User Posts : The Southwest Voice

Outdoor Life: Holiday traditions

We had a great Thanksgiving here in town and decided to eat out, which meant no food preparation and no cleanup. All we had to do was put clothes on, drive a short distance to the eating establishment, some minor turkey carving action by yours truly, then drive home and waddle from the car back into our house after eating.

We did get some great visiting in with relatives, and our grandkids kept busy during Thanksgiving dinner with some coloring books and crayons courtesy of wifey Cheryl. I think they even managed not to draw on the tablecloths.

After some good visiting, all departed our house and we did a quick change of clothes to engage in another Thanksgiving tradition: camping and riding in the desert.

We already had the Lance camper loaded onto our truck and my dirt bike and Cheryl’s Ranger were lashed down on the trailer. Some Thanksgiving leftovers quickly got put in the camper’s fridge and we were set to go. I got a call from one of our fellow campers, Joe Rivas, that he and his wife Tracy were about 15 minutes ahead of us and he said we’d probably catch them on the way to Tehachapi.

Right. I knew that wouldn’t happen. Joe is driving a new Dodge diesel with some trick power-enhancing engine computer software. Nothing against our gas-powered Chevy, but the new diesel pickups are definitely the weapon of choice for hauling a camper and towing duties, especially if your trip involves ascending a grade, which includes most destinations out of Bakersfield.

We did catch Joe as they were pulling down the dirt road from Highway 14 into our campsite. The only reason we even got that close to catching them was that he missed the turnoff in the dark and had to drive several miles down the road to find a spot to turn around off road safely. Our friend Ralph and his family had already staked out a nice campsite for our group the day before.

I’ve seen some potentially deadly traffic conditions in our travels and that weekend was no exception. As we were heading into Ridgecrest on Saturday, I spotted a couple in a Toyota Corolla stopped in the northbound lane as they gawked around looking for a spot to turn off the highway. Keep in mind that this is where cars, trucks, motorhomes and 18 wheelers typically cruise along in excess of 55 mph. Most aren’t expecting some doofus to be parked in the traffic lanes. The couple avoided death this time with plenty of horn honking and screeching of tires from fellow travelers. Idiots!

The only glitch came when we noticed soapy water running out from under our camper while I was showering Friday morning. Crawling under the area where the leak had come from, we noticed the drain pipe was cracked. It’s not as if we are jumping up and down in the shower, so this is a black mark on the Lance for me. A total of maybe 30 showers and two years is a little soon to be doing field-expedient plumbing repairs. So we drove into Ridgecrest, acquisitioned the necessary parts and fixed it right.

The weather was gorgeous, the campfires and leftovers were phenomenal and the riding was great. The nights got down below freezing and Joe had his dog’s water dish outside and it froze solid.

As I write this, we are getting ready to fly to New York to do the sightseeing gig and visit our daughter at the YMCA camp in the Catskill Mountains where she works as a horse wrangler.

Happy Trails!

Outdoor Life: Autumn riding opportunities

The months of October and November can provide some of the finest opportunities for good weather in Kern County’s mountains or deserts while enjoying a day trip, or better yet, a camping trip consisting of several days.

The weather can always take a turn for the worst and we can usually count on autumn having a few surprises like rain, wind or snow. Kern’s desert temperatures can be much like those in Bakersfield this time of year, but you get the added benefit of clearer skies. The mountains are a slightly different story, with daytime temps slightly below those in Bakersfield, but nighttime temps dropping 20 or more degrees lower.

On the other hand, when Bakersfield and the rest of the Central Valley are shrouded in fog or clouds, making the trip to the desert or mountains can be a welcome relief. It’s not unusual (hey, wasn’t that a Tom Jones song?) to be wearing a light jacket or flannel shirt here in town and find out it’s T-shirt and short-sleeve weather in the desert or mountains during the day.

But don’t be fooled into only wearing a T-shirt on a trail ride, as unforeseen events can turn your ride into an overnighter while snuggling up with another guy for warmth next to broken down motorcycles or quads.

Night time can be another story. However, don’t let these paradise-like conditions fool you into venturing out to the backcountry unprepared. At a minimum, you should be taking foul weather gear and leaving word with someone back home or at camp where you will be heading to and approximately what time you plan to return.

A word of caution here: don’t be so regimented in your time frame estimations with your family or friends back at home or camp that they call 911 when you are five minutes late to return. There has been more than one occasion where a well-meaning friend or loved one has rustled up the Kern County Sheriff Search and Rescue folks only to have the travelers return to camp unharmed but simply having lost track of time due to enjoying their outing so much.

