Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1534827
18 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Tom Cichon Tom Cichon Fear and Loathing on the Enduro Trail The ground war between do-not-touch versus pack-it- in/pack-it-out has been raging for decades. It's Bar- stow-to-Vegas come home to roost, and a topic I've tackled in wri ng me and again for various newspa- per, former employers and freelance assignments in hopes of showing the wider world a larger picture. You might not ride motorcycles, but the local tax burden sure appreciates their li . This coast-to-coast conflict has seen some lulls, long ago chasing the likes of quads and side-by-sides out of the picture to at least ensure everyone has a license, registra on and insurance, but 2025 is different here. The state DEP's release late last fall of the Wharton State Forest Visi ng Vehicle Use Map is, if nothing else, a temperature check on the current climate. "By clearly defining safe, legal vehicle roads, we're improving access for responsible explora on while protec ng Wharton's diverse natural and cultural treasures, minimizing impacts on sensi ve habitats and suppor ng the integrity of our shared public lands," New Jersey's assistant commissioner for state parks, forests and historic sites said in a press release. Moreover, the department announced in February a Trail Users Survey aimed at establishing "a system of trails that serves the needs and priori es of all New Jersey residents and trail users." Flip open the July 1990 and '91 edi ons of Trail Rider Magazine and you'll find stories about legions of South Jersey enduro club members volunteering their me to haul thousands of illegally-dumped old car res and eight 30-yard Dumpsters' worth of refuse out of the woods. Enduro clubs like Meteor have long worked lockstep with New Jersey officials to keep everything related to the once-a-year compe on kosher – and that's non-nego able given the use of state lands and public roadways – but it has proven impossible to please cri cs in all corners. If riding dirt bikes clear through a forest's serene nothingness is our way of expressing apprecia on, the naysayers will probably retort that we've sure got a funny way of showing it. Look – this point-counterpoint a ack could go on forever, with organiza ons like Open Trails NJ work- ing to restore, maintain and champion increased and responsible state forest use in the face of moun ng poli cal pressures. Who's to say that bending to the whims and wills of the latest release of "legal" roads