Author Archives: Bill McGibbon

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 safety concerns and the mandatory stay at home orders that will be effective in Santa Cruz County at least through the new year, we have been forced to POSTPONE the 2021 New Years Day Dual Sport run.  

The District 36 December monthly meeting, the last meeting of  2020, will be held December 9th via the Zoom Platform and also live streamed on the D36 Members Facebook page.  If you have business with the District please join the webinar, or if you just want to view the meeting you can watch it live on the Members FB page.  Here you can also make comments and they will be monitored.

All Active Clubs and Promoters are strongly encouraged to attend.

Here is how to attend this meeting:

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Dec 9, 2020 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Official District 36 December 9, 2020 Meeting

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84742065329
Or iPhone one-tap :
    US: +16699009128,,84742065329#  or +13462487799,,84742065329#
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 669 900 9128  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 646 558 8656  or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 847 4206 5329

 The Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday December 3, 2020.  It is important for OHV club leaders, advocates, consultants, volunteers, and other stakeholders who support the CA OHV Program to attend this meeting to voice concerns and/or offer solutions to many of the items on the agenda.  Your input on critical topics such as the Park Transformation process (Path Forward 2026), access to lands at SVRAs that are currently closed to OHV use at Carnegie, Oceano, etc., management of SVRAs including event permitting, Park communications, outreach, collaboration, planning efforts such as the PWP, and other issues will help shape the future of the CA OHV Program.

The links below provide information on how to sign up for the meeting and various agenda items.

SIGN UP/REGISTER FOR MEETING

 http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/01-Notice_OHMVR-Commission-120320.pdf

MEETING AGENDA

http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/02-Agenda-OHMVR-Commission-120320.pdf

PATH FORWARD 2026 (Transformation Process)

http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/07-Staff%20Report-Path%20Forward%20120320.pdf

COVID restrictions, wildfires, and political unrest continues to make this a very challenging year for both OHV recreationists and land agency staff that access or manage sustainable OHV recreation on local, state, and federal lands.

However difficult things have been, life goes on and so does the need for the public and OHV commission to hold government officials responsible for their actions or inactions.  See just a few of the questions that need answers at this commission meeting.

Will there be an update from Parks or the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District to the August 2020 letter from the OHV Commission about the District forcing the OHV Trust Fund to spend over $16M dollars on dust mitigation measures and removing 48 acres from the riding and camping area at Oceano Dunes SVRA using a process that is out of step with tenets outlined in the May 18, 2018 Stipulated Order of Abatement?

LINK TO LETTER FROM OHV COMMISSION TO THE APCD

http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/Commission%20Letter%20APCD%20August%206,%202020.pdf

What has Parks and Transformation done to streamline and improve the event permitting process at SVRAs?

What is Parks doing to address the SVRA’s need for on-site Park Superintendents to make management decisions in real-time instead of being supervised by off-site Park leaders who may not have the expertise or time to devote to SVRA specific needs since they are now tasked with managing “Districts” which may include 23 park units?

Thanks for taking time to review this alert and I hope to see you at the OHV commission meeting on December 3.

Don Amador
District 36 LAO

A 15-Year Effort Finally Pays Off

By Don Amador

Off-road motorcyclists in northern California have a lot to celebrate with the recent acquisition of the 1,391-acre Blue Oak Ranch, which will provide much-needed public access to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area. The area is managed by the BLM’s Ukiah Field Office.

The South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area is in the Mayacamas Mountains east of Ukiah, Calif. The area offers views of Ukiah and Lake County and includes pockets of old-growth fir, several species of oak, willows, more than 30 miles of streams, 13 reservoirs and habitat for blacktail deer, bear, wild turkey and other species.

The acquisition from ranch owner Craig Blencowe was made possible via partnership funding from the California State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Grants Program and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Blencowe’s family was ready to move on from the ranch, and they wanted it used for OHV recreation at Cow Mountain.

Both the AMA and the Motorcycle Industry Council lobbied officials in Washington, D.C., to support this acquisition and provide funding for it.

One of the most significant aspects of the acquisition is that it will provide easy access from a paved highway for travel trailers and RVs. There also will be a significant number of new camping opportunities and other facilities that will serve a wide range of OHV activities, including a much-needed staging area for AMA-sanctioned events.

What makes this acquisition historic is that it was accomplished with significant fiscal support from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a federal program that supports the protection and conservation of public lands. It also funds projects to improve public access to important recreational opportunities.
This LWCF-funded purchase is a rarity, because it made a significant investment to improve a designated OHV area. Historically, LWCF recreation grants have mostly gone to nonmotorized projects.
Fortunately, in recent years OHV recreation representatives on the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable in Washington, D.C., and other trail advocates have championed the use of LWCF monies for motorized projects.

Another important factor in this acquisition saga is the strong collaboration over a period of almost 15 years among the ranch owner, the recreation community, California State Parks and the BLM to see this purchase succeed for the betterment of the recreation community and local economy.
The protracted undertaking was caused by:

• The complicated and time consuming property acquisition process;
• The Trump administration’s halting of the acquisition until it had time to review it;
• The 2018 wildfire season, which reduced staff’s capacity to process the transaction; and
• In late 2019, the California OHV grant funds for the project got “lost” in the state bureaucracy. (It was “found” in early 2020 so the deal finally got done.)