Some mountain backcountry areas can get an early dusting of snow this time of year, so watch the weather forecast before you head out. Several great off-road trails became obliterated recently with the Day Fire near Frazier Park. In preparation for a possible change in wind direction affecting the fire, bulldozers cut fire breaks right along the East Frazier snowy trails. So instead of these being single-track motorcycle trails, these are now wide enough to drive an RV through, if you can negotiate the steep grades.

There will be some major restoration work in store for many of those areas where the trails became a huge firebreak to protect the communities surrounding Frazier Park and Lebec. By the way, some unbalanced environmentalists will use events like the Day Fire to justify closing down riding areas for off-highway vehicles (OHVs).

With the doubling of OHVs in Kern County in the last five years, that makes about as much sense as reducing Rosedale Highway into a one-lane road again. We should be adding OHV recreational opportunities, not removing them.

Cheryl and I recently had the pleasure of working with some local folks filming a Public Service Announcement depicting exciting outdoor adventures in Kern County through the Kern County Board of Trade.

The 30-second spot will highlight whitewater rafting, rock climbing and off-roading. Tourism is an exciting element here in the county, and Kern has some of the greatest diversity of recreational opportunities in the United States.

Happy Trails!

Consider purchasing a GPS for backcountry travel

In a previous “Outdoor Life” column I talked about the need to seriously consider purchasing a handheld GPS when traveling in the great outdoors. GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is a series of 24 satellites orbiting the earth approximately 23,000 miles into space. Besides helping folks avoid getting lost, they can help others find you in the event of an accident.
Originally designed only for military use, the system now provides accurate latitude and longitude navigational data for civilians. The 24 satellites fly in sets of four, traveling along six orbital planes spaced to ensure that at least four satellites are within view of any point on earth at all times.
I’ve been a believer in the concept of GPS and the necessity of having one with you whenever you ride off-road since it was brought to my attention by an acquaintance of mine who is an emergency dispatcher. But as a result of an accident that happened while on a ride with friends, I will never again venture into the wild without having a GPS in my pack. Oh, and add to that a cell phone.
There’s more to this story than I can fit into this column so I will summarize as best I can. Cheryl and I have always felt it was important to be prepared for unexpected emergencies while camping or riding. I don’t know if either of us was fully prepared when an emergency happened with our friends while riding.
The main reason you need a GPS and a cell phone if you are away from home is that a 911 dispatcher answering your call for help can’t tell where you are calling from and will need your exact location to send help. So if you don’t have a GPS and are only able to get a cell phone signal and call for help and tell the dispatcher that you’re “about 5 miles away from a white motorhome near a cluster of boulders off of Highway 14,” you aren’t going to be of much help to whoever is in need of emergency attention.
On the other hand, if you have a GPS and a cell signal, you can give the dispatcher your latitude and longitude right off the screen of your GPS and a medevac helicopter and/or ground crews can know exactly where you are within a few feet. This could mean the difference between a friend or relative coming back home alive or not.
The other thing we all need to keep in mind with emergency response via paramedics on the ground or from the air is that it doesn’t always happen very quickly, like on TV. So the water you brought along (or forgot to) for your 30-minute ride may have to last awhile (try eight hours) in the middle of nowhere with the sun baking you. Bringing extra water “just in case” can ensure that a stressful situation doesn’t escalate into a life or death situation.
My hat is off to our local emergency response folks, whether they be fire department, ambulance, air ambulance, dispatchers or awaiting medical personnel at local hospitals. Thanks for bringing my friends back alive to ride another day. We are all the wiser as a result of this accident. I’m thankful we had GPS and a cell phone to start out with and I’m thankful everyone involved kept their heads screwed on straight that day.
One last note: That GPS won’t do you a lick of good if it’s sitting on your kitchen table at home while you’re off in the wild.

E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Are you an obnoxious camper?

