All the Eastern Kern county OHV closures have been lifted. It is still Day-Use only and no camping at Red Rock Canyon State Park.
Please practice social distancing. These orders are fluid and could change at any time. Check back here periodically for up to date information.
The popularity of drones, or unmanned aircrafts, is on the rise in the United States. There are many public lands that allow drone use, however, flying in prohibited areas could result in civil and/or criminal penalties.
First, all drone users must follow Federal Aviation Association (FAA) rules regarding registration and operation of recreational unmanned aircrafts. Consumer drones weighing between .55 and 55 pounds are required to be registered with the FAA.
Ed was well known for his work in the West Mojave desert, and not surprisingly he took a most interesting trail in getting there. Born in San Francisco in 1938, Ed and his family moved to Argentina when he was ten years old. He grew up farming and it was then he first rode motorcycles, an activity that would become his life-long passion.
In his early twenties, Ed returned to the United States and served in the Army before making Southern California his home. Soon he bought a well-used scrambles motorcycle and took up racing in the desert. He formed the Clean Sweep Racing Team in 1976, and was the 1977 Desert Open Senior Champion. He won over thirty trophies racing with D.R.A., C.R.C. and AMA District 37. He raced the Check Chase, the California City Grand Prix, and at Adelanto among other events.
Although Ed also made his mark living and working in Glendale for many years, in 2004 he took up permanent residence in California City in Eastern Kern County to be close to the Jawbone Canyon OHV riding area. He'd been volunteering with the Bureau of Land Management's Ridgecrest Field Office for several years prior to that and wanted to live where he could have direct access to the desert he loved.
Ed passed away at his home in the desert on December 9, 2019, after a long but remarkable and courageous battle with cancer, a warrior to the end.
Read more: Edward Waldheim, Founder of Friends of Jawbone (FOJ)
With the recent legalization of marijuana in California and other western states, also came some confusion. Although it may be legal to consume marijuana on private and other non-federal property, it is NOT yet legal to possess or use it on federal lands.
So, if your visit to a national park, national forest, BLM or other federally managed lands today, or any other day, includes a nod to 420, know that you face the possibility of arrest, citations, fines, and/or confiscation.
But most importantly, please understand that marijuana use can impair your riding abilities and skills. Offroading after consuming alcohol or drugs endangers your life and the lives of others around you.
Ride sober, ride safely!
The Friends of Oceano Dunes is a 501(c)(3) California Not-for-Profit corporation that aims to unite the many people who enjoy responsible recreation in Oceano Dunes. However, they need the public's help.
On October 3, 2017, the California Department of State Parks and Recreation (DPR) released its long awaited Operational Transition Plan that will restructure and guide the department's efforts to enhance service delivery, better support staff and key partners, provide career paths for diverse professional groups to develop as park leaders, and put program expertise closer to the public.
This development is important to Friends of Jawbone because it affects our neighbor and partner, Red Rock State Park, which is home to hundreds of miles of world class recreational OHV touring opportunities. It also affects the operation of the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division which administers the Grants and Cooperative Agreements program that funds FOJ's ground operations and restoration work, as well as its rider education and safety projects.
Those who have been following this transformation effort by DPR may want to download and review the final Operation Transition Plan. Please let us know how you think this plan might affect OHV recreation in the greater Jawbone Canyon area.