Back Country Times

This Issue….

~ A Meeting of the Minds

~ On the run…

~ Rockblazer’s Ramblings

~ Tech It

~ From the Editor

A Meeting of the Minds

The General Membership meeting was on March 13, 2007. This was an uneventful meeting but we managed to have some fun. We verified scheduled runs and decided to try sign up lists for runs. The sign up lists are intended to assist trail leaders in determining participation expectations. Shannon Horst shared with the group that the Forest Service has stepped up ticketing for infractions. Please be sure you are representing the club in a positive manner while you are out in the hills.

April 10 we will be holding our normal meeting. For those of you who want to attend the SDOHVC meeting we encourage you to go. In fact Todd will be there representing us and asking questions. Which leads me to the then next item, if you have a question(s) for Todd to present at the meeting please e-mail it to him at rockblazersd@yahoo.com.

We would like to extend a big Thank You to Brad Riggen who volunteered for Challenge Trail Master and Justin Berg who volunteered for Door prizes. Challenge is both far away and coming up quickly but things seem to be coming together. We are looking at around 60+ vehicles attending. A nice number! Let us all hope spring brings us the moisture we need to permit us to hold the Challenge.

A Big Congratulations to Scott and Jill Wigglesworth who exchanged vows at Vegas in March. You’ll have to bring pictures to the meeting for a little show and share!

Charlene Porter

On the Run…

The only club run for March landed on March 31, 2007 and thus is too late for this edition. So I am dedicating this section to our up and coming runs.

April 14, 2007 Rally Run

We will meet at the Gas Light restaurant parking lot in Rockerville @ 10:00 AM.

That will be the staring point for the Rally. Depending on the number of vehicles that show up we will leave in 5 to 10
minute intervals. There will be a $5 Rally fee collected from each vehicle participating to be 100% paid out to the
top 3 spots. The goal for the Rally is to complete the three legs of the Rally in as close to the predetermined travel time as you can without going under. There will be two check points placed somewhere in the course where you will stop. There
will be somebody at each checkpoint to verify you have run the whole course. The course will end at an establishment
with food and beverage available. When all the vehicles have finished the times will be totaled and the winners announced.

The course will include tar and gravel roads and will be able to be run with any vehicle. Your directions will be
based on the direction you need to turn, speed traveling and time elapsed. Example ... Turn right and travel at 35 mph for 5 minutes 35 seconds. Turn left and proceed at 50 mph for 10 minutes 50 seconds. Turn left and proceed at 20 mph for 2 minutes 14 seconds. A stop watch or something to keep track of time traveled and an accurate speedometer or GPS unit is needed. We will be traveling quite a few miles so make sure you come with a full tank of gas.

A panic envelope will be given to each vehicle that reveals where the final stop is in case you get totally lost and
just want to go to the end. Bring your maps! Obviously if you don't make both the checkpoints or come in under the
allotted time you will be disqualified, so no cheating.

Come with us and enjoy a scenic drive through the Hills along with a little challenge. If you have any questions feel free to give us a call.

Todd & Deb Zick

Rockblazer’s Ramblings

fellow 4-Wheelers,

Wow, another month here and gone. Spring is in the air… well sort of after a quick “Sprinter Storm”. Can we have a big hand for Mother Nature? The moisture is more than welcome, so keep it coming girl! On the same note she told me to please remember to tread lightly, as the recent rain and snow will no doubt make the hills pretty muddy. Let’s keep big mama happy!

The Challenge is coming along nicely! We have 52 registered participants so far with the possibility of more each day. What a welcome sight that is! The preliminary Challenge budget has been started and reviewed by the board. After a few tweaks, Todd and I will review with each of the Chairs. If you would like to get involved with any of the Chairs, please let Todd know as he will know best where to place you.

Besides the Challenge, we have some great runs coming up. Here is a summary; a Road Rally, a Night run, Parade of Presidents and at least two proposed Campouts. Can’t say there is nothing going on. If you are interested in attending any of these events, please sign up so we can get an idea of attendance. Also, if you have an idea for a trail ride or event, please contact Marty Errea.