Through five decades of camping with family and friends, I have developed a pre-camping questionnaire you may wish to use, discard or add to. Camping with other people can be a real test of friendship. Sometimes going camping with others can be much like a blind date… you can end up with some of the fondest memories or the camping trip from hell.
Many of my camping experiences revolve around off-roading and involve self-contained motorhomes or travel trailers, but there are quite a few camping trips in my memory of backpacking and tent camping also.
This is a tongue-in-cheek review and could be used similarly to Jeff Foxworthy’s “You might be a redneck” routine. Like, “You might be an obnoxious camper if…” So if you’re reading this and are one of our regular camping buddies, please don’t get your feathers in a ruffle over this checklist.
And besides, if you were to exclude all individuals who answer incorrectly to any questions listed, you’re really narrowing your field of play.
1. Do you have children?
2. Are your kids unruly?
3. Do your kids typically smart-mouth other adults on camping trips?
4. Do you or your kids ride dirt bikes and quads in circles through camp all day?
5. Do you consume alcoholic beverages to the point where you either get mean, fall down or slur your speech to the point of others not being able to understand you?
6. Do you use foul language in mixed company and/or in front of kids?
7. Do you sell or consume “controlled substances”?
8. Do you owe money to loan sharks and are they pursuing you?
9. Are you a fugitive from justice?
10. Do you target practice with firearms within camp or within 50 feet of camp?
11. Do you use firearms while intoxicated?
12. Do you use those small propane cylinders for target practice?
13. Do you play loud music all night or yell in camp while others are sleeping?
14. Do you understand that “potluck” means that you need to bring something to eat?
15. Do you believe everyone else thinks hearing your body noises is funny?
16. Do you understand that when it is previously agreed upon that we will all leave to go camping with a group of other campers, say at 5:30 p.m., that you will need to start planning, packing and loading your vehicle before 5:29 p.m.?
17. Do you expect others to pick up your trash in camp?
18. Do you use the excuse, “Oh I forgot to bring gas for my dirt bike, can I use yours?” every time you go camping?
19. Do your dogs go camping with you?
20. Do your dogs bark continually?
21. Do you leave your dog’s poop in camp for others to find?
22. Do you think everyone like dogs running around camp unleashed?
23. Do you and your spouse continually argue with each other in public?
24. Do you dump the holding tanks of your RV in camp?
25. Do you not understand that gasoline is flammable?
26. Do you typically build campfires so large that the flames reach 25 feet into the air and can be seen from the Space Shuttle?
27. Do you understand that picnic tables are not to be used for firewood?
28. Do you usually maintain a smoldering “trash fire” all the time in camp?
29. Do you start up your dirt bike in camp at midnight or 5 a.m. so you can “check the jetting" of the engine?
So there you have it. A simple pre-camping questionnaire that one might use to screen candidates for camping with you and your family. Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life:

It was with great anticipation that I began skimming the pages of the recently released 2006 edition of Kern Life, The Bakersfield Californian’s guide to living in Kern County.
After I raised so much Cain last year with their staff over the omission of any significant references to ‘Off Roading’ in Kern County in the 2005 Edition, I just knew they would give this increasingly popular form of family recreation the recognition it deserves. NOT!
To quote the late President Ronald Reagan, “There you go again.” I can’t believe they slighted the off road community. It may have been a “simple oversight,” but come on man, get with it!
What really chaps my hide is that in the 2006 Kern Life, there are loads of hoity-toity photos and advertisements for real estate companies and residential developments. But no photos or references to any of the off-road clubs and organizations in our area.
If you look carefully under the cities of Taft and California City, there are brief mentions of off-road facilities.
Oh, and a few sentences mentioning the 19,000 ACRE Hungry Valley State Park near Gorman, but that’s about the extent of their coverage.
Data recently acquired by the Kern County Board of Trade and Kern County Economic Development Corporation indicate there were 38,096 off highway vehicles that call Kern County home as of April 30, 2006.
The sales manager at Venture Out RV tells me that a third of their RV sales now consist of toyhauler-type trailers and 5th wheels. These are the type that look like a regular RV, but have a large door in the back that folds down as a ramp to load and unload dirt bikes and ATVs.
So as a finger-in-the-dam fix to the omissions in the 2006 Kern Life, prepare to be underwhelmed with the totally unauthorized “Dick Taylor’s Supplement to the 2006 Kern Life.”
I will attempt a meager summary of off-roading clubs and organizations in our area as well as some of the opportunities for off road adventures.
A partial list of OHV opportunities (hours vary & fire closures may affect, so check before you go):

Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
Near Gorman off Interstate 5
661-248-7007
www.ohv.parks.ca.gov

Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Pismo Beach
805-473-7230
www.ohv.park.ca.gov

Kern Plateau/Kern River Ranger District
Kernville 760-376-3781
Lake Isabella 760-379-5646
www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia

Los Padres National Forest
Near Frazier Park
www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres

Jawbone Canyon/Jawbone Visitor Center
Dove Springs OHV Area
Highway 14 (approximately 15 miles north of Mojave)
760-373-1146
www.jawbone.org

Tulare Cycle Park
Three miles west of Highway 99 on Paige Avenue
559-685-0503
www.tulareparksandrec.com

Porterville OHV Park
2701 W. Scranton Ave.
559-782-7541
www.ci.porterville.us

California City MX Park
24510 168th St.
661-373-1559
www.calcitymxpark.com

Ridgecrest Motorsports Complex
520 South Richmond
760-375-8000
Closed for the summer, but it will reopen Sept. 2.
www.ridgecrestmx.com

Honolulu Hills Raceway in Taft
Take Hwy 119 to
Airport Road, follow signs
661-623-1212
www.taftracing.com

Off road clubs and organizations:
(If you’re not a member of one or more of these, you should be; otherwise, you can start counting as your riding area the dirt median of Interstate 5, if the unbalanced environmentalists get their way).

