by Del Albright
Up hwy 4, N. CA, near the Bear Valley Ski Resort is the Round Valley 4x4 Trail. Our group decided to tackle it on a rainy September day. It was awesome. We also tested a brand new Bronco (Baja version) with great success. The new owners and new wheelers were thrilled with the Ford.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 6/5/2023
CONTACT: Ted Cabral – 707.246.8289
CELEBRATE OHV AREA
POST-WINTER REOPENING
UPPER LAKE, CA - A celebration is planned to honor the
work done by volunteers and the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance (PWORA) in
partnership with the U.S. Forest Service over the last six months to reopen motorized
trails damaged by heavy winter storms. The PWORA Celebration event will be held
on June 17, 2023 at the Middle Creek Campground on the Mendocino National
Forest near Upper Lake, CA.
The severe rain storms, high winds, and heavy snow had
caused hundreds of trees damaged by recent wildfires to fall across the
designated road and trail system that blocked public access and raised concerns
about rider safety and environmental impacts due to unauthorized reroutes
around blocked travelways.
To help address those storm impacts, PWORA organized numerous
work events attended by 170 volunteers who contributed over 2,000 hours to
clear downed trees off of the multiple-use road and trail system managed by the
Upper Lake Ranger District (ULRD).
PWORA worked with the ULRD’s District Ranger, Frank
Aebly, and OHV recreation specialist, Matt Nourmohamadian, to ensure that trail
clearing efforts followed sustainable trail management practices and safety
protocols.
Ted Cabral, PWORA
President and CEO, states, “Getting OHV routes reopened for public use before
the Memorial Day Weekend was a herculean effort that was only accomplished by a
strong collaboration between PWORA, volunteer crews, and the ULRD management
and staff.”
“Special thanks also goes to the Lake County Public Works
Department and Forest Service law enforcement who worked on a temporary fix and
management strategy to reopen a slide on a section of the Elk Mountain Road to
allow for trail repair crews to continue clearing downed trees,” Cabral
continues.
“The celebration event is an appropriate way to highlight
the heavy lift by the Forest Service and partners to reopen this important
recreation area so it can be once again enjoyed by the recreation community,” Cabral
concludes.
PWORA wants to
thank our many sponsors and grant partners who helped make the reopening
possible and they include, FOX FACTORY
Trail Trust Program, Factory Pipe, Metal Cloak Industries, California State
Park OHV Grant Program, Metal Cloak Industries, Yamaha Grant Initiative, and
the Marin County Motorcycle Association.
FB LINK TO JUNE 17 CELEBRATION
https://www.facebook.com/pwora
# # #
By Del Albright
Snow wheeling, or over-the-snow 4x4 travel, is a lot of fun -- especially in good snow that allows you to float on top of the crust.
I recommend the first step is good snow-gripping tires like the BFGoodrich Tires KM3 Mud Terrain. Secondly, air your tires down as far as you can safely go. If you have beadlock wheels, then 3 to 5 pounds psi works great. Third, lock it up and go slow. Let the tires grab and walk you over the snow.
Protocol:
1. Follow the rules. Make sure over-the-snow travel is allowed where you plan to go.
2. Always avoid resource damage (like driving over small shrubs and trees).
3. Obtain a permit if it's required in your area.
4. Be extra courteous to other snow users like cross-country skiers.
Have fun. Be safe. And wheel that white stuff!
#BFG
##
POST STORM TRAIL RECOVERY PROJECT STARTS
ON UPPER LAKE
RANGER DISTRICT
On January 21, 2023, over 27 staff and volunteers from
the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance (PWORA) and the Forest Service worked
to reestablish motorized access to the Deer Valley Campground.
Crews cleared both small and large diameter downed trees
along the Upper and Lower Deer Valley roads. Dirt-bike strike teams were
deployed to clear downed trees on single-track trails.
The recent series of winter storms with heavy rain and
winds caused a lot of trees killed or damaged by recent wildfires to fall down
across much of the designated road and trail system. Several of the key OHV
campgrounds also sustained significant damage.
