Will You Help Try To Rescue Tellico Again?

Will You Continue To Participate In The War To Save Tellico?

  • I'll continue to fight for our 4wd rights until the end.

    Votes: 64 74.4%

  • I think it's a lost cause and that my time and money are better spent elsewhere.

    Votes: 22 25.6%
  • Total voters
    86
  • Poll closed .
J.C.

J.C.

Volunteer
Moderator
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Greensboro, NC
Just trying to get a feel for the pulse of the NC4x4 community's interest in fighting yet another battle in the war to Save Tellico.

Your vote will not be visible to others. Not looking for a lot of comments but of course you are welcome to do so.

Basically we are in a three part war. Decision, Appeal and Litigation. We are now in the appeal battle stage. If we lose here we will have still another battle to fight!

I'm looking for some indication of the interest of the NC4x4 community in continuing this fight.
 
I'd rather divert my efforts to something that is still open to prevent it from closing.. Like spending time and money to preserve uwharrie, or help skip out with Gulches
 
NCJeepin said:
I'd rather divert my efforts to something that is still open to prevent it from closing.. Like spending time and money to preserve uwharrie, or help skip out with Gulches
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That how I feel also, But and its a big BUT, I really would hate to roll over and let Tellico just die, If there is a chance to save it. We talking about the federal government here, Kinda feel like were beating a dead horse. Seems like there going to do what they want to if we like it or not.
 
My take is this. So far we've had to deal with the Forest Service and let them make the decisions. It's there jurisdiction so they have say in the matter. I think in the beginning we played the political role of trying not to upset them so they will stay favorable in the decision. Once they showed their true colors the gloves came off and we told them they've let the place slide. Their decision was made and now it's on to appeals.

Now if the appeals go like I think they might we'll end up in court. This is where I think we have a chance. No Forest Service employees handling the mail, reading the responses (or not), filing them, etc. and then making a decision (again). We've got a very good engineering study in place, with facts from the Freedom of Information Act that they had to give to us, plus hundreds of letters of support and testimonials from local area businesses that a judge will have to look at. Not Marisue and her agenda. IMO, she knows they dropped the ball and mismanaged the area for years. Now we get to have an (hopefully) impartial court that will see and hear all the facts without bias.

I think we have a good shot.
 
If I personally was able to do something, then I likely would. But UFWDA really didn't seem to have their shit together at all. The conspiracy theorist in me would love to see them audited to see where all that donation money actually went, since it didn't seem to do shit.

I'm feeling a little skeptical since looking back just 5-10 years, I can't remember when UFWDA's lobbying was actually the tipping point to keeping an area open. I'd love to be shown that I'm incorrect on this, though.

Granted, we always have an uphill battle given how "American as apple pie" and eco-friendly fishing can be portrayed as, and how exactly opposite the average person's "picture" of off-roading is.
 
yeh, i voted to save it, but the more i think about it....

if theres a small chance i'd hate to give up on it. that gives the message that the 4wd comminuty is a pushover. but if you make this a hard fight then your going to demoralize the other side from taking action esle where. make it an easy fight for them and you encourage action else where.


however, if the experts are saying theres no chance in hell.....we need to START the fight elsewhere. get in a PROMOTE OHVS, be proactive and not reactive. when we are sitting around defending our bad behavoir, damage to the env., etc. ..we are not selling ourselves somewhere else.
 
I would go back in a heartbeat, but I have to agree that time/money would be better spent elsewhere. I attended dixie runs and other events in support of Telico with no avail. What happens when money is exhausted and URE comes up next?

How much $ was spent in the losing cause of saving telico? Enough to buy a large plot of land and make a private park?
 
NCJeepin said:
I'd rather divert my efforts to something that is still open to prevent it from closing.. Like spending time and money to preserve uwharrie, or help skip out with Gulches
Click to expand...
burrellsjeep said:
That how I feel also, But and its a big BUT, I really would hate to roll over and let Tellico just die, If there is a chance to save it. We talking about the federal government here, Kinda feel like were beating a dead horse. Seems like there going to do what they want to if we like it or not.
Click to expand...

and this is part of the problem. Just because you guys don't live around Tellico or have never had the chance to wheel it doesn't mean you should turn your back and worry about "your backyard". One day Uwharrie and the Gulches will be in trouble too and you're going to need help. I've been to both places and they face the same issues. Fortunately, Uwharrie is getting a lot of help from local clubs but other places aren't.

