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Post by EdgeE on Mar 25, 2008 20:08:28 GMT -5
Ran into the man in charge of scheduled burning for the FS today. I asked about the last burn @ Horn Creek and covered in soot, he told me they had a rather large burn today, but not near any trails. I told him I was now a member of SORBA and he then gave me a heads up for a prescribed burn for the land around the Modoc Trail. They are going to burn to about the 4 mile mark in early April. He told me he would email me when the plan is finalized & I could post it here (although I forgot to give him my email address today, I see him several times a week). He is a great guy! He suggested we try to clear the areas around the bridges when the time comes. I hope its after the BD, but if not, maybe we can organize a small crew to work sometime during the week.
I will get him my email address & hopefully we will get a heads up for all future prescribed burns.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 25, 2008 21:04:27 GMT -5
Wonder if that's the same MFWIC that locked up HC less than one week before the BD07. After my 34' fifth wheel was sitting on spot 8 (and yes, I paid for every single day before the area got burned). Who left the gates of the CG locked and me not having access to my property. The same MFWIC that was going to burn less than a week before an event that SORBA/CSRA paid for (the use of the facilities). The one who put a handwritten sign on the gate instructing me (the camper on site 8) to call his cell phone if I was concerned that my fifth wheel would sustain fire/smoke damage.
The same one who have cared less that his burn would affect the BD. Well, some of us spent the first couple hours of the BD07 clearing the USFS burn issues. The ones who called for the burn didn't care, and the USFS ranger who showed up to take care of the burning trees on the trail wasn't happy at all.
I took offense. My wife took offense. We took the offense to Paul. He took offense. The SO and I had dinner with the ranger at HKSP. He seemed to actually care about us mountain bikers, especially since he took the time to show up at a meeting at Nacho Mama's last Fall. He wanted us to bring more MTB'ers to HKSP.
Guess what?
Money talks and BS walks. This year's BD is at HKSP. Great amenities. Great camping. Really looking forward to it. We are, after all, a volunteer group. I don't get paid to sweat the BS. I have said it before, and I will say it again: I hope this is the best BD ever. We are looking forward to a BD at a place that appreciates our appearance.
Michael
P.S. EdgeE: I work in Edgefield. I stood on the back dock of FCI Edgefield and watched the thick clouds of the HC burn billow last year a couple of days before the event. My heart sank and I made a phone call to speak to Ranger Hammond that very day. He talked about the fact that forest management was paramount. I tried to explain our issue. He didn't care. Now I don't. The USFS burns where they want to. We minions are supposed to pick up the pieces. TC has a burned bridge. More will soon. The USFS really doesn't care.
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Post by oddcouple on Mar 25, 2008 22:26:53 GMT -5
I never understood why it was voted in May 2007 to have the Bakers Dozen at Horn Creek again after all that S---t happened.
Thank goodness the Forest Service wouldn't open the camp ground early. So we had to move it to HKSP.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 26, 2008 19:05:02 GMT -5
C'Mon Russell. You know that all the arrows pointed toward having the BD at HC again when the votes were counted. Some of us (you included) got the ball rolling to find a more hospitable environment. Them not being willing to open it a week early was a nail, one of many, that helped us to make the easy decision to move it. The entire event will benefit. The big no-brainer to me was the fact that they were going to burn the campground itself two days before the BD. That was my wake-up call that we (SORBA/CSRA) were minions. The fact that HC has no water/electricity at each site makes it perfect for tenters, but what tenter wants to sleep and walk on fresh ash? That said, it's time to find somewhere else to host our monthly meeting. As soon as the meeting starts, they turn up the speakers. I have gone down numerous times to ask them to turn the "music" down, and they act like they have no idea who could have ever turned the volume up. No respect. Heck, maybe I am just too old to put up with disrespectful public servants, and private servants alike.
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Post by oddcouple on Mar 26, 2008 22:42:45 GMT -5
I felt and so did others that it was a hasty decision. I thought we should have looked into having it at HKSP a little more.I think some were worried about the logistics but it all has worked out for the good.
The ranger that you refer to as MFWIC.Asked me the day after the Bakers Dozen with a bit of sarcasm how the bikers liked the fact that they had burned it.I told him that they loved it, the best part was riding at nite seeing the fire.Told him, hope you do it again next year.
