2. March 21, 2012 - Guests of Honor

Mammoth M/C Meeting Minutes

3/21/2012

Members in Attendance:

Russ, Joe, Junior, Sam, Kim, Jason, Jim, Weird, Abe, Sam, John, Isabel, James

Guests:

Lil John, The Pants, Craig, Jay, Mark, Uri, John, Micah, Talen

Presidents Report:

Our Zranch meeting quickly deteriorated into a social happy hour with many present opting for $1.50 Mickeys and King Cobras. Others with more refined taste opted for local Mammoth brews and fancy imports like Newcastle. Many guests were present bringing our group size to about 23 or 25. How much was spent on beer? Your guess is as good as mine but my wallet is considerably lighter. Unfortunately the Zranch was holding a concurrent private party during our 'meeting' and so no food was available. This was rather unfortunate but someone had the good idea of moving over to Jalapenos (across the street) for dinner.

Side conversations:

1. "Guest of Honor", mountain bike Mark. Mark was invited to Zranch for some free beer on the president because of his many many years fighting for access. We've seen Mark around town forever and have witnessed his fight for truth and single track. Unfortunately his years of advocacy reached a point with the last wilderness go around in 2009. Miles and miles of mountain bike trail were lost in the White Mountains and between Mammoth and June. His 10+ years of lobbying congress resulted in a literal slap in the face with very little for consolation. Now, there is more to this story. The two consolation prizes our Congress awarded Mark were a tiny loop around Saddlebag Lake and a long cherry stem leading up from Lundy Lake to the May Lundy gold mine. The new owners of the gold mine thank Mark for his efforts although currently the USFS isn't allowing them motorized access to their private land via the cherry-stem.

2. "The Mammoth Motocross Track". A couple hours before the meeting I was approached by the town manager, Dave. We had a short conversation regarding the track and Joe, Mammoth's own staunch track supporter. Dave, in a nice way, told me that Joe isn't the one who will get our track back because he (and his group) have burnt bridges through-out town and are too difficult to work with. The mountain won't even talk to Joe because of his threatening attitude and in your face demeanor. The key players are turned off to ever working with him. (MMSA and USFS referenced)

I asked Dave if Joe had ever been disrespectful to him and the answer was no, but his reputation is out there and it's resulted in alienation.

So there it is. I'd agree that was an honest assessment of the present state of things, so does Joe. However, how does the track move forward? Dave and I discussed how in the past race promoters have come to town with experience far greater than the once a year Mammoth Motocross and have been flat out denied by the USFS. Our club has little to no chance of opening the track compared to them, as the USFS will only talk to the Mountain, Town, or County. If none of these entities want to take it over, it will never happen.

Dave realizes the benefit of an open asset like our track. Perhaps if the rec commission was behind it then town council would too. But who starts and spearheads this? I took the question to Stu, Recreation Manager for the town. His reply was mostly regarding time and money, of which the town doesn't have because of the economy and looming lawsuit not to mention cuts across the board. Measure R is close to being tapped out and that only leave OHV green sticker funding which is highly possible but the town needs to commit too, which isn't likely. He will follow up with Rec Commission and I'll report back later.

In summary, I think we all know that Joe isn't going to run the track and pull an operations plan out of his ass. No one can do this. Joe only wants to ride the track and he does what he can by attending meetings to attempt to educate people on the opportunity. Big hat, no cattle.

Over the years I've watched Joe carefully, his heart is in the right place. While he may be a little cheap he doesn't steal from people, get mean when drinking, or intimidate club members. He works to pay his rent. Sometimes he stretches the truth or gets caught in conspiracy theories, but all in all he is focused on the Mammoth Track.

There are similar community minded people around town, sometimes they are in favor with decision makers, sometimes not. Look at Steve with the bears, Leigh with the ghetto, Sandy with the Knolls/Slopes/TOML at large, the Tennis Club, or even Mark with the mountain biking. And I'm not comparing Joe at all to these people by any stretch but we can all agree that he isn't in favor with anyone important to getting the track open. True reasons or excuses, it is debatable.

Other Unimportant News:

One of our local members/sponsors is now selling and stocking AMS oil for every type of vehicle.

He sells this oil at or near cost. A great deal for sure!

So if you want to run some good synthetic in your scoot or truck, Contact John at: info@ez-rak.com. Use coupon code: “Rak City”

We have some sad news to report as well…

“Weird,” one of MMC’s favorite members, informed the club that he will be leaving Mammoth Lakes, CA (in June) and returning home to the “Iron Range…” Minnesota?

Weird explained that after blowing up two race bikes and one chase bike in 2011 (Baja), he decided to return home, get married, and enroll himself in dump truck operating school.

WTF

Everyone at Mammoth M/C wish him all the best of luck with his new endeavors!

Letter to the Editor:

Dear Editor,

Joe Parrino? Ok, let’s lay it all out there then. Joe's so-called “reputation," with some of the local politicos comes as no surprise. He’s got his own style and some don't like it – at times I don’t either. Oh well. Suck it up and move on… or not. Haters will always hate… But in the end these haters CENSORED suck even more than Parrino. Just look at where we are... politicians and so-called "decision makers” doing there very best at ruining our town… and the world! At least Joe isn't jeopardizing local livelihoods with a failed back door deals resulting in a multimillion dollar bankruptcy (TOML), or laying off hard working Americans because of the bottom line (MMSA), or messing up local trails and screwing over user groups in the name of money and “restoration” ( FS, FOI). Lying CENSORED sacks! , they can all CENSORED CENSORED!

Yeah, I guess it's easy for me to point fingers. But I'd rather hang out with Joe any day, with all of his so-called "personality faults," than with a bunch of Sierra Clubbers and all of their CENSORED ideologies and visions of what they feel is right and wrong.

Who do they think they are anyway? Joe isn't making big changes, or ruining things around Mammoth Lakes, so who gives a CENSORED anyway - he's just a concerned citizen, and a dirt bike rider, and a skier. It's not like Joe wants to build a motocross track or re-arrange the trail system. He just wants to take his dirtbike out to a motocross track - the Mammoth Motocross Track. Nobody owns the track, and Joe has just as much of a right to ride it as anyone else.

Too much to ask?

I guess so.

- Anonymous

Editorial Policy

All opinions expressed by authors and quoted sources are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers and editorial board of the “Mammoth Motorcycle Club.” The acceptance of advertising in no way implies endorsement by the editors, publishers or editorial boards of Mammoth Motorcycle Club.

Treasury Report:

$562 was carried over from 2011, at the Zranch the following members re-upped for 2012:

Russ, James, Joe, Junior, and Sam. We thank them for being proactive and renewing. Renewals are now taking place until the end of June, they are $20 for the year. At our website www.mammothmc.com you can renew online through the PayPal link - every last bit is appreciated and you can be sure that the club will use the money responsibly. New members from out of the area are encouraged to join and donate through PayPal.

Incidentally, we also collected $6 in fines from Joe and James. Joe was guilty of repeated (2) counts of failure to appear at an event on time and not having his bike prepped properly for a ride (and other infractions).

James had one count of getting a flat tire and not having a tube, probably because he had loaned it out to Weird (or Joe) on a previous outing.

$668 is the current balance as of 3-22-2012.

END