Not so "peachy" here in the South........ (Thanks Darin....LOL)
When we all returned from Daytona, we starting finalizing the plans for the Lanier Ride 07……. Well that is when we hit the brick wall and the first major set back in planning this major freeride……
Before I detail exactly what happened and I will – I want you all to know that since our “ambush” meeting with the DNR and the Corp of Engineers – there has been a group of us working our butts off to find alternative ideas and locations for this ride……Chris (Southtown), Rhonda (Ra-honda), Ronny, Ally, Tiny, Paul and Myself. Harrison and Adrian (SJ Brit) have also been a great help with support and ideas from afar! It has not been easy, but we didn’t want to disappoint everyone until we explored EVERY alternative.
As they requested, Paul and I set up a meeting with Mike Williams (corp. of engineers) to get the permits and locations set for the ride. We had no idea what we would be walking into. We walked into a room with (3) DNR officers and (3) Corp. of Engineer Officers and I believe their purpose for this meeting was nothing like ours……
We presented our idea for this years ride backed up with lots of information about the previous ride at Lanier along with the success of the Daytona Ride. We even had a reference letter from the lifeguards at Daytona stating how well we conducted ourselves the entire time we were in Daytona. The lifeguards in Daytona have even offered to send some lifeguards down to Lanier to serve as safety patrols on the water for the Lanier Ride as a way to say Thanks! We even printed off posts from the X showing the demographics for the riders that would be attending the ride. I believe we wasted our time and our efforts……
Mike Williams took control of the meeting and began with……. “We don’t like you and your group”……..From that point on – he would not listen to anything that we said or proposed…….. He said with respect to Lanier Ride 2006:
1.) That we were disrespectful to his officers (I asked for examples – got none)
2.) We had (6) citations for Alcohol (I told him this was the first that I heard of this)
3.) We had many instances of reckless boating (but no citations given….hum)
4.) He didn’t like being called a Nazi on the X (yes –he has been frequenting the X since last year’s ride)
5.) He has sent all the videos (downloaded on the X) taken at last years ride all the way to Washington……..
6.) Claimed we had a two ski collision last year (sorry – not our group)
7.) That we were lucky to get our permit in 2005 (sorry wrong group again – we didn’t get the ride permitted in 2005, only 2006)
8.) He had been closely following us since we started out of Mary Alice Park so long ago (sorry – again wrong group – we have never ridden out of that park)
9.) If Paul and I “permitted” the ride this year, ultimately we would be responsible for each and every person in our group…….
10.) If one person went out onto the lake and flipped their ski (barrel roll, back flip, etc) even without a boat in sight for miles, that they would not be given a ticket but taken straight to jail. But wouldn’t do anything if you jumped boat wakes 100 feet from a boat….. Figure that one out!
11.) Also, if one person in our group got any citation at all in the campground – they would evict us ALL!
12.) They also smirked and said that the race planned for this August (Surf and Turf Promotions) would never happen on this lake……
Basically we would never be able to have our event like we wanted on this lake……… He was going to have someone on our back 24/7 throughout the entire ride. They all made a point to say that what we were asking to do was illegal on the lake and in essence we were asking them to turn their back on the law…….. I just find that somewhat hypocritical with the blind eye they turn each weekend with what goes on at Cocktail Cove.
I have been on this lake since I have been 17 years old and I have never personally gotten a citation, warning or even a ticket from the DNR. I have paid taxes in Forsyth and Hall County for over 8 years while I owned a houseboat and I find his comments to be disrespectful and untrue……. We were treated like a “PUNKS” and NONE OF US DESERVE THAT! I find their prejudice against our group and Jet Ski Events as a whole both bias and unwarranted.
But in their defense…….Whereas we are disappointed about not being able to hold this event at Lanier, and angry about being misrepresented, please understand that these guys are doing their jobs, and what they believe is right for the other users of the lake. Even if we don't agree with them we must at least accept that they have the final authority, and we should move to a new, more welcoming location with no recriminations and with the positive attitude that freeriding represents.