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Post by Angela on Mar 26, 2008 23:28:13 GMT -5
Lest we forget..............it all kind of depends on how the political winds are blowing at any given time. HKSP & BC were out of the question for years because the powers that be in Columbia would not allow us to hold an event that contained nightriding (unless we rode around the lit parking lot after dark). So at that time the hospitable environment was Horn Creek! We were positively thrilled that the USFS so gladly welcomed us and encouraged us to have the event at Horn Creek. The groundwork you did with HKSP made this decision to change the venue to HKSP this year a no-brainer and it was admittedly a very good move given the circumstances. I think this has the potential to be the best Baker's Dozen yet but we cannot forget the successful and fun BD from years past either! As far as Nacho Mamas goes, we looked long and hard at the time many years ago to find a venue that was hospitable to a bunch of mountain bikers (sometimes after a ride), had sufficient room to allow us to meet and served a good brew. There simply wasn't any other place in town at the time that could fill the bill so NM won hands down. There aren't that many places in town that will allow you to reserve space month after month to hold meetings and not charge a fee. If another place would be better lets vote on it at the next meeting!
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Post by EdgeE on Mar 27, 2008 7:10:03 GMT -5
I did not know I was stepping into a Hornet's nest! I am new to SORBA and have not delt with the Ranger on any professional grounds, and did not know about these past issues. I was under the impression Modoc was a beloved trail and there would be some desire to try to save the bridges out there from the flame. I have seen the devastation burning has on the trails. I am also aware of the time and effort to build/rebuild. I can feel the frustration with the past and understand the need to vent. I did a search and could not find any posts warning of up comming burns, only reactions to the aftermth. I also thougt SORBA had a good relationship with the FS and have been surprised by the lack of any preburn posts in the past. I am willing/wanting to do what I can to help, both in opening the door of communication, and in the preburn work to try and save the trail features. As I said above, I am new to SORBA, so if I am uninformed or stepping on any toes, I apologize, I'm only trying to get involved.
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Post by seenvic on Mar 27, 2008 8:03:00 GMT -5
EE, You don't owe anyone an apology.
I can't understand why anyone would think a bike race is going to be considered more important than managing the forest for fire and timber growth. That said, mistakes were made and the communication could be improved upon. And ya know what.....The USFS did in fact tell the President of SORBA-CSRA on March 20, 2008 about the upcoming burn at Modoc. Specifically to ask if we could help with the preservation of the bridges. My thought is that this is the responsibility of the USFS to protect the bridges, but if we can help we will. It just came at a very busy time for us.
I get pissed at the USFS at times for various reasons. But at the end of the day, what they have done that is positive for our sport and our lives far outweighs the negatives they have done.
I can't help but think some here may think that what we have and we are doing is the status quo all over country. It isn't. I'll list a few good things over the years this local USFS district has done for us.
1. 1987-88. Opened Horn Creek, Modoc, Turkey, Wine and LCHT to bikes to ride legally without question. 2. Allow night riding on all their trails. 3. Allowed the Long Cane Massacre Ride in 1999. 4. Supported numerous RTP grants for maintenance on these trails that in turn supplied the matching for the trails at Baker Creek and HKSP to be built. 5. Allowed the Bakers Dozen at Horn Creek when State Parks said no to the night riding portion. 6. Allowed us to continue to ride the old Tower Trail until it got logged. This trail was never legal and could have been shut down at anytime from 1993 on. 7. Worked with on us FATS to complete the NEPA (prolly spent $30000 on that). Helped us get a $75,000 USFS grant that paid for all of phase 2 of FATS. Gave us $15,000 in cash for FATS phase 1 and another $10,000 in cash for FATS phase 3.
No relationship goes without it's ups and downs. Whether this be a marriage or a partnership b/n a bike club and a land manager. We have had our downs with the USFS. But, IMHO the ups far outweigh these downs.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 27, 2008 15:40:08 GMT -5
EE, You don't owe anyone an apology. I can't understand why anyone would think a bike race is going to be considered more important than managing the forest for fire and timber growth. I for the life of me can't understand how any person would want to burn the campground itself, days before an event. That was my first paragraph in my first post. The campground and the facilities there getting burned are what chapped me more than anything else. Any of us with more than a 3rd grade education knows that the USFS is all about forest management. Twasn't my point...
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Post by seenvic on Mar 27, 2008 19:45:18 GMT -5
I don't discount any of your points.
I just think the local USFS has been more of a net positive than negative. I gage this relative to other USFS Districts and relative to other agencies. Concerning trails, they have done more good than bad.
And you have pointed out just some of the bad....that you know about. There is more.
But at the end of the day, I'll take what we got now over what we could have and did have say 10 years ago.
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Post by stephbriggs on Apr 16, 2008 10:08:16 GMT -5
Yesterday, (4/15) I went to ride the Modoc/Steven's Creek Trail. It is currently closed for a prescribed burn. Anyone know when it will open? The Forest Service website directs folks here to find out when its open, but I can't find the post. . .
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