There were a few NWDR hardcore riders that braved the wet soil and weather to put up a good showing at last Thursday night's PIR Thursday Night Motocross. Way to throw down, everyone!

I received this email today from Stephanie Beall at TSF. The yellow gate blocking staging at Brown's Camp (the actual site) should be open now.

Hi Everyone,

Browns Camp OHV Campground and Staging Area is officially open for the season.  It looks like opening weekend is going to be a busy one with some good weather and as the Trailsmen are having a motorcycle / quad poker run on Sunday, May 3.  If you’d like to be up on the latest happenings to help plan your next trip to Browns, check out the events calendar at http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/TSF/event.shtml

Have a great weekend!

Stephanie A. Beall

Recreation Coordinator
Tillamook State Forest
801 Gales Creek Road
Forest Grove, OR  97116
503.359.7464

http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/TSF/Recreation.shtml

It's looking more and more likely that the ridiculous law that currently has banned the sales of motorcycles aimed at kids under 12 will finally be fixed. Judge Thomas H. Moore's petition:

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE THOMAS H. MOORE
ON THE PETITION FOR TEMPORARY FINAL RULE
TO EXCLUDE A CLASS OF MATERIALS UNDER SECTION 101(b) OF
THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008 (CPSIA)

April 16, 2009

I am aware of the speculation that has surrounded my vote on this issue. My staff has spent the time since the ballot came to the Commission working on what I believe is a good solution for the riders

of youth motorized recreational vehicles, building and expanding upon the initial position taken by Acting Chairman Nord. The direction my colleague and I are giving to the staff today balances the Congressional desire to protect children from unnecessary contact with leaded components in these vehicles with the need to protect those same children from the potential for physical injury related to riding inappropriate adult-sized vehicles, or riding vehicles either in need of repair or less structurally sound than the ones currently on the market.

It is clear from the post-enactment statements of some Members of Congress who were Conferees on the CPSIA that they believe the Commission has the authority to make sensible allowances for these vehicles as long as child safety is not compromised. Given the extremely restrictive language of the law, the only avenue I can see is for the Commission to establish an enforcement plan that follows, to the greatest extent possible, the Act’s intention for future production, while providing relief to the industry and the riding community for vehicles already manufactured and those manufactured during the stay. There are compelling safety arguments that justify a stay of enforcement.

It is ironic that I am defending vehicles that I consider to be dangerous for children under 12 to ride and which contain accessible parts with excess levels of lead. However, the alternatives appear to be more dangerous. American parents seem to be willing to accept the risk for their children riding these vehicles, so it is the agency’s task, at this stage, to ensure that the vehicles are as safe as possible. One safety rule the agency has stressed is keeping children off of adult-sized ATVs.¹ To the extent that new children’s ATVs cannot currently meet the lead limits in the CPSIA, there is the likelihood that parents seeking new vehicles will buy adult-sized ATVs for their children to use. We have also been notified by one ATV manufacturer that they are simply relabeling their Y-6+ and Y-10+ youth ATVs as Y-12+, removing the speed limiting device and continuing to sell them. Thus the vehicles that are more accurately sized for younger children will be less safe because of their ability to attain higher speeds.

However, the enforcement program will also apply to children’s off-road motorcycles and snowmobiles. The other part of the safety equation that helps balance an enforcement plan against the increased lead exposure it allows, is based on the assertions that certain vehicle components cannot be made with lead below a certain level without compromising the structural integrity (or another safety element) of the component. The enforcement plan of the Commission must require concrete data from the manufacturers on this point to justify their continued use of lead in excess of the applicable lead limit.

The industry has pointed to the European Union’s RoHS and ELV Directives as a guide for what lead reductions or substitutions may be technologically infeasible for their youth vehicles. While we might not need to allow the high lead limits allowed in those Directives for all components, there is guidance to be taken in how the European system is administered. They set an expiration date for their exemptions. Prior to that expiration date it is up to industry to come in and make their case that it is still technologically infeasible to reduce lead to a level at which an exemption is no longer required. The evidence considered is strictly limited to technological feasibility, not on the higher cost of a viable substitute. The guiding principle for this agency’s determinations has to be the safety of the children riding these vehicles.

I believe a stay of enforcement issued by the Commission should:

–relieve all makers, sellers, and distributors of youth motorized recreational vehicles made to date and through the expiration date of the stay from enforcement actions for failure to meet the lead limits of the CPSIA;

–allow those vehicles to be repaired, sold, traded, and otherwise used as they have been;

–allow the sale, distribution and installation of replacement parts that are comparable in lead levels to the old part being replaced until such time as those parts can be brought into compliance;

–expect industry to bring their vehicle components into compliance on a reasonable schedule, to the extent that is technologically feasible, and to provide us with the detailed information we need to make informed decisions about those components in the future.

The Commission simply cannot ignore the safety tradeoffs that could arise by not providing this relief but it must also work with industry to bring the non-complying components of these youth vehicles as close to the lead limits established by law as is currently technologically feasible, to the extent those parts cannot be made inaccessible. The Commission also needs to let the riding community know that they can continue to use the vehicles they own as they always have.

I believe the approach taken today by myself and Acting Chairman Nord of directing the staff to draft a Federal Register notice containing concrete elements of a stay is the reasonable approach that the Congress is looking for us to take. I anticipate that the Commission will vote to approve it in the near future.

