Under the Nov. 4 headline “OHV/Land Damage May Force Stricter Rules”, a picture shows Ranger Machler hiking “through an area damaged by OHVs”. He is actually on Upper Ranch Road – a.k.a. Hunter Lake Road - where it crosses private property, and not in the National Forest. Washoe County, which poses as an adventure destination, has done nothing over the years to maintain this critical access to public land. The damage is caused by neglect, not OHV use.
The picture below shows a weed “brought in on the tires of OHVs”. Wind, water and animals spread invasive weeds far more than OHVs. The thistle in the picture produces thousands of wind borne seeds every year. Ranger Machler obviously didn’t see seeds arrive on someone’s tires. He is just parroting utter nonsense to vilify motorized recreation.
The article fails to highlight the real news – that the US Forest Service is cynically using route designation to close tens of thousands of existing, legitimate roads. In their twisted logic, the solution to more OHVs is fewer legal opportunities to use them. Wake up RGJ. Thirty percent of your readers own OHVs and are offended by published lies and inaccuracies.
DDMC Reno, NV
