Scott Fields Benefit Ride
Hosted by Carolina Trail Blazers & True Patriot
Saturday, May 19th
Trail Riding * Camping * Raffle * Fund Raiser
Scott Fields has dedicated decades of service and support of OHV recreation in North Carolina.
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Uwharrie National Forest
Camping is available for $10 per rig for Friday and Saturday for those wanting to ride in the forest, daily trail pass not included. Camping is included with a $50 donation for the private rides on Big Creek Rocks and Grand Overland District, Ledger Shoals. Rides will be organized by moderate and difficult to take driver experience and vehicle capability into consideration. All rides will leave the event center around 9:30 and return by 5. Lunch is not provided, however, Texalina BBQ will be on hand when the rides return to the events center.
“ Many of you do not know our good friend Scott Fields. Here is a little look into his OHV life. Scott is very sick and we are trying to support him, his family and the current issues. Please help us help Scott in this time of need. Support the Carolina Trail Blazers, Jason Watson and Team, as they support the Fields family.”
A message from the Carolina Trail Blazers, James Belcher.
The Uwharries, prior to becoming a national forest in 1961 by decree of President John F. Kennedy, were used for hunting, gold mining, timber and farming. All of those activities left a system of roads and trails throughout the forest which continued to be used by recreationists after the Uwharries were name a National Forest. Motorcycles, trucks and early 4wd vehicles accessed the forest for many purposes. With the advent of the ATV in the early 70’s usage of the forest increased.
In the late 70s and early 80s, motorcycle clubs, notably NC Trailriders, under the leadership of John Worsley, were using the forest trail system and developing and maintaining new trails. At this time Scott Fields was living on Badin Lake and as an active outdoorsman, Scott was an active user of Uwharrie National Forest. Scott was an ATV owner who frequently rode the Forest Service roads and hunting trails in the Uwharries. As a “local” Scott became friends with John Worsley and NC Trailriders. Scott would use his Honda Foreman ATV to serve as a pack mule for the motorcycle club as they performed their trail work carrying chainsaws, axes, gas cans and other equipment the motorcycle riders couldn’t carry.
In 1982 Scott purchased a “79 Dodge Power Wagon. This vehicle was capable of carrying much more trail development equipment and Scott’s role in developing the Uwharrie trail system increased as well. At about this same time Forest Service personnel and motorcycle club leadership began to have issues over the trail system usage and maintenance. Legal motorcycle access was even suspended for a short period between 1982 and 1984. It was at this time that Scott began to have a vision to incorporate the off road trails into a Forest Service operation that would serve the full size OHV users in addition to the motorcycles and three wheeler ATVs that were using the trail system. In 1984 the trail system was reopened for all motor usage and was being used by motorcycles, ATVs and full size 4wd vehicles which were becoming very popular.
During this same period of time, 1982-1986, a 4wd event called the Smoky Mountain Trek was being held in the Nantahala National Forest area called Tellico. With the proliferation of full size 4wd usage, the event began to grow beyond its bounds, and the need developed for a recreationist advocacy group to work with the Forest Service in maintaining the trail system.
In the spring of 1987 a new organization was formed to be an advocate for the many individual and club 4wd enthusiasts in the southeast United States. This association was formed as the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association. The inaugural meeting took place in Gatlingburgh, TN. Among the attendees was Scott Fields, a member of the Carolina Trail Blazers 4wd Club, Inc. Scott is a charter member of SFWDA as is the CTB club.
Through his contacts with local enthusiasts, Forest Service personnel and SFWDA leadership, Scott brokered a deal whereby SFWDA would assist the Forest Service in developing an OHV system in the forest which would bring to fruition his vision of a multi-user trail system.
Several of SFWDA’s leaders at that time were experienced heavy machinery operators and Scott recruited their services in operating the machinery that modified the single track trails into something suitable for full size 4wd vehicles. Gunnar Byrd, 2011-2013 SFWDA president, and Griff Shirley were the men on the machines during this phase of the Uwharrie OHV trail system development.
As with many Forest Service programs, the participation of the general public, especially sport specific enthusiasts, was a key to maintaining the new OHV trails. As Scott’s vision began to take shape, the need for someone to coordinate volunteer efforts in this maintenance was self evident. As a resident of the area, an enthusiast and visionary of the project, Scott was the logical choice, and so began his 16 year run as OHV volunteer coordinator for the Uwharrie OHV trail system.