CORVA ( California Off Road Vehicle Association)
1-800-42-CORVA
www.corva.org

California Association of 4wd Clubs, Inc
1-800-4x4-funn
www.cal4wheel.com

Kern Off Highway Vehicle Association
www.kohva.com

Bakersfield Trailblazers 4x4 Club
www.trailblazers4x4.com

Stewards of the Sequoia
www.stewardsofthesequoia.org

Off Road Business Association
Headquarters in Bakersfield
661-323-1464
www.orba.biz

Blue Ribbon Coalition, Inc
1-800-258-3742
www.sharetrails.org

You may wish to cut out this simple guide and put it in your wallet because I may get the inkling to charge for this research in the future.
Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Don't forget to let kids be kids

By Dick Taylor
Outdoors Columnist
The look on the face of a child who is experiencing a fun outdoor activity is one of those priceless things in life.
We can create the environment for kids to have fun. Certainly times have changed from when I was a kid growing up in Bakersfield in the 50s and 60s.
The days of letting your kids roam around the neighborhood on foot or riding a bicycle or dirt bike unsupervised in the foothills are long gone. Not that it was a great idea back then, but the odds of something happening in terms of foul play are many times greater today.
There are a number of things we as parents need to be vigilant regarding and that you just can’t be flexible about.
Examples:
• Don’t let your kids ride dirt bikes unsupervised or ride in residential areas.
• Don’t let your kids play in or near bodies of water without you supervising them EVERY DANG SECOND! DUH!
There are more people on earth and more goofballs to go along with those numbers. Everything is more crowded: streets, highways, theaters, parks, you name it.
Parents have chosen to have “things” in their lives that create a requirement for a job to pay for said items. The majority of families have both parents working outside the home.
Somewhere in the process of acquiring these “things” that we simply must have, we have tried to cram more activities into the same 24-hour day that existed 40 or 50 years ago.
Of course, there’s a big difference in a kid getting hurt by a stranger vs. a kid getting hurt because they crashed and burned on a dirt bike after going over the handlebars on a trail.
To counter these threats of physical harm, parents need to do everything within their power to protect their kids from harm by strangers and, do everything within their power to reasonably protect their kids when they’re just being a kid.
Cheryl and I are firm believers that kids need to be able to kick dirt, climb on boulders and get dirty without parents hovering over them non-stop to prevent such “atrocities.”
Kids need to have time to simply play. They need to be allowed to try and fix or disassemble things to see how they work, so they don’t end up like so many of our young adults in life.
By that, I mean being able to function in the workplace as a young adult without an employer hovering over them every moment, guiding them through basic things they should have learned at home like most of us did in my generation and in previous generations as well.
Also, as kids experience things in life under proper adult supervision, they grasp the concept that certain activities have consequences (translate, pain) and that getting a skinned knee or elbow doesn’t mean you’re out of commission for the duration of the day.
Some things in life simply require dusting oneself off and then continuing to function. It’s the theory of getting right back on the horse if you get bucked off.
So whether your kid ends up in college, the job market or in the military, they’ll be a step ahead of a lot of their peers by learning the items I’ve just mentioned.
I’m not saying that kids should be allowed to do whatever they want. Teaching responsibility and respect for animals, the environment and others is all a part of the parenting gig.
So whether you take your kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews out on a dirt bike, quad, camping or simply take a spin out to the California Living Museum (CALM), let them get dirty and have some fun.
Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Give us those wide, open spaces