¹ Most of my discussion is focused on the ATV industry as they present the greatest (lead and non-lead) safety challenges.

Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/pr/moore041609.pdf

Thanks to ORrooster for passing this along.

We had a much lighter showing for NWDR at last Thursday night's PIR Thursday Night Motocross. Many people were on their way to Moab to ride or they were taking a week off to rest. Kraft finally pointed-out of whooping up on the noobs. I had a terrible night full of logistics mistakes.

I'm quite sad to pass along that Crazy Acres is closed for good and up for sale. I sincerely hope, and I know I speak for a lot of other riders, that something changes and Crazy Acres can be saved. Thanks to Josh and Crazy Acres (and Trackmaster) for giving us a great track.

Here's the email from Josh.

Dear Riders,

First of all I want to thank all of you for being so patient while the status of the track has been up in the air, and many of you have been itching to ride.

I have been working very close with a few insurance companies to determine how much insurance coverage I would need in order to cover myself in the event there was an accident or injury. Unfortunately, the cost for the insurance exceeds the previous revenue that the track has generated in the past. Not to say that the track could NOT generate enough revenue to recover the cost of the insurance, but considering the amount of additional things that the insurance companies would require, exceeded my willingness to quit my job and work the track full time. 

Moreover, with the decline in the economy, and the fact that my income is proportionate to the residential and commercial construction, I have been forced to put my property on the market for sale. We have talked with Jason Merritt of Remax/Equity Group (503-495-3570) and we will be listing it on the market within the next week or so. If you would like any additional information regarding the property or the listing, please contact Jason Merritt. F/more if you or anyone you know is looking for a piece of property that has a nice track on it, please forward this e-mail to them.    

So…. basically what it boils down to, is that the track will not be open at all, to the general public for the 2009 summer.

Regretfully,

Josh Merritt

Last Thursday night, we had even more NWDR riders enter the PIR Thursday Night Motocross races and even more members showed up to help support the riders. It was a beautiful night and the rain held off like we were hoping. Nobody got hurt and everyone had fun. Great effort, everybody.

We had a few racers put in some good finishes in the early season off-road races. We probably would have had more early season results if the 6-hour at Eddieville in early March hadn't been canceled and if the weather had been better. Good work to everyone who got out and tackled the mud and the muck!

Look for more race results to come!

Grand Prix at Eddieville, March 28th

KenR74: 7th in 200 Am

Cross Country at Eddieville, March 29th

PC: 2nd in 30 Am

Pics & Vids

N/A

Last Thursday night, some NWDR members entered the first PIR Thursday Night Motocross race of the season. Several other NWDR members cheered them on in support from the stands. For some, it was their first ever race. For others, it was their first race back from injury.

Great job, everyone, for getting out there and going after it! We hope to have even more NWDR riders racing this coming Thursday.

Results: results_4_9_09
Points: points_4_9_09

30+ Junior

Trackmaster: 2-1, 1st Overall

OTH 30+ BEGINNER

Kraftomatic814 (Kraftbagger): 1-2, 1st Overall

Womens Novice

Miss Black: 3-2, 2nd Overall

Pics & Vids

Miss Black #7

Trackmaster #21

Trackmaster's 1st moto start:

Racer X Online has a great piece about the pros speaking out about the impact of the CPSIA ban on youth motorcycles. The videos come from StopTheBanNow.com, which has a lot of good information on the topic and how we can fight the ban. This law has a much bigger impact than the lawmakers realize. We all have to do our part to ensure that our kids can ride.

Have you written a letter to your representatives yet? I have.

Source: http://www.racerxonline.com/article/pros-speak-about-cpsia-impact.aspx

Joshua Riepe with the Washington DNR contacted me to let me know about a work party at Jones Creek on April 25th to help clean up the trails. Be sure and make it out to help if you're available.

Download flier: Jones Creek Work Party – April 25th Flier

Details:

Come and show your support for the Jones Creek ORV Trail on Saturday April 25, 2009 and join the Dept. of Natural Resources and Jones Creek Trail Riders in getting this popular trail ready for summer! Volunteer registration will begin at 9:00AM, and work will continue until approximately 2:00PM and will be followed by a volunteer appreciation barbeque! Please bring a side dish to share with fellow participants.

Projects will include: trailhead maintenance such as restroom painting, beginners riding area trail maintenance, litter removal, and trail maintenance such as signage installation, brushing, puddle draining, etc.

Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, and a side dish for the after party, and wear work or hiking boots and rain or shine outerwear. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring tools/equipment that might be handy for the projects.

Please contact Jessica Kimmick at 360-852-3390 or Jessica.kimmick@dnr.wa.gov for a complete list of tool/equipment needs, to RSVP, or for more event details.

Directions to Jones Creek ORV Trail and Trailhead

Route from I-5: Take I-205 exit and then take the Orchard Exit (Exit 30) and curve around over Freeway to first light and take right ont State Route 500/Fourth Plain Road. Follow Fourth Plain out of town to Northeast 53rd Street. Follow 53rd Street east until it become Bradford Road.

Follow Bradford Road to Ireland Road and turn left, followed by another left onto Lessard Road.

After about two miles Lessard Road becomes Boulder Creek Road and leads to the Jones Creek Trailhead.