I do agree we need to step up our efforts in regards to other parks but we need to fight for this. The legal precidence it lays down will create huge waves in the OHV pool.
 
I think we need to fight for all we are worth. If we loose this one it will be another in a string of places we've lost since I started trail riding. If we don't start turning the tide now then one day I won't be allowed to ride in my backyard, private land or not. Tellico is big, a very popular East cost spot thats been widely known for years. If we loose here we may as well face the fact that we can plan to loose just about everywhere in the long run. I don't think we can afford to nickle and dime it.
Just my .02
 
I'm in for the fight. Even all te hway up here in MD, where there are no trails (we have to go to Rausch), people are lamenting the closure of Tellico and what it forbodes for the future.

Even if it is indeed a lost fight, the point is to go down fighting and make it clear that the next time will not be easy either.

One thing you have to wonder about though, is that if it is clear that the FS dosn't WANT the trails, then even WHEN we do win the fight - what will it be like having THEM still in charge of it?
 
From previous documentation from the Forest Service, this decision is not subject to litigation, correct? Basically, it is an untouchable decision, based on our own governements rules. Am I wrong? Going to find what I read...
 
Being in a position that I am with one of Southerns biggest clubs, I have to be careful in what I say.

I have seen literally thousands of dollars given to help in the fight. Yet, I have seen no fight. I think the powers that be need to start flexing muscle and show the true facts to the public and to the government. I am not sure we need to do anything but go ahead and bring suit to the FS.
I say fight, but go in swinging instead of peeping around the corners and chit chatting about what we are gonna do and just do it.
 
orangecherokee said:
and this is part of the problem. Just because you guys don't live around Tellico or have never had the chance to wheel it doesn't mean you should turn your back and worry about "your backyard". One day Uwharrie and the Gulches will be in trouble too and you're going to need help. I've been to both places and they face the same issues. Fortunately, Uwharrie is getting a lot of help from local clubs but other places aren't.
I do agree we need to step up our efforts in regards to other parks but we need to fight for this. The legal precidence it lays down will create huge waves in the OHV pool.
Click to expand...

What ways could we help on this?
 
orangecherokee said:
. The legal precidence it lays down will create huge waves in the OHV pool.
Click to expand...


exactly what i said. if we lay down on this and make it easy for them, they are gonna start stepping up efforts everywhere.

make it hard for them and discourage them from spending time and money elsewhere.
 
JC said:
NO! After the appeal process this can go to court! There will probably be litigation no matter what the administrative appeal process result is, from both sides :)
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Great! I am very interested in helping. Keep us updated. I will be checking this thread often!
 
Best case, they keep the place open. Do you think it will get expanded ? new trails? more miles added? Better facilities added ? I doubt it..

I would rather see all the $ go into buying and operating a regional park or facilitating a land lease deal similar to Harlan. Possibly backing ventures similar to Paragon. I think places like paragon and Harlan would get off to a better/faster start if there was a national or regional organization backing it that had X1000 membership and the experience to host events and rides that will create the tourism that a locale would like to see.
 
Rich said:
If I personally was able to do something, then I likely would. But UFWDA really didn't seem to have their shit together at all. The conspiracy theorist in me would love to see them audited to see where all that donation money actually went, since it didn't seem to do shit.
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x2 I also would go as far as to say "Don't throw good money after bad". I think the time & money would be better spent on getting better organized and keeping the areas that are still open, OPEN.

<><Fish
 
I love Tellico and I'll never give up on that place.

I'm really surprised people would even consider throwing in the towel at this point. Thats part of the problem, not everyone is willing to FIGHT for it till the end. If you get knocked down, get up and fight back, don't lay there hoping that TU or SELC will stop because they won't! :rolleyes:
 
rockcity said:
I love Tellico and I'll never give up on that place. :rolleyes:
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Unfortunatly, while you are fighting for tellico, I'll be wheeling on private land. If tellico is ever re-opened, I'll be there and pay the day pass for everyone I meet.
 
yager said:
Best case, they keep the place open. Do you think it will get expanded ? new trails? more miles added? Better facilities added ? I doubt it..
I would rather see all the $ go into buying and operating a regional park or facilitating a land lease deal similar to Harlan. Possibly backing ventures similar to Paragon.
Click to expand...
Uhhhhhh,isn't Paragon closed now?????
 
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