respect for the land'). This is what is happening and in my opinion is very damaging to the environment. I dont like it one bit and I think the state needs to put a MUCH tighter rein on these ATV's and motorcycles. I know there might be a few on here that rides cycles and quads and I know there are some of them that are very respectful of the land, but in general... these types of vehicles are doing the most damage... due to their popularity. Just my opinion. But I think alot of the Jeep guys will agree with me on this. I have witnessed this first hand as I spend alot of time over this area of desert. and.. no... I dont own a Jeep and I am not a hardcore 4 wheeler. So my opinions are not biased. It's just that I have personally never seen a jeep racing across this area of desert, spewing a ton of dust in the air and tearing up the desert. The most lack of respect for the land, that I have personally seen, is coming from the ATV/quad and cycles sector. Again, I am sure there are alot of very respectful riders out there... but as I said before, due to the popularity of these vehicles, there are more bad apples in this group now then there was before. This area of desert has become what is known as an OHV area (off highway vehicle). It is a place that these types of vehicles can be ridden. I think with the popularity of them, the state couldnt really 'put a rein' on them, so they just made the area an OHV area (just like the Rolls near Saguaro Lake). Its a shame, because that desert used to be very green and pristine. What is very disspointing to see is that the quads and cycles are now starting to migrate north of the highway and outside the designated OHV area. Scott Team RTW _________________________________________________________________ Stay up-to-date with your friends through the Windows Live Spaces friends list. http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mk