At the last General Meeting we had some very exciting news as the club unanimously voted Doug and Marilyn Jones as Honorary Black Hills 4-Wheelers. For those of you, who do not know the Sr. Jones, let me tell you stop by a campfire sometime and they will tell you some stories. Luckily, there have been only 2 World Wars, but if you’re fortunate enough to have some time, you may even get to hear some things about Jeepman that you never knew, and whatever Doug misses, Marilyn will definitely fill you in. We are extremely fortunate to have them both in our club, as both are active, lead trails and provide endless entertainment!

on a serious note, recently there have been some interactions with the forest service. Most of the interactions from what I hear were warranted and

luckily not related to our club directly. However, even our own are not exempt. It seems that a local law enforcement officer would like to make everyone aware that there are regulations regarding motorized vehicle use on National Forest Land. He has sent us a letter outlining regulations and violations. I ask that you use discretion and respect when dealing with any officer, as you not only represent yourself, but the club and the off road recreation community as a whole.

On Tuesday, April 10^th from 7pm-10pm, SDOHVC will host a meeting at the Ramkota Inn. The meeting will be in the Sheridan room. Craig Bobzein, Supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest will be there. He replaced John Twiss and I am told he is very reasonable. He will be present to address any concerns we have. If you have any questions, please email me at rockblazersd@yahoo.com and I will be happy to ask at the meeting.

As we all put the finishing touches on our trusty steeds, I am sure we will see more of each other in the following months. If you do something interesting to your rig, or have something to share with the club, feel free to drop me a line. I think Jerry Springer says it best…”Til next time… be good to each other!”

Your Friend and President,

Todd J. Beutel

No article was submitted and since I am not so mechanically inclined, I thought I would use this space for some information that anyone can uses no matter what vehicle they drive…. So here are some tips on a small household item we all use and do not think much about, your mower. Hopefully this information will help to ensure your mower gives you the best looking lawn possible. ---Charlene Porter

The underside decking should be cleaned throughout the season to remove build up of grass and dirt. Cleaning the grass and dirt will also help in preventing the spread of diseases in grass. In order to clean the deck of the lawnmower, you should first empty the gas tank and make sure that the spark plug is not connected. You can then stand the mower up on its side and spray the mower with water. You can then scrub off the rest of the dirt and grass that is stuck on the mower. Make sure to dry the mower after you have finished rinsing it off, to make sure that none of the parts rust.

Your maintenance should also include checking the oil and air filters. The air filters should be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis. Before removing the filter to replace, make sure that you know whether it is paper or foam. The oil in your lawn mower lubricates the engine. Be sure you read the operating instructions on the type and amount of oil your mower uses.

Another important part of maintenance is sharpening the blades every one or two months, depending on use. Sharp blades ensure a clean cut rather than ripping out the grass. This can be easily done by removing the blade from the mower and sharpening it with a file.

When mowing season is over, there are certain steps to properly store your lawn mower for the winter. It is advisable to remove the oil and gas, and clean the exterior.

With consistent and proper care of your lawnmower, you will be able to keep your lawn looking great through the seasons and years, and your mower will last for years too.

* *Information courtesy of www.doityourself.com.

Land Use:

Forest Service has announced a closure extensions and a new closure. Extensions have been issued to continue to protect areas damaged by the Ricco Fire. The only roads authorized for public use are: Forest Service Road 144.1 Piedmont Fire Trail, Forest Service Road 546.1 Mayhappy Flats and Forest Service Road 537.1 Stagebarn Caverns Road.

A new closure covers 877 acres north of Boulder Canyon Road in the Crook Mountain area due to resource damage caused by off-road vehicles. The closure remains in effect until December 31, 2008.

**************************For Sale *******************************************

Club T-Shirts and Challenge gear different sizes available – Please contact Darla Jones for sizes an prices.

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