BrownDog Blog: Mammoth, After the Motos

By: Motocross.com

Posted: 08/21/09

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For many years the Mammoth Motocross track was open to the public when it was rideable, all year long. I remember the first time I found out that the track even existed. I had just started riding tracks, and I was up there playing in the Mammoth Open tennis tournament and I met a guy who was also playing in the tournament, but also had a bike in his truck. He took me out to the track, right after I beat his ass in tennis, and exposed me to one of the most beautiful places on earth. For the next 7 years I played in the tournament, I always brought my bike and would go ride there as much as I wanted, usually alone on the track. It was awesome, I remember riding my son around on the tank of my bike when he was about 4, and the following year he did most of the track himself on his 50. I did not let him even think about the big downhill though, I was still sketch of that myself. Finally one year I was all set to go ride and the gate was locked! I went over and spoke with the rangers and they told me the track was probably done forever because the tree huggers just can’t imagine allowing us to enjoy what’s left of the open land we still have.

Click here for more photos.

All of those years and there had been no destruction to the area whatsoever from bikes, but if it has an engine, it isn’t going there. I never have really understood the environmentalists; why do they choose to block the people who appreciate the land and use it while also taking care of it, when they could better focus their efforts against the developers who are wiping the land out completely? I will say this, I am very sad about what is happening in Mammoth, the developers are gobbling up the land and just like everywhere else, there won't be much of nature left up there.

Somehow the race organizers worked out a deal so at least they could still hold the race for 2 weeks every year, and as always it is a huge success! This year was my first time visiting the race and it was awesome. I knew that the gates would once again be shut right after the last moto, and I wondered how the track held up months later. Once again I was up there for some tennis, so my son and I parked at the locked gate and hoofed it on back there to check it out. I could only wish that I had a really long hose and my dirt bike with me when I got to it, it was in great shape, just a little dusty. Check out my photos and you can see why I say it is one of the greatest places on earth, even better than Disneyland if you ask me!

—BDW