Category Archives: Outdoors

Activities, Conservation, National Forests

Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierra Four Wheel Drive Club Partner for Recreation and Resource Protection

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Volunteers from the Eastern Sierra Four Wheel Drive Club have been lending elbow grease to maintaining and repairing established system roads on the Inyo National Forest.

The club, working on their weekends, provides maintenance for OHV road and trails under the direction of the Inyo National Forest. Their efforts augment the work done by forest staff in ensuring that a high-quality experience can be found on the forest’s OHV system roads.

“The club tries to have fun on these outings, mixing the volunteer work with an opportunity for club members to have an outing and enjoy the beautiful Inyo National Forest,” said Mike Johnston, president of the Eastern Sierra Four Wheel Drive Club. “The result is increased sense of stewardship for areas that many of us already know and love through recreational activities.”

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Conservation, National Forests, News

Rally to oppose National Monument designation of the San Gabriel & San Bernardino Mountains

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Rally will be Monday, October 6, at 2PM in Pasadena

On Monday, the field office of Congresswoman Judy Chu will hear from a growing movement of citizens and elected officials against her lobbying efforts to have 620,000 acres of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains designated as a national monument.

They will deliver letters of opposition to Representative Chu on Monday October 6, 2014 at 2pm. Local groups will speak out against the plan and hold a media event outside Rep Chu’s office at 527 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena CA 91101.

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Conservation, National Forests, News

Public Officials raise concerns about fast-tracked National Monument plan

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Congresswoman Judy Chu currently has a bill, HR4858, being reviewed by a Congressional committee to designate the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Recreation Area, however she hopes to bypass the legislative process and have President Obama declare the mountains a National Monument with an executive order as early as this month without proper studies or public input.

San Bernardino County supervisors unanimously expressed serious concern for the impact of Rep. Chu’s plan on their county. Several Los Angeles County supervisors have also expressed concern over Chu’s legislation. Residents and public officials have created a grassroots movement against Chu’s campaign for further federalization of local lands.

Elected officials independently opposing the National Monument designation are City Council members from the municipalities of Arcadia, Bradbury, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Glendora, La Verne, Monrovia, Rosemead and West Covina.

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Activities, Jeep

Remembering Mark A. Smith, founder of Jeep Jamboree

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

On June 9, 2014 a legend passed away.  It is fitting that Mark Smith was eulogized on the Jeep.com website, as the man had contributed so much to Jeep culture over the years.

From the Jeep blog:

There are certain types of people who only come around once in a lifetime. They are the kind of people who regularly inspire everyone around them and bring out the best in others. Mark A. Smith, founder of Jeep® Jamboree USA, was one of those once-in-a-lifetime people. Today, we’d like to take a moment to remember Mark, who passed away at the age of 87 on June 9, 2014.

We recently spoke with Pearse Umlauf, Vice President of Jeep Jamboree USA, about his experience working with Mark and some of his favorite memories.

When did you first meet Mark?

I met Mark in 1996 at the second annual Camp Jeep event in Camp Hale, CO. Mark had been asked by Chrysler to build the off-road test track and staff them with experienced guides. Camp Jeep participants had the opportunity to test drive a variety of Jeep brand vehicles over the off-road course. It was a huge success. I remember being told back then that Mark was an off-road icon. He was sitting on the back of a pick-up truck wearing his trademark white cowboy hat next to his one-eyed dog named “Jeep.” Continue reading →

Geocaching

Get the FREE Intro to Geocaching app!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Yes, I’m a big ol’ proponent of geocaching.  It’s fun.  It’s outside.  It’s almost like exercise without feeling like exercise.  It’s a great way to have fun and go places you might not necessarily normally go, see things you might have missed, and solve puzzles without having to look at a picture on a box top and wondering if that one piece out of a thousand you’re holding is a a corner or an edge piece!

Geocaching.com is now offering free Geocaching Intro apps for Android, iOS, and Windows.  From their email:

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