DONSTRADAMUS’ Top Ten OHV Predictions For 2023

Editor’s Note: The Great Donstradamus has emerged from his cabin deep in an oak savanna located at a secret location in the Pacific Northwest with his OHV and resource management predictions for 2023.  He offers insights into key topics of the day such as Climate Change, E-Vehicles, DMV, OHV Safety, DAKAR 2023, Health Food, Wildfires, and other issues that affect the outdoor recreation community.

10-The Biden State Department recruits three representatives from the Dakar 2023 leadership team to serve as ambassadors to several countries in the Middle East and South America to bolster goodwill and partnerships with the United States.

9-A major motorcycle manufacturer announces production of a hybrid E-Adventure bike that adds a 125cc world engine powered by fossil fuel to increase driving range in backcountry locations.  The 125cc motor can charge the battery as needed and have the ability to solely propel a 500 to 600lb ADV motorcycle should the electric motor or main battery fail.

8-The US EPA presents a local or regional non-profit trail stewardship organization with their prestigious Environmental Merit Award for their work to maintain designated roads and trails on Forest Service and other public lands.   The EPA notes their commitment to work with other user groups and government agencies in a collaborative manner and for the significant amount of volunteer work done to keep trails open for both motorized and non-motorized recreational activities.

7-Federal land agencies make strong commitment to increase fuel reduction and post-wildfire mitigation projects along road and trail networks.  The agencies also continue to incorporate the addition of companion trails to the project planning process where there is a need to separate users of larger OHVs such a jeep-type vehicles and Side x Sides from smaller dirt-bikes and ATVs.  The planning goals are to increase safety,   enhance the travel experience, and provide additional routes to address the post-COVID growth of OHV use on public lands.

6-The CA DMV contracts with youthful tech wizards from the private sector to lead the process to upgrade their antiquated computer system.   This shift from the DMV’s reliance on in-house staff to using tech savvy computer experts from the business world with real work experience making products perform on a tight budget is revolutionary and hailed by the legislature and political pundits as a ground breaking move.

5-More states join the effort to increase the safe operation of SxSs and other OHVs on public lands by requiring said OHV operators to either complete an online educational safety certification course and/or field training to operate a SxS or OHV on public lands.

4-Understanding the growing demand for dirt bikes with lower seat heights by riders that are less than 6 feet tall or seniors that have lost height due to degenerative bone disease or compression of the disk space between vertebras, several motorcycle companies roll out a line of trail bikes with lower seats.  These new models with seat heights of 28-30 inches are based on similar trail bikes with the taller seat heights of 35-36.5 inches.  Sales skyrocket as riders of all ages with shorter inseams celebrate and embrace these vehicles.

3-In an effort to depoliticize the highly charged term “Climate Change,”  leaders from the environmental movement, government,  and energy sectors meet at an historic conference and agree to use a new term –  “Changing Weather” – to describe droughts, floods, blizzards, fog, rain, sleet, hurricanes, and other weather events.   This new term acknowledges that weather changes and will continue to change for future generations and defuses at least one the political debates that often divides various communities.  Key negotiators for this agreement are awarded the Nobel Prize.

2-Health experts and nutritionists within the outdoor recreation communities create a vegan jerky to be used by trail enthusiasts who want to improve their diet and promote a healthy ecosystem.   This new product consists of a unique blend of taro root paste, finely ground biomass from pre and post wildfire mitigation projects, seaweed harvested by hand from ocean water in the Pacific Northwest, and organic figs.  The jerky pulp is then sundried on cedar planks and then cut into strips, packaged, and distributed to health food stores, MTB and motorcycle shops, sporting goods stores, and park concessionaires.  This timely product is hailed by almost all who try it.

1-Recognizing the need to significantly increase the pace and scale of important role the fuel reduction projects on federal and private timberlands to reduce the number of mega wildfires occurring in the West, the asthma lobby votes in unison to strongly support expanding the use of prescribed fire.   Forest managers, rural communities, and citizens who object to the massive amounts of wildfire smoke produced during the hot summer months by mega fires in CA, OR, and WA applaud this new support.   Most air regulators agree this will reduce smoke impacts during fire season.

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