In the mid 2000s Scott suffered some business problems which forced him to curtail his OHV volunteer activities and move away from the Uwharie area. The OHV volunteer coordinator position passed through several people and as participation and communication between the coordinators and the Forest Service declined the Forest Service decided to began using an Adpot-A-Trail Partner program. Instead of having a volunteer coordinator that would work with the various clubs and individuals, clubs would adopt a specific trail to maintain in the Uwharrie OHV system and the Forest Service personnel would coordinate with club leadership.
Without Scott Fields and his vision it is very doubtful that there would even be an OHV trail system in Uwharrie National Forest. He is owed a debt of gratitude from every enthusiast who uses those trails!
We wanted to give a huge shout out of gratitude to the Carolina Beach Jeep Go Topless Day; who just made a $5,954.00 contribution in 2017 for support of an all new "Interpretative Trail System" project within the Uhwarrie National Forest.
This project showcases how the OHV community contributes positively. By supporting the mapping portion of this project, the OHV community illustrates to the overall outdoor recreation community and the National Forest Service that we are dedicated to promoting responsible use of the trail system by all.
Thank You CBJGTD for your generous support!
What is the Carolina Beach Go Topless Day like?
Check out the aerial video from last years event....
Carolina Beach Go Topless Day - 2017 https://youtu.be/1bFoIau6CAA
Venuw Location; Wilmington, NC
Carolina Beach Jeep Go Topless Day was formed by a few close friends back in 2012 to get out and enjoy the weather, being topless, the beach and most importantly to share a love in our vehicles and give back to the community. We quickly realized just how important this was to the lifelong Jeeper’s and even the newest members to the Jeep community. The first year we had 72 participants and thanks to Neuwirth Motors sponsoring the event, we were able to contribute $1200.00 to local charities around our community. The word quickly got out and the event has beyond grew to 648 Jeeps in 2017 with the help of 4WD joining on and just over $32k being raised and donated to local charities. We invite you to join this event and not only give back for a good cause, but get to be apart of the biggest annual Jeep event in NC.
Learn More.... https://www.jeepgotoplessday.com/
Uwharrie Co-Op Grant Info Package
We are very proud to announce an exciting new Educational Grant project to map the Uwharrie National Forest!
Made possible together with a dynamic team of both sponsors, and volunteers. The team at CartoTracks will not only be mapping the OHV trails, but also the hiking, mountain bike, horse, and kayak trails. Our hope is that this project will bring trail conservation further into the spotlight, potentially saving the lands we all hold so dearly — at Uwharrie National Forest.
An educational project has been started to turn the Uwharrie National Forest Trail System (UNFTS) into an Interpretative Trail System (ITS), where important key areas along the trails are identified by local experts and then identified with signage along the trail and highlighted on an Interactive Map Application (IMA). This will be the first of its kind in the nation.
The UNF Interpretative Trail System project is being sponsored by organizations like Tread Lightly!, 4 Wheel Parts, Carolina Trail Blazers, Carolina Jeep Beach Go Topless Day and the National Forest Service. To date each sponsor has donated in their own way to creating the Interpretative Trails in the Uwharrie National Forest.
Visit our Grants Page to learn how your club or group can make a difference.
This project showcases how the OHV community contributes positively. By supporting the mapping portion of this project, the OHV community illustrates to the overall outdoor recreation community and the National Forest Service that we are dedicated to promoting responsible use of the trail system by all.
“I am really glad to see SFWDA and Carolina Beach Jeep Go Topless Day step up and illustrate to all those that like to recreate in the great outdoors that we are committed to helping provide tools that will help everyone.
While doing the research to determine the value of this Uwharrie National Forest Trail System mapping project, feedback from OHV enthusiasts, hikers, bikers and equestrians indicated a GPS enabled map that requires no cellular network connectivity will help them stay on the designated trails as they trek through the forest.”
Learn More;
2016 UNF March Trail Revamp was a
huge success!
Over the two last day weekend, a total of 224 volunteers came together as one 4WD family to complete projects on our Uwharrie OHV trail system with heavy concentration on our Daniel trail.
Preparation for this work weekend began in December. Once we were notified that we had been granted the generous funds from Southern and OMIX, we immediately began putting plans into action. Darin Touw spent the better part of three months riding trails, measuring, planning, determining re-routes, analyzing terrain and plotting GPS coordinates. He worked closely with Terry Savery, USFS Recreation Specialist and Joel Hardison, Zone Archeologist, flagging areas for guard rail installation and mulching. The three of them met dozens of times to plan, organize directives and produce mapping for the teams and determine material needs.
