RENO, NV (Feb. 22) – RAD or Reno Area Dirt Riders is a club hosting group rides, representing dirt riders when land issues are discussed as well as improving the riding experience in our region.
Over the years many have noticed all the junk and abandoned vehicles discarded around trails and roads in this area. These create hazards for those riding in the same area. So this weekend, thanks to a grant, the club plus others participated in the first clean up day.
The assembly area was on the dirt extension to Kiowa Way on the east side of Peavine. Here volunteers signed in and also signed a waiver as there is a video being made of the clean up.
Those not members could join RAD and even buy one of the new t-shirts. Helping the cause was Sparks Chick Fil-A as they donated coffee and pastries for the hungry.
Before the clean up got going Lacey Barnett, who got the grant approved, welcomed everyone then turned it over to Mike Marcum, one of the co-founders of RAD. After his safety talk another speaker told everyone what was planned for the clean up.
The area being cleaned up was within a 5-mile radius and could be accessed by dirt roads. One item, a boat, had already been removed as it was stolen so Reno Police Department had come out and taken it.
One thing left out of the grant was the provision for renting porta potties. Fortunately United Site Service took care of that problem as they donated a couple for the group to use.
The club also got monetary aid from Reno Motor Sports, Moto-Source and Big Valley Honda. Several volunteers donated their annual dump days to the cause so debris could be hauled to the landfill at Mustang while others loaned special tools for the task at hand.
Several brought trailers to help hauling away the debris found at the sites. After the meeting groups headed out to the areas that needed clean up.
REPORTER’S NOTE: This reporter was only able to cover a couple of sites but there were many more that I was unable to reach. Want to than RAD co-found Brad Moore for the ride.
Probably the biggest item was a fifth wheel trailer that had been abandoned and apparently sitting by a road for years. Before the clean up the issue of possible black and/or gray water, propane and other things had been addressed.
Once on site the group attacked the large amount of debris, put that in trailers and hauled it back to the dumpster Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful had placed by the assembly area.
Joining the effort were the Desert Pigs from Fernley and Dayton. These groups are active every weekend in cleaning up public lands around those two towns. They only heard about the clean up a few days earlier but joined the effort.
Finally Terry The Shed Mover winched the 5th wheel on a large trailer and hauled it back to the dumpster. After that the Desert Pigs moved over to where a car had been abandoned and rolled down an embankment.
Eventually that car was winched up to the road and dragged back to the assembly area.
Many tires were collected during the day as some tire stores would take them but only 50 at a time. Around noon the Dust Devils loaded a trailer and took tires to the story although the rest would have to wait another day.
Back at the dumpster a Kubota was brought in and made quick work of the trailer’s body while a fellow from Thomas Precision Welding cut apart the large metal structure that held the 5th wheel attachment. After that the pieces were deposited into the dumpster.
All the while this was going on more and more were arriving and throwing various things into the dumpster or loading debris into their small trailers. In fact it only took about two and a half hours to fill the dumpster.
The car from by the pond and an abandoned Ford Explorer were hauled over to a place where the Sheriff’s Office will take and dispose of them.
The day brought a pleasant surprise for the club as only 30 to 45 people were expected to show up but almost 100 were on hand to help with the clean up. The large turn out really sped up the clean up although the club ran out of t-shirts to sell.
Just before noon Thomas Sangster, who owns the Sparks Chick Fil-A, showed up with sandwiches and chicken strips for lunch. With so many on hand pizzas were ordered later so everyone got a lunch.
All in all it was a great day, the area was cleaned up, which means safer riding and recreating for everyone. Part of the grant required there should be 150 volunteer hours but due to the larger than expected turnout there were 465 volunteer hours logged.
During the day Lacey Barnett, who was instrumental in getting the necessary permits and making other arrangements had some time to talk.
“I was the chaos coordinator for all of this and it’s deceptively complicated to put these kinds of things together,” she said. “We got a grant from the Nevada OHV Commission for two clean up days in 2020, for trail maintenance and single track behind Peavine. This is our first of two clean ups and in the spring we’re going to be doing some trail work.”
Anytime an operation that deals with government agencies there will be challenges as well as ways to overcome them.
“Probably the biggest challenge is cutting through red tape and dealing with a lot of bureaucracy. And getting authorization to tow the cars out and figuring how to deal with big things like tires and abandoned RV’s and vehicles,” she said. “First we have to run VIN clearances through the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and then for the camper we had to make sure certain items were removed. We had to coordinate with the landfill out in Lockwood to make sure they would take it.
“We had a heck of a time getting the Sheriff’s Office to agree, you know take them if we drug them down to the road cause the dumps won’t take the cars and Pick N Pull won’t take them because there is no title. So we need to call the Sheriff to tell them to haul it way as a vehicle illegally parked on a public road is how that’s getting taken care of.”
The biggest surprise for her and other club members was the huge turn out that showed up for the clean up.
“Oh my gosh, we probably had over 90 people show up and we were expecting 30 or 40 and then when 90 showed up I was just flabbergasted. That group (Desert Pigs) reached out to me actually only a couple of days ago and offered their support to show up. So that was really generous of them,” she said.
She also encouraged people to support Reno Area Dirt Riders, as well as sign up as members. For further information one can access their website at www.renoareadirtriders.com or check their Face Book page.
“We’re a non-profit, all of your membership dues go to supporting OHV causes in Reno’s backyard. We also encourage people to register their OHV’s, as your 21 dollar annual registration is where this grant money came from,” she said. “This is 100 percent registration money that we are using to make our trails better so it’s going right back into, pretty everybody in Reno who registered their dirt bike, their side-by-side or anything is funding us right now.”
Following is a list of the businesses and groups that supplied labor, tools, trailers, money and other things for the clean up say.
Desert Pigs of Fernley and Dayton, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Pine Nut Mountain Trail Association, Terry The Shed Mover, Reliance Grounds Management, Thomas Precision Welding, Dust Devils, United Site Services, Nevada OHV Commission, Reno Motorsports, Moto-Source, Big Valley Honda and of course Sparks Chick Fil-A for food.
REPORTER’S NOTE: To learn more about the Desert Pigs or donate to help their efforts please check the website at, www.desertpigs.com or their Face Book pages.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
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