Okay - that’s the bad news and of course the end of my personal venting I promise (sorry guys!)……… But the good news is that I believe we have found a even better event site utilizing a private campground that is welcoming our group with open arms……… :biggthumpup:
Please be patient as we want to make sure the plans are secured before we announce the location!!!!! I appreciate everyone’s commitment to this ride and their patience…….. Please know that you have a great group of people that have been working really hard to keep the Lanier/Riot/Ronny Ride ALIVE!!!!! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
When we all returned from Daytona, we starting finalizing the plans for the Lanier Ride 07……. Well that is when we hit the brick wall and the first major set back in planning this major freeride……
Before I detail exactly what happened and I will – I want you all to know that since our “ambush” meeting with the DNR and the Corp of Engineers – there has been a group of us working our butts off to find alternative ideas and locations for this ride……Chris (Southtown), Rhonda (Ra-honda), Ronny, Ally, Tiny, Paul and Myself. Harrison and Adrian (SJ Brit) have also been a great help with support and ideas from afar! It has not been easy, but we didn’t want to disappoint everyone until we explored EVERY alternative.
As they requested, Paul and I set up a meeting with Mike Williams (corp. of engineers) to get the permits and locations set for the ride. We had no idea what we would be walking into. We walked into a room with (3) DNR officers and (3) Corp. of Engineer Officers and I believe their purpose for this meeting was nothing like ours……
We presented our idea for this years ride backed up with lots of information about the previous ride at Lanier along with the success of the Daytona Ride. We even had a reference letter from the lifeguards at Daytona stating how well we conducted ourselves the entire time we were in Daytona. The lifeguards in Daytona have even offered to send some lifeguards down to Lanier to serve as safety patrols on the water for the Lanier Ride as a way to say Thanks! We even printed off posts from the X showing the demographics for the riders that would be attending the ride. I believe we wasted our time and our efforts……
Mike Williams took control of the meeting and began with……. “We don’t like you and your group”……..From that point on – he would not listen to anything that we said or proposed…….. He said with respect to Lanier Ride 2006:
1.) That we were disrespectful to his officers (I asked for examples – got none)
2.) We had (6) citations for Alcohol (I told him this was the first that I heard of this)
3.) We had many instances of reckless boating (but no citations given….hum)
4.) He didn’t like being called a Nazi on the X (yes –he has been frequenting the X since last year’s ride)
5.) He has sent all the videos (downloaded on the X) taken at last years ride all the way to Washington……..
6.) Claimed we had a two ski collision last year (sorry – not our group)
7.) That we were lucky to get our permit in 2005 (sorry wrong group again – we didn’t get the ride permitted in 2005, only 2006)
8.) He had been closely following us since we started out of Mary Alice Park so long ago (sorry – again wrong group – we have never ridden out of that park)
9.) If Paul and I “permitted” the ride this year, ultimately we would be responsible for each and every person in our group…….
10.) If one person went out onto the lake and flipped their ski (barrel roll, back flip, etc) even without a boat in sight for miles, that they would not be given a ticket but taken straight to jail. But wouldn’t do anything if you jumped boat wakes 100 feet from a boat….. Figure that one out!
11.) Also, if one person in our group got any citation at all in the campground – they would evict us ALL!
12.) They also smirked and said that the race planned for this August (Surf and Turf Promotions) would never happen on this lake……
Basically we would never be able to have our event like we wanted on this lake……… He was going to have someone on our back 24/7 throughout the entire ride. They all made a point to say that what we were asking to do was illegal on the lake and in essence we were asking them to turn their back on the law…….. I just find that somewhat hypocritical with the blind eye they turn each weekend with what goes on at Cocktail Cove.
I have been on this lake since I have been 17 years old and I have never personally gotten a citation, warning or even a ticket from the DNR. I have paid taxes in Forsyth and Hall County for over 8 years while I owned a houseboat and I find his comments to be disrespectful and untrue……. We were treated like a “PUNKS” and NONE OF US DESERVE THAT! I find their prejudice against our group and Jet Ski Events as a whole both bias and unwarranted.
But in their defense…….Whereas we are disappointed about not being able to hold this event at Lanier, and angry about being misrepresented, please understand that these guys are doing their jobs, and what they believe is right for the other users of the lake. Even if we don't agree with them we must at least accept that they have the final authority, and we should move to a new, more welcoming location with no recriminations and with the positive attitude that freeriding represents.
Okay - that’s the bad news and of course the end of my personal venting I promise (sorry guys!)……… But the good news is that I believe we have found a even better event site utilizing a private campground that is welcoming our group with open arms……… :biggthumpup:
Please be patient as we want to make sure the plans are secured before we announce the location!!!!! I appreciate everyone’s commitment to this ride and their patience…….. Please know that you have a great group of people that have been working really hard to keep the Lanier/Riot/Ronny Ride ALIVE!!!!! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
