'Shit talking' alternative

Post date: Mar 09, 2012 10:30:40 PM

As February closes out and cold storms blow in, I'm reminded about our new strategy of not calling out the various agencies. What good does that do anyhow? It may make for an interesting read and certainly doubles as an outlet for our frustrations.

If anyone is interested in what kind of calling out we've been involved in just browse several past news articles below for all the complete info on road closures in the Eastern Sierra. It's not pretty but we all deal with it, so might you.

Anyhow, there are reasons why we are vocal about local freedom loss - in this case our roads, trails, track, campsites, and vistas, and more as you will soon find out. This writer will attempt to convey ideas in a nice manner and hopefully gain some converts in the process.

The big picture:

The big picture is actually just a component of life on the Eastside, for some it weighs in heavily, others might just be weekend warriors, some could care less about anything except who wore what down the red carpet. The big picture entails lots and lots of individual choices and freedoms - right now some freedoms of travel, camping, views, and choice are being toyed with - who likes agencies deciding your best interest when they clearly have different interests?

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Some days in the Eastern Sierra are better than others, some very memorable. I'm reminded of a routine from the winter of 2010-2011, it was huge. It all starts with a.m. powder riding on Mammoth Mountain on a device known as a snowboard. When you can ride the snow on a daily basis it becomes intimate as the changes from day to day are traced, tracked, and filed away. Hard to explain but those who make Mammoth Mountain a routine will know what I'm talking about. Want the powder stash or natural wind lip kicker then ask the wind from the previous day. Rock drop? Consult the sun, feel the snow, seek out shadow.

Next up is a trip down to Cerro Coso college on the outskirts of Bishop for some staging (in the college parking lot) for some dirt bike riding. When conditions are good on Mammoth they can be as equally spectacular on the Owens Valley floor. Explore and explore, then explore some more. The Tungstens, Little Egypt, Coyote foothills, Bishop canals, and some other local single-track networks that aren't shown on any map. Simply incredible routes. Does that make them illegal?

While pondering that question I enjoy a late lunch at Manor Market.

Finally home, and days are short. Time to boot up and take the dog out on a hidden blue diamond trail. Cross country skiing as the wind swirls snow and sun sets behind McGee makes a lasting impression. Then everything turns blue.

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Back to the big picture:

Life on the Eastside is different depending if your mind works differently. For many I'm sure that it can be no more than another rat race imported from your city of choice, for this writer it often appears as a Cimmerian landscape filled with other-world experience. Really, it's all taken in and filtered through human brains, some on par with reality, some not, while some create their own. This writer falls in the latter category but realizes that the landscape is partly to blame.

Every day on the Inyo is a day added to life.

Be it snow, rain, wind, water, dirt, dust, work, slaying mice, skirting rattlesnakes, fruits of labor, cold beer, Oregon concrete, trails, death-hikes, desert rock, grilled serranos, snow on your sockline to bad behaving dogs - our freedoms are unparalleled.

The infiltration of the Inyo by funded special interest isn't welcome especially when they start merging into our separate realities. Don't get me wrong, individually we can live and create space for everyone. However, we cannot accept doctrine from entities, working groups, boards, 501c3's, corporations, or the rest that seem to come up with plans and strategies for our best interest. It's artificial. Time to stop with the over planning and leave well enough alone. Your agencies still have value, but not through the control of others.

Did you know that on some pockets of Inyo National Forest there are virtually no restrictions, no oversight, or rules? And what are the dire consequences of unlimited freedoms?