Are boondockers and off-road vehicle users heading for conflict?

By Bob Difley The New York Times published an article this morning on off-road vehicles called side-by-sides (SBS) that are growing in sales while sales of all terrain vehicles (ATV) are shrinking. SBS growth in popularity is due to not what they can do, which is drive on rough forest trails the same as ATVs, but for the amenities of the vehicle when off-roading. Unlike ATVs that have a straddle seat for the driver and handlebar type steering, SBSs have two seats up front, and often seats in the back as well, a automobile-type steering wheel, and rollbars, making them popular for those with spouses and families who want to take the family along. Sales of SBS have invigorated the power sporting equipment industry that has seen sales of ATVs drop by two-thirds since their peak in 2004. The debate in the industry, as it has been with ATVs, is with safety issues such as rolling over. These issues are important to the industry, as favorable rulings will boost sales and unfavorable rulings will depress sales. For instance, requiring manufacturers (such as Yamaha that makes the popular Rhino) to widen the wheel base and lower the center-of-gravity–which also reduces clearance–to reduce the potential for rolling over will also reduce the number and type of trails (which means elimination of rougher, narroweer trails) that side-by-sides can use. What does this have to do with RVing? For those RVers that tow ATVs and side-by-sides along with them it will mean that they may have... Read more

Photo winner announced for National Historic Landmark Photo contest

By Bob Difley The winning photograph (left) in this year’s National Historic Landmark Photo Contest was of the ruins at New Mexico’s Pecos Pueblo National Historic Landmark. This is the same spot where Spanish explorer Coronado passed on his search for Quivira, one of the legendary “Seven Cities of Gold” in 1540. Unfortunately, when Coronado found Quivira, he found no gold. And it was even more unfortunate for El Turco, the Indian slave that told of the gold and led the the expedition there, who was promptly strangled. In this, the 12th annual photo contest, entries came from all 50 states from both amateur and professional shutterbugs. Next year’s contest particulars will be posted in the spring on the National Historic Landmarks website. You can see the contest photos on the National Park Service’s website. National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. A National Historic Landmark may be a historic building, site, structure, object, or district. Fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this national distinction. Working with citizens throughout the nation, the National Historic Landmarks Program draws upon the expertise of National Park Service staff to identify and nominate new landmarks and to provide assistance to existing landmarks. Check out my website... Read more

Should the government sell off our public lands?

By Bob Difley Suggestions are circulating around congress during these times when state and federal governments are finding it difficult to meet expenses that government should sell off “excess” government property to raise the necessary funding to continue to operate. Some of this excess property has been identified as public lands–national forests, wilderness areas, and desert lands now owned by us, the citizens of this country. Others consider this approach as short-sighted, citing the fact that once they are sold off they will never again become public lands available for our recreational use. The sales of these properties would also result in job and revenue losses in the surrounding communities, as many tour operators, rafting companies, fishing supply stores, fishing equipment manufacturers, camping supply stores and manufacturers, hunting supply stores, and other outfitters would have to shut down and lay off employees. And, of course, it would also mean diminished land for use by RVers for camping, boondocking, and sightseeing, and shut down the revenue flow we RVers spend in local communities for supplies, restaurants, and other services. This fact has been clearly demonstrated when various states started closing down state parks and the surrounding communities took and big economic hit because the visitors to the area suddenly vanished. RVers, hunters, and anglers would be especially affected, as in some cases they have already been by the implementation... Read more

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