Desert Messenger

March 7, 2018 www.DesertMessenger.com 5 Quartzsite Off Road happenings Welcome Back Snowbirds! QIA OFFICE OPEN 9am-12 noon Mon-Fri Please come by and pick up a schedule! QIA IS QUARTZSITE OFF ROAD HEADQUARTERS! Meet and Greet Wednesday 9am in Off Road Room • BINGO FRIDAY NIGHTS Doors open at 5pm. Early Birds at 6:30pm • DANCE SATURDAYS 7PM $4 at the door Feb. 17 Barefoot & Boots • DESERT JAM 6:30pm 1st & 3rd Thursday • MEMBERSHIP MEETING 1st Tuesday 2pm • GOSPEL JAM 6:30pm 2nd & 4th Thursday • MARCH 10 Barefoot and Boots Hawaiian Dance. Bring finger foods, $7. SPECIAL DINNERS • St. Patty's Day March 14 Corned Beef & Cabbage w/Show $15 Get Tickets in Advance & Make Reservations at Office 928-927-6325 235 E. Ironwood St., Quartzsite QIA By Jackie Deal Whooee! I just had my first off- road ride and loved it. Plunging up and down, twisting round and round; no paved road equals it. And in a few minutes you feel like you're a million miles away from civiliza- tion and nothing exists but the sur- rounding desert. Of course there's the brown mountains all around the skyline so how can you get lost? Especially with a GPS? Well, now, don't ask Mark Goldberg, head of the Quartzsite Off Road. We did just that! (For only a few minutes, I must admit.) Quartzsite Offroad is an infor- mation clearing house and meets every Wednesday, 9 a.m. at the Quartzsite Improvement Associa- tion. They publish the Arizona Off Road Atlas. Mark Goldberg spent 4-6 hours daily during the summer working on the atlas. The BLM had not completed the routing num- bers when the first year's was pub- lished. This year's atlas includes BLM route numbers and costs $28 ($10 less than last year's edition!) Maps can be downloaded and used on phones or tablets. Atlases are sold at the QIA and several places around town; they can also be or- dered on-line and there is no ship- ping charge. Mark says they've shipped atlases to 24 states. "Show Me Rides" are being con- ducted by the State Parks and Trails Off-Hiway Ambassadors, the La Paz Regional Tourism teams and the Arizona Sunriders ATV/ UTV club. The goal is to provide a chance for non-ATVers to experi- ence the thrill of the rides and also as a guided tour for those who have ATV/UTVs. There are 3 off road clubs in the county that are par- ticipating: Salome Desert Riders, Bouse Ghost Riders and Quartzsite Arizona Sunriders. You can bring your own ATV/UTV or join a friend. Jeeps and motorcycles are welcome. Recent "Show Me Rides" in Bouse drew 55 rigs. In Quartzsite, "Show Lower Colorado River Travel Management Plan Public Scoping Period Extended YUMA, Ariz. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma Field Of- fice has extended the public scoping period for the Lower Colorado Riv- er (LCR) Travel Management Plan (TMP) until March 30, to accom- modate for the delay in publishing the project's new interactive map. "The original closing date for public scoping was March 14, but in order to give the public sufficient time to review the route networks and make their comments we extended the public scoping period," said BLM Yuma Field Manager John MacDonald. Written scoping comments about the plan will be accepted through March 30. Scoping comments should be as specific as possible and postmarked by this date will be con- sidered in the development of the environmental assessment. Comments on the proposed project may be submitted the following ways: • Email comments to: blm_az_ym_ trails@blm.gov • Mail comments to: BLM Yuma Field Office, ATTN: Raymond Cas- tro, 7341 East 30th Street, Suite A, Yuma, AZ, 85365 • Fax comments to: Raymond Cas- tro at 928-317-3250 The planning area includes the areas of Laguna Mountains, Trigo Moun- tains and Big Maria Mountains, and encompasses the communities of Eh- renberg, Cibola, Blythe, Palo Verde, Yuma and Imperial within Imperial County, California and La Paz and Yuma counties in Arizona. For more information, please con- tact Ray Castro at 928-317-3251. Information and maps on this proj- ect are available at the following website: https://go.usa.gov/xnwWR Comment period extended Me Rides" will be March 17. Arrive on March 16 if you want to dry camp overnight on the QIA grounds, no charge. Saturday, March 17th rides will stage at 9 a.m. and leave around 10a.m. Bring lunch, dress in layers, sun glasses (if the sun cooperates) and head covering if you desire. Plans are to be back around 3-4 pm for more events at the QIA. That evening, Saturday the 17th, the Quartzsite Improvement Assoc. (QIA) is hosting a Prime Rib din- ner with free live entertainment by Dave and Vickie. Dinner is planned for around 5pm depending on when the off-roaders get back. Entertain- ment will be after the dinner. Din- ner alone is $12, entertainment only is $10. Please make reservations for the dinner with QIA, 928-927-6325 The public is invited to the Show Me Rides and/or the evening's dinner and entertainment.! Advance res- ervations for the rides can be made (but are not required) by contacting Bruce Fuller, bjfbjf83@yahoo.com or www. Quartzsiteoffroad.com. Advance reservations may insure that you get a ride if there is a large crowd. It's obvious that off roading is a sport for middle-ages (even older) as well as young folks. It seems to especially appeal to baby boomers. Mark stressed that, "baby boomers are active, not passive; they don't want to just sit and watch the stars and play cards." He agrees with those who think that baby boom- ers and off roaders are the future of Quartzsite. It is hoped that this will extend the winter season and provide "something to do" for many who come to enjoy the desert. SAVE THE DATE! January 25, 2019 RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED with his twin boys Gunner & Matthew at the QIA. 2 shows! 2pm & 7pm Reserved seating. 928-927-6325

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