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A letter from the President..
Greetings,
Thanks to everyone who turned out for a fantastic
meeting! Thank you Steve and Jeremiah for planning
and executing such a great gathering. Thank you also
to the many people who stepped up to the plate and
volunteered their time and effort for the upcoming
year to help make our club more fun, more functional,
more visible in our communities, and much stronger.
Our club will grow exponentially this coming year due
to the dedication of an amazing group of people. For
the few of you who missed the meeting, some of the
changes are as follows.
Michael and Galen are the official editors of "The
Fairlead", and given their journalism backgrounds, we
should see some heavy hitting articles (wire vs.
synthetic, standard vs. auto, BRG vs. Tangiers Orange,
etc.) floating across our coffee tables.
Jeff Wilson is our Events Coordinator. All events
will go through Jeff so there is continuity, systems
and standards, and proper notification will go out to
all members in a timely and uniform manner. If you
have an event in mind, please contact Jeff with your
date, time, and venue at least four weeks in advance.
Our special events coordinators will remain the same.
Evan, Lyle, Frank, Tom, and Trevor have done an
outstanding job, and will continue to do so.
Tom Bache has agreed to take over as
treasurer/secretary for the upcoming year and still
remains as the man behind the curtain.
Mr. Zen, the master of all things electronic
(mechanical, not so much) will continue to be our web
guru. If you haven't thanked Sean today, please do
so. Our club is well respected and popular because of
our monster web presence and slick professional look.
Last, but certainly not least, thank you Bill and
Molly Bettridge for your years of tireless, thankless
service to our club. Your break is well deserved, but
we hope short.
This is the club's 10 year anniversary. There are a
lot of events already in the works as well as a 10
year anniversary picnic. Let's support each other,
and let's make it a great year!
Jason
From Steve- Came across this press release from the U.S. Forestry Service. Not
sure if you guys are already aware of it. Spread the word to anyone/everyone
we only have a month to respond. The more people we get involved the more leverage
we get.
LRM will have this published in the next available issue (October) that should
hit the streets just before the deadline.
NEWS RELEASE
USDA Forest Service
Washington, D.C.
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Release No. FS-0418 Contact:
Joe Walsh, (202) 205-1294 FOREST SERVICE RELEASES DRAFT POLICY
ON OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE IN NATIONAL FORESTS AND GRASSLANDS
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2004 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest
Service today released its proposal for managing motorized off-highway
vehicle (OHV) use in national forests and grasslands, which will enhance
recreational opportunities for the public and better protect the environment
by requiring units to establish a designated system of roads, trails
and areas.
“OHVs are a great way to experience the national forests, but because their
popularity has increased in recent years, we need an approach that will sustain
natural resource values through more effective management of motor vehicle use.
The benefits of improving OHV use include enhanced protection of habitat and
aquatic, soil, air and cultural resources,” said Forest Service Chief Dale
Bosworth. “The Forest Service wants to improve its management by balancing
the public’s enjoyment of using OHVs with ensuring the best possible care
of the land.”
In 2002, national forests and grasslands had more than 214 million visits.
Nationally, the number of OHV users climbed sevenfold in the last 30 years--from
five million in 1972 to 36 million in 2000. OHV users account for about 1.8
million or five percent of visitors to national forests and grasslands. Currently
each of the 155 national forests and 21 grasslands has guidelines regarding
OHV use, with some national forests managing use on a designated system of
roads, trails and areas, while other do not. As a result, the Forest Service
does not have a clear, consistent policy regarding motor vehicle use on national
forests and grasslands.
The proposed rule represents a nationally consistent approach to travel management
by requiring each forest and grassland to designate a system of roads, trails
and areas slated for motor vehicle use. It would allow national forests to
denote use of routes and areas by vehicle type and, if appropriate, by time
of year. Once the designation process is complete, OHV use would be confined
to designated routes and areas, and OHV use off these routes (cross-country
travel) would be prohibited. Snowmobile use would continue to be managed as
it is currently—allowed, restricted or prohibited on roads and trails
and in areas on National Forest System lands.
“While some forests have begun to designate roads, trails, and areas for
OHVs, I expect units to make significant progress in improving management of
OHVs in the next two years,” said Bosworth. “We want to improve our
management of outdoor recreation by having a system of routes and areas offering
the best opportunities for OHV use while still meeting our responsibility to
sustain National Forest System lands and resources.”