224 volunteers came together as one 4WD family to complete projects on our Uwharrie OHV trail system
My job was to promote the event to all clubs, contact vendors and prospect sponsors via phone, email and letters to ask that they supply promotion materials to reward our volunteers. Countless numbers of hours were dedicated to this task. My posts on Facebook reached over 17,000 people in the NC, SC and VA states. I also spent a great deal of time lining up donors to cover costs of equipment. We were rewarded by receiving approximately $3500 in new tool donations from individuals and clubs for the work weekend and will continue to utilize these items for each volunteer workday in the future (this amount is not included within the figure reported for the USFS contribution). We received pole saws, augers, shovels, rakes, post hole diggers, rock bars, sockets, loppers, shears, gas cans, gloves, safety glasses, pick axes, sledge hammers, etc.
Chris Brower, our treasurer, was tasked with receiving donation checks and issuing receipts and managing our funds. He also served as our chef during the event, planning and preparing dinner for all volunteers on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. We received many compliments on his cooking and there were no leftovers!
Several weeks prior to the big event, Darin, along with several clubs, spent their weekends moving materials to the proposed job sites with the goal of having as much in place as possible to maximize work hours on the weekend.
Volunteers from the following clubs, as well as individuals, came from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia: C.O.R.E, Mud N' Blood, Jeepers United, Triad Jeep Club, Land Rover Experience, Carolina Trail Blazers, CNC4x4, Carolina Broncos, CROC, LKN Jeepstyle, CB4x4, Olde North State Cruisers, Nomad Jeeps, Black Sheep Jeep NC, Mid Carolina Jeepers, Jeep TJ, NAXJA, True Patriot Inc., 4WP, 7 Slot Jeepers, Wicked Jeeps and Banana Slap.
We began the day with a sign-in followed by safety briefings then gave our donated gifts to our volunteers via raffle. Thanks to our generous sponsors; Warn, Teraflex, Metal tech 4x4, Texas Roadhouse, Dick's Sporting Goods, Tread Lightly, Interco Tire, Land Rover Experience, UROTC, NC4x4, Morris 4x4, Canuck's Cruisers, True Patriot, 3M, CROC, Nomad Jeeps, Marc Holbert, NAXJA, Mud N' Blood, USFS, and Food Lion, we gave away almost $4,000 in incentive gifts. Our volunteers were very surprised at the level of support and were very motivated by the drawing.
After the drawing, we broke the large crowd into teams: Rock, Brush, Straw, Signs, Loading, Railing, Gate Keepers, Photographers, Barn, and Trash. They were given a second safety briefing and a preprinted list of goals and directions along with maps marked with specific locations for each team. After equipment check out, it was off to the trails!
Our loading team consisted of two experienced volunteers, operating skid steers which were rentals donated by OMIX-ADA and Marc Holbert of Jeepers United.
An estimated 100,000 tons of rock was applied to OHV trails by our volunteers with shovels and rakes, with the goal of increasing traction, slowing erosion, controlling drainage, and protecting sensitive areas.
The addition of the rock has made a positive impact on the longevity of this trail system. During the application alone, it greatly helped our loaded vehicles navigate slick clay areas, providing the traction necessary to climb steep areas without excessive wheel spin. Rock armoring was completed on Daniel, Wolf Den, Dickey Bell, Rocky Mountain Loop and the clay shoot on Dutch John trails. This took the better part of two days with crews working from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day. The second half of rock will be applied via contractor to areas that our volunteers were unable to reach with excess material being stored to utilize during the trail season.
Our mulch team applied 125 bales of straw, spread over sensitive areas on Daniel to promote seeding and growth of ground cover which will help slow erosion. This was completed on Daniel and Dickey Bell beginning at the newly installed guard railing, working backwards about 15 ft., hand raked at approximately 1.5 inches in depth.
Our railing teams were dispatched to Daniel, Dickey Bell and Wolf Den where they installed over 1 mile of guard railing to protect sensitive vegetation, block off illegal bypasses, barrier the trails and serve as protection in drop off areas. Many of the areas protected by new barriers are areas that were in danger of being re-routed or closed. For the immediate future, they will remain open because of this project.
Our Sign team consisted of about 20 vehicles which installed numbered trail markers, no camping signs, no vehicle signs on all trails.
Our brush team navigated steep terrain areas to cut vegetation away from signs, limbed all trees that may come in contact with on trail vehicles, and took care of downed trees and debris from winter storms.
Our trash team also collected over 100 bags of garbage from off trail areas. This was a very ambitious project with more than enough work planned for the expected number of volunteers. We are very excited to report that our volunteers more than just met our expectations, they far exceeded what we thought we could accomplish. Our 4WD family came together, working hard to support the sport and the environment that we love. Together through volunteer hours, donated equipment and sponsorship we were able to add $51,975.81 towards the maintenance of our trails from this single weekend project! Southern’s generous donation of the rock, has made a direct impact on our ability to enjoy this beautiful resource, and has aided in the protection some of our most beloved trails for future enjoyment. We appreciate your investment in Uwharrie and in us, the enthusiasts, who depend on each other and on great associations such as yours to keep us wheeling!
