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Show and earty morning Bflht, but now can only viJuM In aunsata and qulat placas, thunderstorms their revenue potential, their economic development poaalbUltiee. A Quieter PI see Thank You Forest Service beyond left and right by Jack Campbell First Love years ago, I fen In love with my We fall In love many times during our lives. Twenty-tw- o first southern Utah canyon. g kid Just out of Indiana, I had so little sense that I had uat logged from A the North Rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on a scorching day In the middle of July, dark. Having vanquished the only barely staggering back out on cramping legs, long after Grand Canyon with little more than hubris and poor judgment, what else could one do but look for other canyons to explore. A taw days later, following the rim of a much smaller canyon while trying to find a route down Into down, I finally swung out Into a tree at a low spot on the rim, and climbed swirled water along paradise. Never before had I seen such an Inviting place. Crystal dear to sand white to undercutting to beaches, grottos convoluted streambed channels, potholes, the narrow sandstone csnyon walls. I slept In small caves, huge slcoves, beneath desert sky not ponderosa pines, on white sand beaches, and always beneath the old, dear wind soughing yet dimmed by pollution. I listened to the song of the canyon wren, the the canyon between through the tall ponderosa s, the echoes of the stream and the waterfalls walls. I swam In potholes deeper than I, yet so clear that the plants and stones on their bottoms seemed just before my eyes. This Is not a sad tale, for yesterday I returned once again to this first love and am glad to report that the years have gone well with her. Mankind has treated her gently, and her know-nothin- beauty Is little compromised. As we walked up the stream, slowly and with bare feet, the ducks still paddled along ahead. Fresh spring water still spills Into the main stream through beds of watercress. A recent flash flood has washed away even the footprints of man. The old ponderosas still stand tall and uncut, with their crowns catching the wind that rarely reaches the canyon bottom. The pleasure of warm white sand on bare feet made numb by the coolness of the spring fed creek. The pleasure of the sun's first morning warmth after the cold desert night Desert smells, stream smells, and forest smells all Intermingled in one small canyon. Ponderosa pine, cattails and reeds, pinion and Juniper. A place where It Is difficult not to whistle and sing out with the Joy and beauty of life. children. A place I would want my A place that Invites the Isughter of happy, bright-eye- d children to touch and hear, to smell and see. A good place for children. And the bats seem to be prospering In my favorite cave. What Means Love, lf. Fortunately there are more than a few of these special places scattered across southern Utah, otherwise the countless feet of the human herd would have long since pounded them Into oblivion. Around Moab we are fortunate to have a few of these special places, some much more of heavily worn by man, but some still loosing the footprints of one traveler before the visit the nexL What can we mean by the assertion that we love something If we are not willing to work for and, yes, even Inconvenience ourselves to protect that which we claim to love. These special places across southern Utah need protection, not only from the loggers and dam builders, but from those who once claimed to be their lovers, who once measured their U- Trans-mounta- (non-motorize- H s ra snow-moblle- ra le County Commission-Wh- at We Need More than anything else, Grand County needs an equitably balanced county commission. a commissioner Ideally, there would be an extractive Industries, pro- growth commissioner, most Importantly, a strong, who actually believed In protecting the land around us, and third commissioner who could see through the sometimes bullshit of neutral, the other two Ideologically polarized commissioners and vote for the long term welfare of both the community and the land. (Of course the commission would be fine with two or commissioners, but since we can't even find one three of the of thla breed, It seems useless to talk about finding two or three.) Dave Knutson belongs on the county commission. He more than adequately represents the interests of his constituency. He Is even beginning to think beyond the narrow Interests of his own group toward what Is good for the community at large. Many critidsma of Dave are really criticisms of the horrors of the rest of the commission and not of him. He Is supposed to forcefully represent his constituency; there's Just no one even close to fulfilling the other two necessary roles on the commission. With no strength to balance Dave's of the strength, the basic output of the commission rarely reflects the diverse needs community. And with the views of the other commissioners closely following Dave's (and Bill Howell's) opinions, other large segments of our community are effectively denied non-partis- an dear-thinkin- non-partis- an representation in county government With filing dates for the next county commission seat only six months away, hopefully the community will be able to find a person to fill that most important role: the no axe to grind, pivotal vote for rational government and the general Interest of the community. If not, then we'll probably have to get out the clubs, and slug our way clear-thinkin- g, non-partisa- n, main street broiler - d) Snow-moblle- - Ronald Reagan - in non-motoriz- ed of the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers confirmed the belief that cherish our competing ideas are fundamental to Freedom. We Americans freedom of expression and our access to multiple resources of news and information." 259-590- 8 p. US Warner Lake Campground, and the There Is an InhermitMnfllct vehicle usafopm to hiking, mountain biking, and horse use). outdoor experience, and those who enjoy between those who wish a quiet with enjoying the sound Is the sound of their ATVs and motorcycles. There nothing wrong If two stroke engine, but there Is something wrong of a race-tune- d not yet acknowledged that the listen to H against his or her wllL The motorcyclists have the natural sounds noise of their machines destroys the experience of someone enJoyliMI their machines and their of the outdoors, Just as thoroughly as If someone had damaged dirt roads adll giving them access to virtually riding experience. With all the miles of rough "abut out and denied access. aU of the range, It Is hardly the case that they have been to the young and strong who Places to find peace and quiet should be available, not only the handlcaped, and can hike Into remote wilderness, but to young families, elderly couples, can should have places they easily get to on foot everyone dseeven the motorcycle rider This Is not denying public when they feel like leaving the noise of their machine behind. machines. motorized access to humans, but only denying access to fairer allocation and This should not be viewed as a "win." It's not Ifs a somewhat a far from perfect solution to a complex situation. "multiple use" of the public lands. It's next time around, one that win The challenge will be to work out an even better solution without weighing too heavily on wildlife and possibly meet more of the motorcyclists needs other human beings. Gold Basin would be a In the same decision, the Forest Service affirmed that from Uontlcdlo had challenged this winter use area. similarly felt It was Local Moab designation, but their appeal was rejected. motor noise If they fair that skiers should have one place where they could get away from snow-mobito use, so wished. Again, virtually the whole rest of the range was left open lands "pie." there Is little substance to claims of being denied a fair share of the public to Implement the policy of The Forest Service Is to be congratulated for continuing same land, where conflicting uses are Multiple Use, where all uses need not occur on the allocation of the use of the public acknowledged, and where there Is a fair and equitable "A free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and the First Amendment 606 south main SNnli Fora.! . bit man wrtoom. nrara-- Ragkxnl Offle. .of Jit wIWng, bft. riding, and of u. who vlu. It . Ml. .uJw foe . taw out of Tl u bl Uounulntrtf.. Fof MTrailla..twill be off limits totrail, motorized |