The proposed rule calls for the Forest Service to continue to engage with motorized
sports enthusiasts, conservationists, state agencies, local governments, tribal
governments, and others to identify routes offering the best opportunities
for OHV use while still meeting its responsibility to protect the environment.
The public would continue to be allowed to participate in the process of designating
roads, trails, and areas or revising designations and would continue to receive
advance notice to allow for public comment on proposed or revised designations.
The agency has partnered with these groups in the past to provide enhanced
motorized recreation opportunities by constructing, marking, maintaining and
restoring trails as well as by providing training and safety instruction to
users.
OHVs include motor vehicles that are designed or retrofitted primarily for
recreational use off road, such as minibikes, amphibious vehicles, snowmobiles,
motorcycles, go-carts, motorized trail bikes, and dune buggies.
The agency is accepting comments for 60 days after the proposal is published
in the Federal Register. The rule text submitted to the Office of the Federal
Register is available on http://www.fs.fed.us/.
Written comments may be sent
to:
Proposed Rule for Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use
c/o Content Analysis Team
P.O. Box 221150
Salt Lake City, Utah 84122-1150
Comments also will be accepted by electronic mail to trvman@fs.fed.us or by
facsimile to 801-517-1014. Comments also may be submitted by following the
instructions at the federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
All comments will be analyzed and addressed in promulgation of a final rule.
LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA INTRODUCES THE ALL-NEW LR3
NEW PLATFORM ARCHITECTURE DELIVERS THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF DESIGN,
INTERIOR SPACE AND TECHNOLOGY
 IRVINE,
Calif., Apr 2, 2004 – Today, Land Rover introduces LR3,
an all-new SUV that makes its debut at the New York International Auto
Show on April 7. With its class-leading breadth of capability, innovative
user-friendly technology, and new levels of interior space, the Land
Rover LR3 is set to offer the ultimate premium sport-utility package.
"
A true Land Rover, the LR3 benefits from a clarity of purpose and conviction
that is evident from the clean design to the versatility and outstanding
driving experience. Like all new Land Rovers, it's always great to drive
on-road, as well as being best-in-class off-road," said Matthew
Taylor, managing director, Land Rover.
LR3 is a new vehicle in every way. Developed by and for Land Rover, it
is a modern architecture that is designed to offer excellent on-pavement
behavior while upholding Land Rover's rigorous off-road standards. Building
on the philosophy established by Range Rover, it introduces a breadth
of capability and a level of luxury that sets a new standard for the
category.
Power is from a Jaguar-sourced 4.4-litre 300bhp (SAE) V8 – tailored
to meet Land Rover requirements particularly for off-road usage - a six-speed ‘intelligent
shifting’ automatic gearbox, permanent four-wheel drive, fully
independent electronic air suspension and seating for up to seven adult-sized
passengers.
The Land Rover LR3 continues the brand's tradition of introducing class-leading
technologies, the most significant of which is Terrain ResponseTM. This
new and patented system allows drivers to maximize the capability built
into their vehicle; the driver simply selects one of five terrain settings
via a rotary switch, and the vehicle's electronic controls and traction
systems are optimized for that surface.
Other innovative user-friendly technologies include DVD navigation and
adaptive headlights that swivel with the direction of travel to illuminate
the road ahead.
From a styling standpoint, LR3 projects a modern image, while incorporating
hallmark Land Rover design cues, such as short overhangs and bold lines.
Family lineage is apparent in the Range Rover-like front-end treatment,
and a power-vent adds a functional yet finished accent to the profile.
The vehicle is optimized for passenger enjoyment. A class-leading roof
design features three glass panels -- a sunroof and two moonroofs --
allowing the environment to surround the cabin and complement the spacious
greenhouse.
Comfortable seating in all three rows, available in-vehicle entertainment
and the fold-flat seats all contribute to packaging that allows LR3 to
appeal to a broad-base of customers.
As with Range Rover, cargo access is through a split-tailgate. For LR3,
Land Rover has developed an asymmetrical gate, easing access to the cargo
area.
Large passenger doors provide easy access, with both second and third
rows entered from the center doors.
"
LR3 is a Land Rover designed to fulfill the needs of the North American consumer," says
Mike O'Driscoll, president, Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover, North America. "It
blends innovative technology and refinement with traditional Land Rover strengths
to rewrite the definition of a modern, premium SUV."
The all-new Land Rover LR3 will go on-sale later this year. |
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