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Quartzsite, Arizona

Monday, March 26, 2012

Quartzsite seniors form new group to keep trails open




NEW GROUP FORMED TO KEEP OHV/ATV TRAILS OPEN

Quartzsite, Arizona - A new grass roots group has been formed to oppose closing of OHV (Off Highway Vehicle - ATV) trails on BLM administered public land in the Quartzsite, Arizona area.

The new group is SENIOR CITIZENS AGAINST QUARTZSITE TRAIL CLOSURES (SCAQTC).  Their webpage address is: http://quartzsitetrails.com

Randie Farish, owner of the Scenic Road RV Park in Quartzsite, is president of the new group.  He encourages everyone with an interest in Quartzsite, the desert and/or OHV’s to go to the SCAQTC webpage as soon as possible to find out what they can do to help.  The BLM comment period is scheduled to expire on April 5, 2012.

“I’m really concerned about this new BLM La Posa Travel Management Plan” states Farish.  “We’ve recently learned that the BLM has already closed a favorite destination in the desert, Dripping Springs.  They have also removed another route over Preacher Pass from their BLM maps.  Alternative D of the BLM La Posa Travel Management Plan would essentially close the desert”  states Farish.

Farish estimates that from one/third to one/half of his guests at Scenic Road RV Park use OHV’s to access the desert for rock hounding, geocaching and gold prospecting, but mainly just to explore the desert and enjoy it’s beauty.  “Almost all of our guests are senior citizens who could never get out into the desert without their OHV’s” states Farish.

“To close the OHV trails is to close the desert to almost all the seniors here for the winter.  Many of them have told me they have no reason to come back to Quartzsite if they can’t use their OHV’s.  That would be devastating for my business” states Farish.

SCAQTC encourages quick action.  The group is requesting that as many interested people as possible to download the BLM comment form and submit it before April 5th telling the BLM that they want none of the OHV trails in the Quartzsite area closed.  The form can be downloaded from the BLM webpage or from the webpage of the Arizona SunRiders ATV Club.  All this information can be found on the SCAQTC webpage http://quartzsitetrails.com

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