The South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area consists of about 23,000 acres of federal land where OHV recreation was specifically identified by Congress as a prescribed use in 2006 through the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act.

The area has about 100 miles of designated routes that offer various ranges of difficulty that are enjoyed by beginners to experts. The trail system provides high quality opportunities for users of all vehicle types, including dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides and four-wheel-drive vehicles.

There are several developed camping and staging areas with access functionally limited to cars and trucks towing small OHV trailers. Travel trailers and RVs are discouraged from using the area, due to the narrow, steep and winding access roads.

Each spring, the BLM permits two AMA District 36 events hosted by the North Bay Motorcycle Club: the Sawmill Enduro and the Crosscut Family Enduro.
According to the BLM, the area was identified and all analysis conducted under the title of the “Cow Mountain Management Area” in the BLM Ukiah Resource Management Plan Record of Decision September 2006. Within a month of the signing of the ROD, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, U.S. Public Law 109-362, was signed, changing the name to the Cow Mountain Recreation Area, which includes the South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area and the North Cow Mountain Recreation Area. The BLM noted the acquisition would be in conformance with the management plan.

I know that AMA members and local riders look forward to working with the BLM as the agency develops a management plan that will improve access to the network of sustainable OHV trails for current and future generations.

Don Amador is an AMA Charter Life Member from Oakley, Calif., president of Quiet Warrior Racing and government affairs lead for AMA District 36.

Reprinted with permission from Don Amador

In normal times District 36 holds its Annual Sanction meeting the first weekend in September. This meeting represents the deadline for Clubs and Promoters to submit their Charter Applications for the upcoming year to qualify for getting dates for their competition meets the next year. This meeting is also where the District 36 Board of Directors elections are held and competition meet dates are awarded for the upcoming year. But these aren’t normal times and, as everyone knows by now, the Annual meeting was scrubbed due to restrictions of group gatherings and our normal meeting place closed down.
So adjustments has to be make on the fly and here’s what happening…..

Clubs and Promoters:  Are organizations that charter annually with D36 and are considered “Active Members” by definition.  They are the voting body to elect Board of Director members and can get meet dates for competition in the District 36 Championship series for Cross Country, Dirt Track, Enduro, Family Enduro, Grand Prix and Dual Sport. Active members also hear and resolve competition protest that cannot be settled at the meet and reach District level for a decision. So if you are a club or promoter organization that normally charters with D36 or new to the District but have not yet chartered for next year (2021) now is the time to do so. Late Fees have been waived this “not normal” year.

District 36 Online Charter Application

District 36 is currently holding Elections to fill 4 Seats on the Board of Directors for a two year term. So this is a reminder to Active Members that have chartered for 2021 to check your email for instructions and links to cast your votes if you have not already done so.

Voting will Close Friday November 6th at 5:00pm.

Remember, each Active Member gets two (2) ballots so be sure to use them both. Voting on one ballot will NOT automatically count as two.
For Questions on voting please contact Bill at:  bill.mcgibbon@ama-d36.org   or call 925.413.2434

If you have not yet chartered for 2021 and wish to do so and vote in the Board elections, please charter first (see above link) and you will receive an email with voting instructions sent to the person listed on your charter application as the main contact. Time is short so act now.

Meet Dates: If you have not already requested and receive your meet date(s) for your competition meet(s) for 2021 please contact the Sanction Steward, John Davis at: d36enduro@gmail.com with your requested type, name and date(s) you would like to run (must be chartered for 2021 prior to requesting date(s)).

If you are a “Participating Member” (single member) consider joining an Active Member Club. You will still have to maintain your Participating Membership but by joing with an Active Member club you have more voice in the workings of District 36, not to mention… joining with other racer/riders will glean you mentorship to improve you knowledge base and riding skill when it comes to competition.

One more thing….Get Out and VOTE in the U.S. Election!

District 36

Stuff To Know……….

You MUST have:

• Current AMA Membership Card**
• Current District 36 Membership Card**
• Scoring transponder compatible with D36 scoring equipment (available at signups)
• USFS approved spark arrestor
• Correct number plate and number-letter colors for your class on front and side plates
• Correct numbers and letter sizes required (see D36 Operations Manual Section 3.2.2 for youth and section 6.14 thru 6.17.2 for adults)
• Riding numbers on both sides of Helmet below the helmet strap.

AMA and District 36 Rules apply

Flyer

Map to the race

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Attention Clubs and Promoters,

December elections for the 2021/2022 season are coming up! District 36 is looking for energetic, hardworking individuals to join in various capacities. The 2020 season might have been a bust but you can help make 2021 great again!

Positions Open:

BOD (2 year terms)

• 4 Board of Directors seats are open
  (Nominations are needed by October 21st, 5pm!
  Send to: d36secretary2020@gmail.com)

Officers (2 year terms)

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer

Additional Positions:

• Membership Director
• Director of Competition
• Sponsorship Chair
• Sanction Steward
• Other Stewards:
  Enduro, Family Endruo, Youth Cross Country, Adult Cross Country, Grand Prix, Women’s, Dual Sport, Dirt Track

Please distribute this information to your club members. Anyone interested in a position please email Brad Rosbach at d36president@gmail.com

Thank you!

District 36