A few months ago, I was chastised by my friend Alex for making some politically incorrect comments in my column regarding how we are losing open space and previously remote OHV riding areas to housing developments.
“No more editorials!” said Alex to me about my ranting.
“Just stick with writing about areas people can travel to in pursuit of off-roading.”
That’s what I’m talking about. Writing about my favorite camping and riding places poses a Catch-22 conundrum for me … I love to write about them and share our enjoyment with others.
On the other hand, I tend to enjoy getting away from it all. By that, I mean getting away from the rat race, i.e. “people.” That means not really wanting more people hanging around the special areas we’ve discovered over the years.
People are constantly asking me where they can go ride dirt bikes or ATVs near Bakersfield. If you draw a circle on a map around our city that shows legal OHV riding areas within a 30-minute drive of downtown, you’ll come up with just one and that’s still in the works.
That’s the Bakersfield State Vehicular Recreation Area northeast of town, which will be operated by State Parks. And, if that deal falls through due to challenges by unbalanced environmentalists or unwilling land owners, then that’s it as far as anything close by.
Of course, you can find mile after mile of new housing projects being carved out of seemingly every square inch of farming or grazing land.
Even Six Flags Magic Mountain is seriously considering the, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” theory of selling your land for homes as more profitable than recreation.
A recent Bakersfield Californian poll showed that 26 percent of households in Northwest Bakersfield participate in off-roading. And yet, we continue to see plans for more soccer fields, bike paths and golf courses come before our city’s and county’s planning commissions. And those activities were down the list on the poll in terms of participation.
Don’t get me wrong, those are great activities, too. But, it is irresponsible for us as a community to ignore the growing popularity of off-roading as well as the social and economic benefits that come along with it without planning for a multitude of facilities to accommodate off-roading.
Off the soapbox I begrudgingly crawl.
Our secret, undisclosed riding and camping location shall remain unidentified. I will tell you it’s located within the Sequoia National Forest. Cheryl and I camped there a few weeks ago and were not disappointed with what we experienced, babbling brooks, deserted old dirt roads, tall trees, green meadows and fresh air with a hint of incense cedar — not to mention it was 100 degrees in Bakersfield that weekend.
Yet, the thermometer didn’t get much over 79 where we were during the day and low 40s at night.
We’re heading back up there on July 2 for a day trip with my sister Donna and her friend Wayne from her work. Then it’s back down to Dodger Stadium on July 4th to help shoot their July 4th fireworks show after the game.
Hopefully, this year’s show won’t be ruined by goof balls setting off illegal fireworks that set Chavez Ravine on fire where the stadium sits off of Interstate 5.
Speaking of fireworks, there are absolutely no fireworks of any kind permitted in the Sequoia or Los Padres national forests. Dry grass and lots of brush under the trees don’t mix with fireworks at all.
Make sure you have a campfire permit and camp only in campgrounds and designated dispersed camping areas.
Happy Trails!

E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Camping and riding in the mountains

Several readers have asked me to share information on trail conditions in the Sequoia National Forest. Due to above normal precipitation, some trails and roads are still closed in the higher elevations until the soil can dry out a little. It would be a good idea to check with the Forest Service regarding specific areas and whether they are open to the public for the summer season.
You can obtain this much needed info from several sources in our area. Maps are available for a nominal fee so you can have the latest version in your mitts while you’re searching for a particular trail. Remember, weather conditions can change quickly, so be prepared for cold even in the summer.
The current trail conditions and maps for areas of the Kern River Ranger District (which is a new district formed when the Cannel Meadow and Greenhorn Ranger districts were combined recently) are available at the following locations:
Kernville Office (also known as the log cabin)
105 Whitney Road
Kernville, Calif. 93238
760-376-3781

Lake Isabella Office (near the infamous dam)
4875 Ponderosa Drive
Lake Isabella, Calif.   93240
760-379-5646

Bakersfield Visitor Center
3801 Pegasus Drive
Bakersfield, Calif. 93308
661-391-6088

Open Mon. - Fri., 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (Don’t try to get in at 4:16 p.m. It won’t happen)

You can also download maps by visiting the following Web site: www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/maps/
A friend of mine told me on June 13 that the Forest Service had mentioned the Sherman Pass Road out of Kernville was closed, but you could access the Kern Plateau area via 9 Mile Canyon Road through Kennedy Meadows. Most road and trail closures this time of year are to protect them from damage from too wet soil conditions.
It pays to be a good trail visitor by respecting trail closures and not driving off the trail to try and get past an area you shouldn’t be hiking or riding in anyway. Driving or hiking through muddy areas simply messes up the trail and can result in aggravating trail closures while the damage is repaired. And this can take a while to get budgeted.
The Troy Meadow Campground is currently closed due to a major remodeling project and is expected to reopen in 2007. The campground is being upgraded with new picnic tables, fire rings, and parking upgrades at camp sites to accommodate today’s RVs. New water systems and restrooms have already been installed.
I’ve found the vast majority of Forest Service personnel to be very helpful but keep in mind that sometimes temporary help or someone who doesn’t have a ton of knowledge gets assigned to work the counter and that can be an exercise in frustration so be patient. I’ve also encountered a chowderhead or two who probably should not be assigned to a position that has any contact with the public.
The majority of OHV trail opportunities in the Sequoia are for motorcycles, but there are some ATV trails. As usual, OHV requirements include current red or green sticker registration, 96 decibel-compliant muffler, USFS approved spark arrestor, and safety course certificate for riders 16 and under on an ATV, or be accompanied by an adult with such a certificate.
Cheryl and I are headed to our secret undisclosed riding and camping area in the mountains this weekend for a getaway from the Bakersfield heat. Ah yes, walking outside our camper on a June morning wearing a flannel shirt and a hot cup of Joe. That’s what I’m talking about. Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rddtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Behind-the-scenes at fireworks show is big bang!

A few of my friends have been bugging the crud out of me to write about some of my non-off roading experiences.