The project area is located on the Upper Lake Ranger
District (ULRD) that is on the west side of the Mendocino National Forest. The
ULRD offers a total of three OHV staging areas/ campgrounds including Middle
Creek, Penny Pines, and Deer Valley. These are multi-use facilities that offer
a diverse range of high-quality motorized and non-motorized recreation
opportunities.
Ted Cabral, PWORA’s president and CEO, states, “It’s volunteer
work parties like this that highlight the
increasingly important role that non-profit partners have
in helping federal agencies with post natural disaster repair and recovery of
roads, trails, and campgrounds.”
PWORA has volunteer works parties planned the 2nd
Saturday of each month for February, March, April, May and June to help the
ULRD reopen portions of its trail system. These trails and access roads are
currently closed due to damage by wildfires and severe winter storms.
PWORA’s volunteer work event will stage at the Middle
Creek Campground at 9:00am. For more information please contact the PWORA FB
page at:
www.facebook.com/groups/677479795963782
###
By Del Albright, ASA Social Media Manager, Supporter
Where will we be riding and exploring this new year? What
effect will our recent political history have on our access to public lands and
dunes? Are we going to see changes in our favorite duning areas? Allow me to
give you some insight.
The mess we call 2020 is now mostly hindsight, with 2021
and 2022 rough but better years. But our riding, exploring, and adventures for 2023
are not by any means guaranteed.
The Administration’s policy changes, as is usual in a
democracy, have flooded the world we live in. However, federal and state
agencies are adapting to the “new” normal just like they did a few years ago
with other agency/administration changes. Still, access to our public lands and
dunes is tenuous at best.
Land closures and restrictions will get headlines in almost
all states, especially in the west. New Monuments, new Wilderness, new Areas of
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), new this and new that. I predict we will
not be able to keep up with the pages of reading to review and comment.
In 2022 the environmental movement worked with the
Administration to orchestrate the 30 x 30 America the Beautiful initiative –
proposing to conserve (some say lock up) 30% of America by 2030. Right now,
about 12% of our American lands and waterways are “conserved” or protected
(locked up). ASA is watching this one closely!
Then we can throw in the many things that distract us
daily. Gun rights will be highlighted and in the news a lot. How our kids are
taught in school (or should I say brainwashed) will bug parents daily. The war
over “American-made” or foreign-made will hit the top of the charts. Insurance,
bills, trying to recover from the pandemic, and many other financial bites will
nibble at us all year.
So what?
So, what does this mean? Does it mean you probably aren’t
thinking much about keeping dunes open or saving our sports? And does it
suggest that this trend of not joining clubs and associations is the
easier way to do things – virtually, if at all?
WRONG! I can’t say that strongly enough. If we do not
unite, speak up, stay engaged, stay tuned into what is happening with our
trails, and FIGHT BACK, we will end up parking our rigs in the garage to look
at a few times a year. We cannot just be virtual, and we cannot let daily
distractions numb us into apathy.
Exactly what do we do?
JOIN: Get your joining back on! Join
ASA and your state and regional associations/organizations. They need our
membership dues to make a difference and do what dedicated, knowledgeable riders
MUST do.
Sure, if you want to stay with your virtual group, ok.
But do not make that your go-to. Virtual groups do not go to state capitals or
Washington, DC, to fight for us (unless I missed something). But, on the other
hand, brick-and-mortar groups do show up where it counts – in person, face to
face.
DONATE: Send somebody some
gas money! Donate to a group so they can send someone to those meetings where
decisions are made about YOUR trails. Buy raffle tickets to organization raffle
vehicles. If we are not at the tables, ALL of them, the head of the table will
make decisions without us and not necessarily in our favor.
VOLUNTEER: Put a trash bag to
work in your favorite duning area! Donate your time and volunteer to help keep dunes
open. Help your association/groups on a project that needs time and effort
(strong backs). Show up! Yes, I’ll be trite – the world is run by those who
show up.
