Different Takes On Land Use
Thanks For The Help
Kudos to the Source Interlink editors for the focus on land use issues in Dec. '10. As an active participant in the land use battles, I am happy to see the growth of exposure about issues and organizations fighting to keep lands open for recreation. My website (www.muirnet.net) is focused on environmental issues. As a resources consultant for the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, I am in frequent meetings with BLM and the Forest Service fighting to keep access. As a member of the board of directors of the BlueRibbon Coalition, we are constantly working to keep lands open for recreation. Your feature on land use issues helps educate all recreation enthusiasts about the battles and those fighting them. Those who are not members, I encourage you to join a local, state, and national organization fighting for your recreation opportunity.
John Stewart
Managing Editor, www.4x4wire.com
More Thanks
Thank you for the total company support of land use and access with your awesome "Stop Trail Closings!" cover and your coverage of land use with our great partners at SEMA (Dec. '10). You are having a huge impact on helping groups like BlueRibbon Coalition, in conjunction with the SEMA Action Network (SAN), "kick some access!" I can't thank you enough for your continued support of us regular users who love your magazine and ride the trails.
Del Albright
BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador
One Mag Or Two?
I have been noticing a few things over the past few years. I have been a longtime wheeler, on and off, since I can remember. I have also been subscribing to a few magazines over the years. Within the past few years the two that I have subscriptions to have been doing some funny stuff. You see, I pay for two different magazines but feel I am getting cheated. I am really only getting one and a half. As you can see from the covers, they are the same. So I ask you, why should I keep paying for two when I only get one and a half? I doesn't quite seem right to me. How about you? I suggest you give each other a call and figure some things out.
Brian Sanders
San Tan Valley, AZ
Finally
Your "Stop Trail Closings!" cover and related article should be a wakeup call to 4x4 users. The first time I went over the Rubicon was in the early '60s, and there were only three other Jeeps that I ran into along the "road." Last year there were more trailers at both ends than I could count, and many of the rigs that came off those trailers were there to do a lot more than drive on the road and enjoy the outdoors. Along the way you would run into groups climbing obstacles not on the roadway.
4x4 magazines and the vendors that pay for the ads need to take some of the blame for the public's view of "jeepers gone wild" tearing up public land. Certainly you can't be responsible for the carelessness and disregard of others, but the photos of vehicles hanging off a large chunk of granite or hood-deep in mud are the instigators for many to try out those 36-inch tires and the Dana 60s. Thousands of miles of plain old gravel backroads where we all used to go to get away and enjoy a little nature in our Jeeps are disappearing because of the misguided notion that closure is the only way to protect it from "crazed" 4x4 drivers and motorcyclists.
So yes, we are losing ground. Voting is only part of the picture. Education on the responsible use of the outdoors is the other part, and 4x4 publications need to do more.
Walt Mikolajcik
Fairfield, CA
Well put, Walt. We all need to do our part.
Submission Information
4-Wheel & Off-Road welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include an address or a telephone number so the sender can be verified. Once verified, your name may be withheld at your request. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes. Due to the large volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot reply to unpublished letters or return photos. Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. Write to: Editor, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245; fax 310.531.9368 Email to: 4wheeloffroad@sorc.com