Several years ago I was approached by Lt. Colonel Neil Cadwallader, a friend of mine that I served with in the Marine Corps. His cousin needed some help with a July 4^th fireworks show in Indio and would I be interested. His cousin, Kirby Nellis, is a licensed pyrotechnician, or operator with a company called Pyro Spectaculars.

It felt like the scene in the movie The Patriot, where Mel Gibson is enlisting citizens in a tavern to be Minutemen to fight the British in the Revolutionary War. I said if it included wiring and explosives, count me in.

Kirby told me and Neil that they needed someone who wasn’t afraid of getting blown to smithereens, and that it was the surest way to be close to explosives without going back into the Marines and deploying overseas. We checked with our significant others and after confirming our life insurance coverage with them as beneficiaries, they said “sure”.

When Neil and I arrived in Indio , which is near Palm Springs , at 0600 on the morning of July 4^th it was already 90 degrees outside. The location was a very posh polo club with acres and acres of manicured grass fields. The thermometer only got to 120. I drank about 4 gallons of water and Gatorade that day and that wasn’t enough.

When we arrived, Kirby gave us the rundown on wiring, safety and procedures for setting up a show. Pyro Spectaculars puts on over 1,000 shows in California each year and 400 shows on July 4^th. That’s 400 crews and Ryder trucks stuffed with show props, mortar tubes (look like black PVC pipe about 3 feet long), wiring, computers, and the fireworks themselves, the explosives. The company is one of the oldest in the nation and was started by the Souza family, who still runs it.

It was hard, monotonous work, not to mention stinking hot. I don’t know if I’d ever do a July 4^th show in the desert again, just too dang hard on the body. The reward after the work was well worth it and one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I’ve experienced since desert motorcycle racing or full-throttle snowmobile acceleration.

These shows are synchronized to music; the company calls these “Sky Concerts”. They have a pretty impressive list of shows, including the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens, , Ronald Reagan’s Washington presidential inauguration, many Super Bowls, and Macy’s in New York City on July 4^th.

Neil and I have since worked several shows highlighted by July 4^th shows of Huntington Beach (on a barge off the pier), Dodger Stadium, Angels Stadium, La Quinta Country Club in Palm Desert , and recently the 50^th anniversary for the City of Cerritos .

The Huntington Beach July 4^th show was one of my favorites. Joining us was my good friend and fellow dirt bike rider Jack Patterson from Bakersfield . We spent one whole day filling up large mortar boxes with tons of sand on a barge in the port of San Pedro . The boxes look like raised flower beds and provide a stable base for the mortars to fire from. An ocean-going tug hauled us the 3 hours to Huntington Beach . It was a lot of hard work but, as usual, we had a great time yucking it up together.

Here are the typical responses I get from people when I tell them about working a professional fireworks show: Women: “Oh, that’s nice”. Men: "Whoa! How’d you get to do that, dude?” Happy Trails!

Mother's Day Cop Out

It’s that time of year again when our motorcycle club The Badgers, hosted their 37^th annual Mother’ Day Cop-Out desert race near Ridgecrest May 13 &14. The Badgers is a family-oriented group of riders formed in 1969 by some Los Angeles Police Department dirt bike riders with a passion for desert racing. Thus the dual meanings of our club name….get it, Badge/Badgers; and the Cop-Out. We schedule our own Mother’s Day activities with our own moms on the previous weekend.

One formerly had to be in the field of law enforcement or public safety to be a member, but as of late the prerequisites have been stringently tightened to include most anyone with a pulse and the means to pay membership dues. There are still a number of local Bakersfield Police Department, Fire Department and Correctional Officers and their families who are members.

The course is laid out in two loops that entrants race on over two days. It consists of A and B courses each about 13 miles in length. Several checkpoints are set up along the course that each rider must pass through and be recorded by their individual number plate on the front of the bike. Two or three loops are completed by each rider.

The riders are divided into classes according to age, skill level, and engine size. The Bureau of Land Management has jurisdiction over the areas we ride, which are designated as open riding areas for off highway vehicles (OHVs).

The checkpoints of the race involve riders barreling through a location, kept secret until the last minute, and having their race numbers recorded. This discourages cutting the course and helps to track riders who may be injured that made it through one checkpoint, but had a non-scheduled get-off before the next. Or they simply may be lost or have mechanical problems with their bike. Oh, and there is a class for quads and sidecars.

The course is carefully planned out and marked with day-glo ribbon and wooden stakes with day-glo arrows that show the way. After the race all of that paraphernalia is stripped back down by our club members so that you’d never know there were 700+ riders that rode through on the course for multiple laps.

This is a very motivating race for me every year, even though we have to work the race and don’t get to actually ride. Riders from age 12 and up, women, average Joes and even guys in a class of over-60-year-olds having fun on a course ranging from 1^st gear, very technical portions of the course, to 100 mph (for some of the pros) areas of wide open, full throttle spots.

