Quote:
Originally Posted by SS109
I agree! Get involved! Without the power of a club trying to save riding areas is pretty much impossible. Even then it is better to have a coalition of clubs/groups.
Different types of riders have to put their differences aside and work together. My club, Trail riders of Southern AZ (TRS), works this way. We have MX, singletrack, dualsport, extreme to fire roads only type riders. We have learned this is what it takes. We have partnered, and worked with, a local MTB club (TORCA) as well.
The biggest issue we have seen is getting the younger people involved. Our youngest current member is in his 30's with most of us in our 40's and 50's. I think it's important for us older riders to teach or children, and other younger riders, how important belonging to a club is. How to do that? I just don't know. If anyone has some proven methods, or even just ideas, let me know. Seriously.
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Agreed, a coalition of groups works much better. Our Provincial Federation has been building relationships with other motorized groups such as ATV and trucks as well as snowmobiles. We are also building relationships with non-motorized groups as well, such as horseback, MTB, hiking etc. It works by working together and finding ways to help each group get their needs met and maybe even some of their wants. Each group recognizes that the problem users don't represent any one group as a whole & that problem users only represent a small percentage of any given group.
Additionally we are making good headway at working with municipal and provincial gov't bodies as well as Policing. They are starting to take the groups much more seriously than they used to and are actually starting to use us as a resource.
The best way to teach kids about the benefits of clubs is to invite them out and show them. It may not sink in right away, but the seed will be planted. The kids that grow up in that atmosphere will gravitate back when they're adults on their own. Additionally, if you build a good trail network, younger folks will start to appear out of the woodwork, at least that's what we're starting to see.