The Rooster
October 2020
THE ROOSTER A monthly update from the Inland Empire Offroad Association
What’s New It has still been too hot to play in the dirt, but some of us have been getting our desert fix at the river.
Upcoming Mona Bacon Memorial Poker Run Update By Mike Bacon
Camp RZR Event Cancelled Polaris has cancelled the Camp RZR event scheduled for Halloween at Glamis due to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions on gatherings in California. We still expect this to be a popular weekend at the dunes with Halloween falling on a Saturday.
Glamis and Ocotillo Wells are Open As shown in the articles this month, Ocotillo Wells is open for riding, and Glamis remains open, but new fire restrictions are currently in place. (see pg. 8)
It was announced this week that Ocotillo Wells SVRA is open again for “vehicle access”. That means we can ride there again! Camping is not allowed within the park, but we are camping on private property on the golf course so we will be fine. As long as we don’t have any changes in access between now and the 24th of October the Mona Bacon Memorial Poker Run is on! Hope to see you all there on the 24th of October!
1
The Rooster
October 2020
Ocotillo Wells Reopens for Riding
Upcoming Events • Columbus Day at Dumont: October 9th-12th.
EFFECTIVE (September 14, 2020) - Thank you for your patience and continued support of California State Parks as we work to limit your risk for exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors. The park is open for vehicular recreation with restrictions.
• October 24th: 9th Annual Mona Bacon Memorial Spook Poker Run.
As a reminder, Californians are encouraged to avoid road trips and stay close to home, maintain physical distancing, wear a face covering when a physical distance of six feet from others who are not from the immediate household members cannot be maintained, and avoid congregating. Everyone has the responsibility to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
• October 30-November 1st: Halloween weekend at Glamis. • November 20-30: Thanksgiving at Glamis, Wash 6
Here are some additional guidelines for locals visiting Ocotillo Wells SVRA:
October, 2020 S
M
T
W
T
F
S
What is open now?
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
• Trails, routes and open spaces are now open for off-highway vehicle recreation. • Camping, both semi-developed disbursed, is permitted.
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
• Limited restrooms and shower facilities are available. • Picnic tables and shade ramadas. • The Harold Soens Youth Track and 4x4 Training Area. What is currently closed?
November, 2020 S
M
T
W
T
F
• Group camping and day use areas including the Main Street Event Facility and the Discovery Center Day-use Areas are closed. • The park’s Discovery Center and Amphitheater.
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
• Special events, concessions and tours continue to be canceled until further notice.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Are there any new visitor guidelines?
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Yes, please see below:
29
30
0
0
0
0
0
• Some restrooms and shower buildings are not available.
• Stay Safer at 6 Feet: Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Gatherings, picnics and parties are not allowed. Visitors will be asked to leave if there are too many people at the park to 2
The Rooster
October 2020
allow for the required physical distance. •
Stay Clean: Be prepared. Bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash. Restrooms will be temporarily closed in order to keep up with cleaning schedules.
•
Stay Covered: The state now requires you to wear a face covering in most indoor settings and public outdoor spaces when you cannot maintain physical distancing of six feet or more from people outside of your immediate household. For details, please visit CDPH’s guidance here. Visitors should also abide by their local county health orders.
Statewide, California State Parks continues to work with locals on a phased and regionally-driven approach to increase access to state park units where compliance with state and local public health ordinances can be achieved. Even though the department has increased access across the State Park System, the need for Californians to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the outdoors remains critical. http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1217
Camp RZR Cancellation Notice from Polaris: Due to current COVID regulations from the State of California, Polaris will be unable to host our annual Camp RZR festivities over Halloween weekend 2020. Over the past decade, Camp RZR has become the ultimate celebration of the side-by-side community, as thousands of riders gather annually to share their passion for off-roading. As much as our hearts are pulled toward Glamis and we will miss riding through the dunes and hanging out at Oldsmobile Hill with you, we look forward to celebrating our riding family in new and different ways this year. In the meantime, we appreciate seeing our riders safely getting outside on their own. Keep tagging us in your ride photos and we look forward to hosting Camp RZR in Glamis next year when circumstances permit.
3
The Rooster
October 2020
Season Opening Information from the Imperial County Sheriff Off Highway Vehicle Enforcement Team:
4
The Rooster
October 2020
5
The Rooster
October 2020
6
The Rooster
October 2020
Fun on the Water With the record high temperatures, many of us satisfy our need for desert trips during the summer with trips to the river. The Hagens recently headed North to Lake Powell for a week long houseboat trip, and it looks like it was a lot of fun. Closer to home, the Coles and Kastle’s have been enjoying Lake Mohave at Cottonwood Cove.
7
The Rooster
October 2020
Fire Restrictions on BLM Managed Land: SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is increasing fire restrictions and prohibiting all uses of open flame including campfires, barbecues and stoves, on BLM-managed public lands in the state of California effective Sept. 8, due to high fire danger. These new restrictions are in addition to the year-round statewide fire prevention order and local fire and target shooting restrictions already in place. The following restrictions will remain in place until the fire danger subsides: •
No building, maintaining, attending, or using a campfire, charcoal BBQ, portable stoves, or open flame of any kind, including within established campground.
•
No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or at a developed recreation site, or other designated areas.
•
No welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
•
No possession, discharge or use of fireworks, pyrotechnic or incendiary devices.
•
No shooting, igniting or causing to burn; explosives or explosive material, including binary explosive targets.
This year, wildfires have burned more than 2.2 million acres across California. This is a record for the number of acres burned in the state, and the fire season has another four months to go. With most of the state experiencing hot, dry, windy weather please use extreme caution. This has been an active wildland fire year with fires occurring in proximity to roadways, communities and recreational areas, posing considerable threat to public safety. Taking individual responsibility to reduce wildfire risk, while recreating on public lands, around homes and communities, before a fire occurs can help keep property, the public and firefighters safe. Anyone found guilty of violating a fire prevention order may be fined not more than $100,000 and/or imprisonment for not more than 12 months. Restitution for total fire suppression and damage costs incurred may be borne by the trespasser. An interactive map and listing of fire restrictions throughout BLM California are available at https:// go.usa.gov/xmUEG. To learn how you can do your part to prevent wildland fires visit www.readyforwildfire.org.
This month we’d like to thank Mike Bacon for sending in information for the newsletter, and encourage everyone else to do the same. What have you been up to this summer? Please send anything you want to me at pkastle@msn.com and we will publish it along with a calendar of events each month. -Paul, Melissa, Allie, and Marshall.
8