I mean here are men in their 60s and 70s riding dirt bikes on a desert race at an age when many of their counterparts are checking into retirement homes and skilled nursing facilities. It’s incredible for those who can do it.

The air temperature both days was dang close to the century mark and most riders wore water carriers like Camelbacks to stay hydrated. Another group worthy of many thanks is Rescue 3. It’s an all volunteer group of paramedics stationed in Barstow who work our races and provide first-responder medical care when needed. We do give them some financial help with a donations box at our race sign up area. They are lifesavers….literally. Liberty Ambulance also has a unit on location during every race.

The kid’s race on Saturday had a great turnout of under-12 riders with all participants getting trophies on the little half-mile course with club members stationed along the way for help if needed. Happy Trails!

Jawbone Canyon

Whether you’re heading to the desert for a weekend of camping and riding dirt bikes, quads or 4x4s, or simply looking for a great day trip in the family car or mini van, the Jawbone Station Visitor Center is a great resource of information.
Located on Highway 14, about 15 miles north of Highway 58, it is an oasis in an otherwise desolate area. Some have only driven by the building on their way to Bishop or Mammoth, and others have known it for years as the go-to spot for maps and timely information on fun things to do and see in the Eastern Kern desert.
On a recent trip there, we also paid a visit to the historic Jawbone Canyon Store, rebuilt about five years ago after the original building was destroyed by fire.
The old store was featured on the cover of a 1990s Yamaha motorcycle product brochure and featured an array of broken motorcycle and 4x4 parts from vehicles that had encountered the unforgiving nature of the desert over the years.
Bent handlebars, wheels and other parts use to adorn the outside walls. That’s gone now, but the tradition lives on.
The store is about a half mile or so south of the Visitor Center on Highway 14. The new owners are doing a great job and have added a snack bar, souvenir shop and a log carvings shop to the gasoline and mini-mart fare offered to travelers.
The changing demographics of a once male-dominated sport were apparent as we walked up the steps to the store. Almost all of the dozen or so patrons sitting on benches in from of the store were ladies. They were sipping sodas, eating snacks and having a grand old time, laughing and recounting stories of riding adventures.
All decked out in riding gear with their quads and dirt bikes parked in the dirt lot, I found myself staring for a moment.
“What are you looking at?” Cheryl asked of me. It wasn’t an inappropriate stare from me, simply taking in the fact that women are flocking to off-roading at a pretty good clip. At least I think she believed the explanation of my gander.
So, back to the Visitor Center. Mr. Bob, the desert tortoise, was nowhere to be seen, didn’t get a chance to ask about him during our visit that day.
There have been new taxidermy displays added depicting rodents, reptiles and birds in various spooky poses. Lots of photos of nearby points of interest line the walls.
The Friends of Jawbone runs the center and sells books and videos about places to ride and also books about the history of the area.
There’s a good selection of children’s books with desert themes that have been the labor of volunteer Robin Mallow, who has done a bang-up job in her selections. Titles like “The Three Little Javelinas” (a take off on the Three Little Pigs); and “Kissing Coyotes” are just a few.
Robin and others also dish out directions and advice on various nearby and some not-so-nearby points of interest. I’ve mentioned before the Friends of Jawbone map, which is available for purchase at a nominal fee. It’s packed full of cool destinations and is considered THE map to have, if you’re plying the trails and roads of the eastern Kern desert area.
The Jawbone Canyon Off Highway Vehicle area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and offers a wide range of off-road opportunities and adventures and receives funding from the California OHV Trust Fund, paid in part by OHV registrations.
Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: With ATVs, better safe than sorry

