Archive for January, 2012

The Colorado 600 by Scott Bright

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

NOTE: This is article is by guest writer Scott Bright. He is well known in the Colorado off-road racing world, is a Rocky Mtn. Enduro Circuit (RMEC) race promoter, donates time and money to the organizations listed below, and is a stellar trail advocate.

Hello:

I hope that you got a chance to read the article about the Colorado 600 in the November 2011 issue of Dirt Rider.  Mostly because I got a picture and mention in the article!  Finally, after 22 years of racing and riding – I showed up in color in a magazine – for something other than my ripped and toned body.

Seriously, I hope you got a chance to see what some very important organizations are doing for YOU and YOUR riding areas here in the great state of Colorado!  First and foremost, this is not your Father’s AMA.  The AMA of today is all about protecting your right to ride, as well as preserving your kids’ right to ride.  If you are still hung up and peeved about how the AMA handles American racing on a local, national and world level – YOU ARE LIVING IN THE 1900’s!!  The AMA changed up its leadership and focus from the top down.  Rob Dingman, AMA president, is a man on a mission, and he has the support of the AMA Board of Directors.  Their mission in life is not to micro-manage the AMA Superbike racing scene, but to further motorcycle riding freedom amongst all who own 2-wheeled vehicles.  They purposely sold off and farmed out the racing components to those who are experts in those fields, so that the AMA could focus on what is important – You and Your Motorcycle!  Furthermore, the AMA is fully involved in protecting off-road motorcycling in your backyard.  What the AMA needs is YOUR SUPPORT!

Let’s rewind and take a look at some significant events in the recent months.  The Lead Law, does anyone really think that law was brought about by some do-gooders hoping to prevent injury to kids from ingesting lead?  Nope.  That law was an indirect attack from the Dark Side trying to get your kids to play video games throughout their childhood instead of growing up as dirtbikers who would support motorized recreation in their tax-paying and voting years.  After-all, if the Green Freaks can prevent your kids from riding while they are young, then they stand a better chance 15 years from now when its time to fundraise and elect people who would like to lock us out of Our Public Lands.  If the AMA did NOT have a single unified voice of 800,000+ members when walking up to Capitol Hill and demanding that this Lead Law be thrown it – the bad guys would have won.

Additionally, does anyone remember the Wild Lands Bill that was withdrawn on a Federal Level?  Do you know what the implications would have been had the Wild Lands Bill actually stuck?  It would have given a new tool to the Green Freaks to lock you out of your Public Lands with your motorcycle.  Do you think Salazar just woke up one morning in May and decided he didn’t want to do the Bill after-all?  Nope.  There was lots of pressure in DC, and you can thank the AMA and their membership (hopefully you) for applying it.  The Enviro-Nazi’s will stop at nothing to keep you and your bike out of ‘their’ public lands.  They will come up with new ways every year to try to attack our motorized rights.  If we did not have a Big Brother on a National scale looking out for us, we would be toast.  Are you an AMA member?

Make no mistake, the AMA is working for you and your motorcycle.  Again, if you hold some grudge about how the AMA handled to racing situation back in the day, you are totally missing the point.  What if……  the AMA had 8 million members?  How much of a chance do you think the Extreme-Enviros would have against a force that big?  Do you think we could actually get some currently CLOSED trails back open?  Do you think we could get a movement going on a National level that would designate federal funds to creating new trails instead of closing existing ones?  I am a proud AMA member, so is my wife, my son, my daughter, and I have pending apps for my 3 dogs, 2 cats and horse.  My parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces…   guess what they are getting for Christmas this year?  AMA memberships!

Moving on to a more local movement within the National one that we have just discussed.  COHVCO.  Have you ridden any single-track this year?  Did you know that COHVCO installed 162 gates on the entrances of single-track trails this summer?  I’ve ridden past at least 1/4th of them and I think its pretty cool.  The gate is made of 4” steel pipe, and is shaped like a V with a narrow opening at the bottom.  I’m sure you have seen them somewhere recently.  Its impossible to get an ATV or 4×4 past this gate.  COHVCO is doing this.  COHVCO is applying for grant money, getting it, and physically working to protect single-track trails in Colorado.  What more do you want?  John Bongiovanni and the entire crew at COHVCO are dedicated to preserving single-track FOR YOU and YOUR DIRTBIKE here in Colorado.  COHVCO is active fighting every piece of legislation that the Extremists throw at us.  COHVCO supports all types of motorized access to public land, motorcycles are a big part of that.  Are you a member?  How many millions of ATV’s and motorcycles are sold each year in the United States?  How many hundreds of COHVCO members are there?  What if more than 0.1% of motorcycle buyers were COHVCO members?  Motorized recreation opportunities would be EXPANDING rather than disintegrating here in Colorado.  Are you a COHVCO member?

So lets narrow it down a little further and look at something that is RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY.  The Trails Preservation Alliance.  What’s not to love about an organization with that name?  That name describes you, it describes me, and it describes everyone that I see at each RMEC event.  The TPA is the organization that puts on the Colorado 600.  The TPA is a 501(C)3 organization that has the SOLE PURPOSE of protecting single-track on public lands in Colorado.  Your donations to the TPA are Tax Deductible.  Did you hear that?  You can write off a donation to the TPA on your taxes.  This is a No Brainer.  Through donations from supporters, the TPA has won 3 lawsuits this year protecting single-track in Colorado.  Did you have any idea that your trails are being attacked by the Extremists?  The TPA does, and they are on the fore-front of protecting those trails for you.  What have you done for the TPA this year?

I am a proud supporter of the AMA, COHVCO, and the TPA.  I know what each of those organizations do for me and my family on a National, State and Local level.  Now you do too.  What are you waiting for?  www.ama-cycle.org, cohvco.org, www.coloradotpa.org, www.colorado600.org

The Colorado 600 is limited to 74 participants.  It sells out early.  If you want to participate in a most epic week of riding, and support organizations that are actively working to keep trails open for you, sign up.

As a RMEC Promoter, I will likely be offering discounts on entry fees at my events for those who show their AMA membership, and COHVCO membership, and TPA donation.  Avoid the rush and do it NOW!

Scott Bright

Member and supporter of COHVCO, Colorado TPA,  AMA, Colorado 600

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