Four Tips to keep public lands free. From our friends with the Blue Ribbon Coalition

Check out Del Albright's JAIL speech about keeping public lands out from behind bars -- out of jail. The four things you can to to help by getting involved in access.

Call to Action * The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands will be hearing H.R. 3668

Call to Action* Please reach out to your local congressman and help get this important bill to benefit the OHV community through its first hurdle.

From Fred Wiley of ORBA - The Off Road Business Association.

The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands will be hearing H.R. 3668, the California Minerals, Off-Road Recreation, and Conservation Act, on December 9th at 2:00 P.M.

Let's share this among all of our friends in the off-road community so everyone knows about the hearing and encourage them to weigh in and express their support to committee members.

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Congressmember  \  District  \  Office Phone

Republicans

Tom McClintock Chairman  CA-04  (202) 225-2511

Don Young  AK-At Large  (202) 225-5765

Louie Gohmert  TX-01  (202) 225-3035

Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson  PA-05  (202) 225-5121

Cynthia Lummis  WY-At Large  (202) 225-2311

Raul Labrador  ID-01 (202) 225-6611

Doug LaMalfa  CA-01   (202) 225-3076

Bruce Westerman  AR-04  (202) 225-3772

Dan Newhouse  WA-04  (202) 225-5816

Ryan Zinke  MT-At Large  (202) 225-3211

Jody Hice  GA-10  (202) 225-4101

Tom MacArthur  NJ-03  (202) 225-4765

Cresent Hardy  NV-04  (202) 225-9894

Darin LaHood  IL-18  (202) 225-6201

Rob Bishop  ex officio  UT-01  (202) 225-0453

Democrats

Niki Tsongas  Ranking Member  MA-03  (202) 225-3411

Matt Cartwright  PA-17  (202) 225-5546

Don Beyer  VA-08  (202) 225-4376

Pedro Pierluisi  Puerto Rico  (202) 225-2615

Jared Huffman  CA-02  (202) 225-5161

Alan Lowenthal  CA-47  (202) 225-7924

Debbie Dingell  MI-12  (202) 225-4071

Lois Capps  CA-24  (202) 225-3601

Jared Polis  CO-02  (202) 225-2161  

Raul Grijalva  ex officio  AZ-03  (202) 225-2435

OHIO RIVER FOUR WHEELERS GRANT UPDATE

The OHIO RIVER FOUR WHEELERS off-road club, based in Cincinnati, OH performed trail repairs to a severe washout on Old Fincastle Road, part of the Daniel Boone Back Country Byway, on Saturday August 8th. 

The team assembled at 7:30 a.m. just south of Cincinnati, OH and caravan down to the Natural Bridge area of Red River Gorge. We were on location at the work-site by 10:00. After reviewing the damaged area with the team we broke up into smaller groups to begin preparation of materials and the area to be repaired.

Concrete and pressure treated lumber were prepared a week before to act as foundation piers for a retaining wall. The retaining wall allowed us to fill the washout with locally collected rocks to act as a water break which would diffuse the rush of water into this area, yet allow it to drain through. We attached horizontal lumber ties to the vertical lumber piers with galvanized bolts. These allowed us to tie the retaining wall into the surrounding hillside for support.

Approximately 8-10 tons of local field stone was collected and dropped into the washout behind our fabricated retaining wall. 

We built a water bar across the trail at approximately 60 degrees from parallel, and then a second water bar in parallel with the trail into a natural drainage channel that empties out behind our retaining wall. We felt these modifications would divert water from the damaged area and work naturally with the path water tends to take in this section.   

In a couple of years time the pressure treated lumber will gray down and take on a natural look with its surroundings. The ties off the piers have been anchored into the surrounding hillside with 4 foot long pieces of ½” re-bar. 

The loose field-stone acts as a break to rushing water, which will allow it to pass through the retaining wall without building so much pressure as to challenge the integrity of the retaining wall. We expect silt from water runoff to fill in some of the gaps in our field-stone and settle our water bars into place.

We feel this is a sustainable repair and should last for many years.

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Three months later 

* Update - After three months trail repair is still in good shape and it looks like the water is running in the direction that it was directed toward. Water bars have settle in good into the ground.

Bob Yarbrough appointed to the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee for the State of Tennessee

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Bob Yarbrough

Appointed to the
Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee for the State of Tennessee

Bob speaking to our representatives at the NOHVCC day on Tennessee's Capital Hill

Congratulations to Bob Yarbrough, SFWDA past president, long time SFWDA member with the Rock Solid Jeep Club, and local Jeep Jamboree organizer for recently being appointed to the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee for the State of Tennessee. Bob also serves our OHV community on the Commissioner's Council for Greenways and Trails for the state of Tennessee. Bob will also be leading excursion rides at Dixie Run 29 again this year so if you see him be sure to say "Thanks" for all your effort. Volunteers like Bob are what the OHV community need to sustain and preserve our trail access. 

Thanks for all your support through the many many years Bob!

Way to go Ohio River Four Wheelers! - SFWDA Grant award in full effect

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Thanks to a grant from Southern Four Wheel Drive Association and hard work from Ohio River Four Wheelers, a washout on old Fincastle Road in Lee County was repaired yesterday.

Both groups support Friends Of Boone and the ‪#‎DBBB‬. Southern Four Wheel Drive Association is your regional association of off road enthusiasts. SFWDA includes individuals, clubs, member businesses, and offers national representation on Land Use and trail development as well as family events. Ohio River Four Wheelers is a great group of knowledgeable off road enthusiasts based in Cincinnati. Their strong backs and keen ideas led to this repair of beautiful Old Fincastle Rd.

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This is where the rubber meets the road in sustainable multiple use recreation folks. Get involved! #DBBB!

For more info on how your group can utilize our Grant program and to apply today check out our Grant Info page on our SFWDA website.
http://www.sfwda.org/grants/

Could your club use a $350 cleanup project grant? Extreme Terrain is offering....

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ExtremeTerrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program

Everyone in SFWDA should know about a recent program launched at Extreme
Terrain which strives to give back to the off-road/OHV community. They contacted us to share and promote this among our association members. The "Clean
Trail Grant Program" will provide a $350 grant and trash bags to eligible
clubs/organizations to be used towards a trail improvement or a cleanup
project. Most of us in SFWDA clubs are already meeting the requirements and this grant money could be used for a variety of things like a new group chainsaw, a big ole' lunch spread lunch on the trail for volunteers, or whatever else would help to facilitate a successful trail conservation or cleanup project.  
 

Eligibility

In order to be considered, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Organize or belong to a Wrangler/4x4 group/club with more than 5 members
• Own or work at a private or public off-road park
  (Individual Club delegates just need approval from park ownership)
• Organize or belong to an OHV Organization with more than 5 members

Requirements

• Proof of your affiliation with organization/club/park
• Must provide digital photo of trail improvement project

Action shots of volunteers preferred!

• Completion of application form
• Organization's are eligible once per year up to two years
• Sign the eligibility waiver

Grant should be used for the following:

• Tools needed for trail cleaning/restoration/expansion
• Food and non-alcoholic beverage for all volunteers
• Promotional materials used to attract volunteers
• Miscellaneous trail improvement expenses

It's pretty straight forward and easy to apply. Follow the link to Extremeterrain.com below to sign up. 
$350 Grant Sign-up:
http://www.extremeterrain.com/clean-trail-initiative-program.html