BUY SMART: Support businesses
that support our sport. Buy from those outfits who do something for land use,
such as donating to raffles, joining associations as a business, and
contributing in some way to keep dunes open or helping a club doing just that.
Join, donate, volunteer, and buy smart. If
you start doing those things with all your heart and ability, we can turn the
tide in 2023 into a year we can be proud of and keep our right to ride alive
and well.
START by joining (or renewing your membership in) the American
Sand Association here: https://americansandassociation.org
CHECK-IN: Volunteer Check in 9am, Saturday,
USFS Middle Creek Campground, Mendocino National Forest, 8 miles north of Upper
Lake on County Road 301 (Forest Road M-1).
CAMP: camping available on site with
toilets and water; trailers/RVs ok.
JOBS: will include hand tool work,
cutting and moving cut tree limbs, and other trail repair and restoration work.
FOOD: Bring your own lunch/food (unless we
get a sponsor/donor) and hydration fluids.
GEAR: Bring personal protective gear if
you have it; some will be available on-site.
DATES: work is scheduled to take place the 2nd
Saturday of each month of January, February, March, April, May, June (nothing
in July – September), October, November, and December.
VOLUNTEER: Post up here if you can
make it.
BACKGROUND: PWORA is working with the
Mendocino National Forest, Upper Lake District to build new trails and restore
fire-damaged trails. The Mason Trail Connector is a conversion to OHV use of
approximately 1.3 miles of the abandoned logging road and will provide a
connection between two existing Mendocino National Forest OHV trails. The trail
was partially constructed by the Mendo NF and improved with 3 other culverts in
locations along with the trailbed but lacked a sustainable all-season creek
crossing in one location. PWORA constructed a multiplate culvert to provide an
all season, sustainable and fire-resistant creek crossing to complete the new
trail. Final preparations and arrangements are being made by PWORA and Mendo NF
to prepare for an official opening of the trail in 2023.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ted Cabral
Email: tedcabral@gmail.com
Date: 11/14/2022
POST WILDFIRE OHV RECOVERY ALLIANCE (PWORA) ELECTS NEW
PRESIDENT/CEO
COTTONWOOD, CA (Nov. 14) - The Post Wildfire OHV Recovery
Alliance (PWORA) board elected Ted Cabral as the organization’s new President
and CEO. The vote was taken at the 2022 Board Meeting held on November 10 in
Cottonwood, CA.
Ted Cabral will replace Don Amador who served from 2018
to 2022 as the organization’s first president who stepped down from his current
position but will, however, remain on the board.
Don Amador, past president of PWORA, states, “I am proud
of what PWORA has accomplished over the last 4 years where it collaborated with
a diverse array of multi-interest strategic partners to mobilize volunteers and
deploy resources on projects to mitigate post-disaster impacts to recreation
areas on public lands managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management in California.”
“PWORA’s significant achievements since the
organization’s founding include signing a Master Participating Agreement (MPA)
with the USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region (R5) located in
Vallejo, California, completion of numerous volunteer and contract post fire
recovery projects, and successful fundraising efforts,” Amador continues.
“I know the organization under Ted’s leadership with
continue to build capacity to help our agency partners plan for and implement
important post wildfire recovery projects,” Amador concludes.
Ted Cabral, former three term commissioner for the
Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division of California State Parks, has a
long track record of collaboration with the government agencies that manage OHV
recreation on public lands in California. “I am looking forward to building on
the incredible foundation that Don and the PWORA
board of directors have built.” Cabral stated. “My vision is to build our
alliance by developing deep ties with local clubs and volunteer organizations.
Those organizations would be able to leverage our relationship to streamline
their volunteer efforts by taking advantage of PWORA’s MPA to better support the
Forest Service and other agencies during recovery operations.”
# # #
Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance (PWORA) is a national non-profit organization founded to protect and restore sustainable OHV recreation from the devastating effects of intense wildfires and other natural disasters. PWORA collaborates with a diverse array of multi-interest strategic partners to mobilize volunteers and deploy resources to mitigate post-disaster impacts to recreation areas
