Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Democrat from New York, is trying to by-pass the congressional debate of H.R. 1925, which would close over 9 million acres in Utah to OHVs. Since he failed miserably in trying to get ANY representative from Utah to back him in his land grab, he has resorted to asking Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to use his administrative powers to close those lands without debate and without approval from the very state that would be affected.

If enacted, this bill would close the designated areas to all activity including OHVs, bicycles and horses. This includes Moab, one of THE places to offroad, hike and ride horses.

To make things worse, much of the land that is covered in this bill does not comply with the requirements to create such a wilderness designation. According to the Wilderness Act of 1964, Wilderness can only apply to lands 'retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation.'

This closure would be on top of the 2 million acres already closed, and would greatly damage the local economies that rely on the income from OHV recreation in these very popular places. It is my opinion that there is a clear and concise effort to destroy the financial livelihood of Utah. The AMA is urging all offroaders, equines and bicyclists to join together and make their voices heard by contacting the powers that be and telling them to Leave Utah Alone!

Read the letter that Hinchey and 88 other representatives sent to try to force the closure of MOAB without going through the proper channels.

This weekend I'll be trekking out to Clark County, Nevada with Discover Today's ATV and the ATV Safety Institute to spend a day riding in the Valley of Fire just outside of Las Vegas. I've been told that this time of year has some of the best riding available in the Las Vegas area, and the Valley of Fire is arguably one of the top riding spots around there.

I will be joining Jun Villegas, an instructor for ASI, and Ty van Hooydonk from DTA. I will be mounting a Suzuki King Quad 750 and a Yamaha Grizzly 700. Both with power steering, which is a first for me. The Valley of Fire is also a new ride for me, and you can look forward to a nice photo gallery when I return.

The ASI is a not for profit organization that promotes rider training for new riders and even for experienced riders who are simply looking for a refresher course. If you've got kids and they ride ATVs, you already know ATV safety is a top priority. So taking them to get certified is only going to help ensure their safety.

The ASI RiderCourse is a single day event and is FREE if you buy a new ATV, either for an adult or a child. If you're buying used, it only costs $155.00 for adults, and $55.00 for children. If children are riding ATVs they must be certified or must be riding with a certified adult.

The ASI promotes the following "Golden Rules of ATV riding":

1. Always wear a helmet and other protective gear.
2. Never ride on public roads - another vehicle could hit you.
3. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
4. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider vehicle.
5. Ride an ATV that's right for your age.
6. Supervise riders younger than 16; ATVs are not toys.
7. Ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed.
8. Take an ATV RiderCourse; Call Toll-Free at 800.887.2887, or go to www.atvsafety.org.

The Amateur Freestyle Motocross Association (AFMXA) is holding their first amateur freestyle motorcross competition on the west coast at the Pala Raceway in Southern California this weekend. The event features some of the best amateurs from around the world who are at least 14 years old.

After the competition some of the best professional freestyle riders like Brian Deegan, Nate Adams, Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Ronnie Faisst, Todd Potter and Mike Mason will be on hand to sign autographs and perform an FMX demo.

The AFMXA is a governing collective of Freestyle Motocross riders and action sports industry leaders who are trying to make FMX a safer sport. It was founded shortly after the tragic death of freestyle motocross legend Jeremy Lusk.

There is a new road to access the eastern dunes at Glamis via wash 25 in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA). This new road will make it easier for campers to access the eastern dunes.

This was largely a volunteer effort by dune enthusiasts who helped by donating up to 40 hours a week during the hot summer months. Volunteers used water trucks and other heavy equipment to help with the construction of the road.

This new road is for street legal vehicles only. All OHVs are forbidden on the new wash road and should enter the area through the dunes only. Off-road tires will damage the road and will require more funding to be used in maintaining the road. You may be ticketed for riding off road vehicles on the road.