Protect Your Favorite Place to Ride

By Dan Nitzel

Being somewhat of an Internet junkie since 1989, I cruse the Internet from time to time.  One thing that I have been noticing is the increase of information people place about places people like to ride ATVs and dirtbikes here in Nebraska and think nothing about sharing it with the entire world.  However, there are a lot of people who do not always share someone else’s zeal for what they enjoy.  Many of the people who place information, photos and movies on the Internet about places to ride in Nebraska are oblivious to the problems they can cause for those of us who enjoy where we ride. 

At one time NOHVA published extensive information about the areas that we are involved with on our web site.  In about 1999, we removed it after we noticed that problems at the areas began to increase.  After we removed the information from the Internet, problems at the areas declined. 

With the advent of blogs, U tube and such in the last couple of years, more people are placing information on the Internet about places to ride in Nebraska.  At Headworks, there is a noticeable increase in the number of people using the area.  People are placing info about Headworks and other places in Nebraska on the Internet and unknowingly “inviting” others to our favorite places to ride.  Our areas are becoming over crowded by people who don’t know the rules of the area and who don’t support the riding areas with a membership or a donation.  The bills keep going up, and the cash coming in is less.  The problem is also apparent at Halsey as very few of the riders there are NOHVA members, and they generally don’t care to support us there even though our members are very much involved in trail work there.

NOHVA attempts to keep the exposure down on the Internet to lessen the crowds.  It would be great if people who found information about NOHVA and Headworks on the Internet, and who rode at the areas would be willing to join with us to help maintain it, but that rarely ever happens.  The fact of the matter is the majority of the riders on the Internet just want to know where to ride, no strings attached.  They don’t care about the history, the rules and what they can do to help the areas they enjoy and generally don’t want to help fund anywhere they ride.  These are the people our members and the land owners pick the trash up after and fix the damage they cause.  They are the ones who may sue us because we have volunteered to help operate the area. 

Other state’s have programs to fund trails.  Nebraska most likely never will.  Members of our organization choose to help fund public trails so that “we” can have a place to ride.  We ask other riders to help support our efforts with a voluntary membership.  This year alone we’ve spent $10,000 to $20,000 to pay the bills involving our presence at Headworks. 

As witnessed with other areas that exist like Headworks in other parts of the nation, the crowd will continue to grow, someday get out of control and security will need to be hired.  The local community does not have the tax base to provide security.  The state will not help.  The land owners have their customers to serve first.  NOHVA does not have the resources to fund part time security.  Our fear is that if security is ever needed, no one will be able to afford the cost and the area may close. 

So before you place that information on the Internet think about how your posting can contribute to problems at your favorite riding area.  If you must others know about your favorite place to ride, mention how we all need to work together to insure that riders are responsible, and explain how we need help to pay the bills. 

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This page was updated on Sunday, March 01, 2009