Larry and others:
    FYI.  Where will an issue such as this ever end up??  It'll likely
still be around even after the 2000-2004 election!!
Dick Worm

----------
> From: Jane Worm <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: ATV's Along theTurkey River
> Date: Monday, November 13, 2000 4:12 PM
>
> Arnie Sohn
> Iowa DNR
>
> Dear Mr. Sohn:
>      I have canoed the Turkey River.  I have Cross-Country skiied on the
> Pony Hollow Trail.  These are respectful forms of recreation that provide
> physical fitness-related exercise and an opportunity to enjoy the peace
and
> tranquility available in these natural settings.  The only infractions on
> those experiences were the two groups of snowmobilers for whom I had to
> step aside while on the Pony Hollow Trail.
>      The 400 acre site being considered for an ATV Park in that same
region
> near Elkader seems to be a location that would infringe upon the peace
and
> tranquility along that portion of the Turkey River.  The site also
appears
> to include some sensitive and rare natural flora and landscapes.  It just
> does not seem to be the sort of area that ATV folks really need to enjoy
> their noisy, high speed, thrill-seeking sort of "recreation".
>      Isn't it possible to go out and find abandoned quarry sites, farms
> that have already been overgrazed and eroded into oblivion, feedlot
run-off
> regions,  old landfill or dump sites, or some such that might be suitable
> for such irreverent, ATV activity?   Create obstacle courses using old
> telephone poles and barrels filled with sludge to substitute as trees,
dig
> holes to create some hills and valleys for ATV flying opportunities, and
> carve out long trenches with sloping sides through which the riders can
> sashay back and forth.  Such efforts would provide the joy-riders with
> plenty of  jollies.  Land for such might be able to be purchased at lower
> cost providing extra dollars for providing ramps up the sides of quarry
> pits, jump runs among tailing piles, and semi-trailer trucks along the
> routes for hauling away empty beer cans.  Maybe a few such old
> semi-trailers could be used as tunnels for the ATV's to blast through.
Get
> creative for those folks.  Maybe we could reuse lots of construction,
> demolition, and other waste materials that now go to landfills in and
> out-of-state or into wetlands.  MOST, not all, ATV users don't really
need beautiful,
> natural settings.   The ATV's that I have seen roaring around in
road-side
> ditches after dark prove that point.  Those users sure aren't out there
in
> the dark to enjoy the scenery in a ditch!!
>      There may a touch of sarcasm in some of the above, but we have to
come
> up with something for these folks other than natural landscapes.  ATV's
are
> not natural.  Why bite off more chunks of nature for unnatural behavior.
> Landfills, quarries, construction waste, dredge spoil, etc., etc. are not
> natural.  Use such unnatural resources to serve unnatural wants.
>      Develop engineering or high school physics student competitions that
> dream up creative ways to use unnatural materials to serve unnatural
> recreation.  We have unnatural amusement parks, skate board parks, bungee
> jumps, climbing walls, rope courses, virtual reality headgear, computer
> games, etc. to help serve the human need for thrills and adventure.  ATV
> Parks that simply carve paths through chunks of our dimishing natural
> terrain just do not seem to be the way to go.  It is just too easy.
Where
> would the line ever be drawn?  ATV enthusiasts want more freedom and
access
> in our National Parks.  Will the Effigy Mounds addition become a target
for
> ATV users?  The land is "public" so should be available to them as well
as
> to anyone else in their way of thinking.   Most public parks are not flat
> fields.  They usually include rugged terrain that offer joy-riding
> opportunities.  MUST such be the future of our natural areas?
>      In any case, this situation needs attention.  To just keep running
> around trying to find land to invade keeps pitting the ATV clan against
the
> conservation community in shouting matches at public hearings, etc., etc.

> ATV users in Utah take shots at nearby Sierra Club campers and at a state
> park official's residence after being confronted with the park's rules of
> ATV conduct.  That is getting pretty scary!!
>      Many of the least respectful ATV users are the weekenders who cannot
> take long vacations to exotic places all over the country.  They want to
> let off their work-week steam in rowdy ways close to home.  Providing a
> larger number of smaller areas with creative designs on already despoiled
> lands (maybe the brown fields or such in our inner cities!!!!????) with
> nearby taverns (oops,  more sarcasm) seems a more appropriate way to
serve
> these folks' "needs".   Camping areas, like KOA type facilities, could be
> provided with Sports Network, satellite TV hook-ups so the "campers"
could
> watch live or tape-delayed baseball, football, boxing, extreme sports,
> bull-fights, gladiators,  etc. at night when some of the ATV activity
might
> slow down a little.  Putting beer-drinking, raucous, ruffians onto
national
> and state land of natural significance and expecting civilized activity
is
> asking a bit too much.  I have camped by many such groups in many parks.
> It just isn't much fun for those of us wishing to hear the wind rustling
> through the leaves on the trees instead of  human belches,  flatulence,
and
> the boorish, boisterous bravado of pseudo-self-esteem building.
>      Well, this was more of a brain-storming session than a concrete
> proposal.  But, this whole issue of ATV Parks and where to put them and
how
> to police them, etc. is not going to go away.  The ATV manufacturers,
like
> other corporate entities, thrive on growth.  Increasing sales from year
to
> year in their mantra.   So, until some sort of ethical consciousness
> arises, let's help them out, I guess,...but NOT in areas already
> established with natural and unique beauty, flora, fauna, and wonder.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Richard Worm
> 3680 Echo Hills Dr.
> Bellevue, IA 52031-9557
>
> 319/582-2580
>
> [log in to unmask]

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