Alert "Outdoor Life" reader Rick recently told me of a great local training resource for ATV riders and for those considering to become an ATV rider.
Rick had originally e-mailed me to see if I knew where his wife and adult daughter could attend an ATV safety course locally.
I did some research and got him pointed in the right direction. Rick took it from there and reported back later that the ladies had, in fact, taken the ATV Rider Course through the ATV Safety Institute.
The local instructor is also a Bakersfield Police Department officer. Rick said it was an excellent class and would highly recommend it to anyone.
I don’t know if this is the norm, or if Rick’s family got preferential treatment, but the training course also provided the ATVs for those “ride-less” students. They were Honda 250 Rincon models on loan to the ATV Safety Institute.
When you purchase a new ATV, the manufacturer throws in a voucher good for up to three family members to attend an accredited ATV safety course. Otherwise, the cost is $125 per student
But, you do receive a voucher for a full refund for the course, if you purchase an ATV from a qualifying brand manufacturer within the next 12 months.
We all know there is tragic truth to the fact that there are appropriate places to ride ATVs and there are inappropriate places to ride ATVs.
Surface streets are inappropriate. Period.
The pavement is really hard; ATVs are difficult to see from a car or truck; and the cars and trucks are way bigger than you.
Constant parental supervision is the order of the day. Proper safety gear is a must when you ride.
Parents should also be aware that it is important to know that ATVs have “age-appropriate” ratings, i.e. some kids are too small in size or too young to safely operate certain ATVs.
They either don’t have good judgment yet or aren’t strong enough to maneuver them.
To enroll in the ATV Rider Course go to: www.atvsafety.org
Or, call 1-800-887-2887.
On April 2, The Bakersfield Californian had a great photojournalism story in the Eye Street section. It had lots of great pictures taken by my friend and The Californian’s picture editor, Alex Horvath. The story and pictures were about the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 31 miles north of Baker. You can purchase copies of this past issue at the Eye Street office downtown.
I was reminded that we haven’t been spending near enough time enjoying the great outdoors that I write about. Not that I haven’t had some logical excuses for not going — things to get handled at our family business, throwing out things at the home we moved to this summer that I should’ve thrown out or given away before we moved, etc.
The unexpected, recent death of my dirt bike friend, Harold Soens on March 30 was a wake-up call for me.
Two days before Harold’s passing, I was speaking with him in the lobby of our hotel in Sacramento, writing an e-mail on their business section computer.
He said, “You should be with your wife, get off the dang Internet!”
I told him this couldn’t wait.
Harold later wished us a safe trip home, then turned to me and said, “It can always wait.”
Wow, prophetic.
Geez, that’s the last time I saw Harold this side of heaven.
Many of those chores I’ve thought just couldn’t wait seem less critical now. I’d like to try and spend more time outdoors with my family and friends, and I look forward to sharing those times with you. Lord willing.
Happy Trails!
E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com

Outdoor Life: Welcome to the great outdoors

I was told some time ago that Southwest Bakersfield would be getting its own Voice publication, similar to what Northwest Bakersfield residents have been enjoying in the form of The Northwest Voice since May of 2004. I was fortunate enough to have been selected by the management of The Southwest Voice to write my column, “Outdoor Life,” for their publication, also.

It seems that the editor and publisher of The Northwest Voice were so underwhelmed by my performance of the past two years that they quickly gave the nod to the editor of The Southwest Voice.

“Here, you take him,” said Lauren Ward, my editor at The Northwest Voice. De McCallister, general manager of The Southwest Voice, seemed a little concerned about Lauren’s enthusiasm in sending me over to her staff.

In a cruel twist of fate since that exchange between Lauren and De, Lauren was appointed as the editor of The Southwest Voice, also –– sweet!

One day, after receiving this news of my return like a bad penny, she seemed a little down in the dumps.

“Is something wrong?” I asked Lauren.

“Oh no, nothing really,” she replied. Her eyelids were blinking like the boss of Peter Sellers’ character, Inspector Clouseau, in the movie The Pink Panther.

Now I get the honor of joining The Southwest Voice and get to keep my regular job at The Northwest Voice. This column will offer ideas for exploring the outdoors responsibly on motorcycles, quads and 4x4s.

Here are a few things about my background so you might better understand my rantings:

Born, raised and educated in Bakersfield, I attended local schools and Bakersfield College with a major in forestry. I was influenced most by my mom and dad, my wife, Cheryl, a few other family members, a handful of top-notch teachers and professors, some virtuous political leaders, our family business and church.

I am fortunate that Cheryl still loves me after 27 years. We have two adult children, Max (26 and married to daughter-in-law Dana) and Shellie, 23. We have two brilliant grandkids through Max and Dana, Jared, 3, and Kamryn, 1 1⁄2. I never realized they would be so fun and invigorating.

I served in the Marine Corps, with my last assignment with the First Marine Division in an infantry battalion. I got to travel with the Marines to the Caribbean, South America, and the Mediterranean area. I also served at California military bases at Camp Pendleton, Bridgeport Mountain Warfare Training Center and Twentynine Palms, as well as the aircraft carrier USS America, home ported at Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia.

The Marines taught me who Dick Taylor really is, held me to a higher code of standards, and made me realize that some things are worth fighting for and worth risking your life for. Cheryl taught me to not take myself too seriously and to have a sense of humor.

I started riding dirt bikes when I was about 13, and rode street bikes for a few years when I owned a couple of Harleys. I left the street bike scene when our kids were born, but got back into riding off-road motorcycles in the early 1990s when we started using a dirt bike as a motivational tool for our kids in school. In other words, good grades equal saddle time on your dirt bike; bad grades equal no riding. Much like no tickie/no shirtie.

I have raced desert motorcycles in sanctioned competition. Desert racing taught me two things: 1. respect for the same desert that has been killing humans for centuries, and 2. don’t give up my day job.

I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Trails!

E-mail Dick at: rdtusmc@msn.com