Please visit www.facebook.com/friendsofuwharrie for additional photographs.
Thank you for your continued support,
Robin Touw
Friends of Uwharrie, Media/Admin
Uwharrie National Forest
Volunteer Work Day this coming weekend
Saturday & Sunday, March 19 & 20th, 9 AM
If you can make the time to help out this weekend come join fellow SFWDA members and prospects at the Uwharrie National Forest our upcoming Volunteer Work Day led by District Recreation Staff Supervisor; Theresa Stevens Savery (Terry).
This Saturday & Sunday, March 19 & 20th we’ll be doing a lot of work and the more help we get the more we can complete. We’re going to have several teams doing signs, armoring trails with rock, brushing back the trails, picking up trash, installing guardrail & spreading straw.
We’ll be meeting on Saturday and Sunday at the Badin Lake Group Camp at 9 am. We’ll need everyone that is going to be volunteering to sign in at this location. We will have a map and the direction for the different teams typed up for everyone to hand out when we meet up on Saturday & Sunday. If you’re planning to take your vehicles onto the trails then you must meet us at the Badin Lake Group Camp at 9 am and get signed in and to get a special pass so we know who’s volunteering & can be on the trails.
Free camping has been set up for volunteers from Friday, March 18th to Sunday, March 20th at Badin Lake Group Camp at all 3 campsites. If you want to come in and set up on the Friday night so you won’t be late on Saturday morning that is ok. Please coordinate with any folks that are already set up and try to minimize the amount of space you take up so we can maximize how many campers and vehicles can get into the group camp. Please be respectful of all of the volunteers and their families that will be camping there and don’t get too rowdy at the campground. Thanks a lot.
The different type teams are listed below with the general tools they will need for their task that you could bring. If you’ve already been assigned a team by Darin then please bring what is listed for your team and what he has already asked you to bring. If you haven’t been assigned a team yet but have several of the types of tools listed below please bring an assortment of these tools so you’d be prepared for whichever team you’re on.
Straw team: Rakes, gloves, scissors or small knife, wear long sleeves and pants, sunglasses or safety glasses, a bandana, & closed toe shoes (no sandals or flip flops).
Rock team: Shovels, buckets, trailers or pick-up trucks that can go on the trails, gloves, heavy duty rakes, sunglasses or safety glasses, & closed toe shoes or work boots (no sandals or flip flops).
Railing team: Sledge Hammers, Post Hole Diggers, Gloves, 1 1/4half inch drive sockets, 1 1/8 half inch drive sockets, Rock bars, shovels, ear plugs, Pneumatic Drill, sunglasses or safety glasses, & closed toe shoes or work boots (no sandals or flip flops).
Brush team: Pole Saws, Hand loppers, Brush cutters, pruners, gloves, sunglasses or safety glasses, bug spray, after bite ointment, ethanol free fuel/oil/bar oil, wear long sleeves & pants, & closed toe shoes or work boots (no sandals or flip flops).
Sign team: Hammers, small step stool/ladders, pruners or loppers to clear around signs, sunglasses or safety glasses & closed toe shoes or work boots (no sandals or flip flops).
Trash team: Gloves, trash pick-up tools & closed toe shoes or work boots (no sandals or flip flops).
Loading team: Heavy equipment, fuel, safety gear, gloves, sunglasses or safety glasses.
Barn team: Skill saw, drill, Phillips drill bit, 1 1/4 in wood screws, 3 door hinges, 4 4x6 sheets of plywood, Phillips head screwdrivers, chisel, shims.
Bring water and food for during the day on Saturday & Sunday when you’re out on the trails. If you’re bringing kids out with you please make sure to have appropriate shoes for them & if you have work gloves for your kids already please bring them. Make sure they’re dressed appropriately for being out all day on the trails picking up trash, cutting brush, etc. for whatever team they are on.
Thanks a lot everyone.
MS Forest Resources / Watershed Management
National Forest Service
789 NC Hwy 24/27 East
Troy, NC 27371
www.fs.fed.us
There will be an open Volunteer Work Day this Saturday, May 16th at the Uwharrie National Forest. Meet at the Hunt Camp at 9am.
This is part of a long term on-going project where each month folks from around the area put forth volunteer time to maintain the trails inside of our national Forest.