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Off-roaders hit Jawbone
| Saturday, Apr 29 2006 10:32 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Apr 29 2006 10:49 PM
JAWBONE CANYON
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They're as young as 4 and as old as 75, but they all have one thing in common.
They love to get mud -- or desert dust -- on their tires.
Grandchildren, granddads, parents and teenagers can be found riding on two wheels or four in the approximately 15 square miles of wide-open trails inside Jawbone Canyon in eastern Kern County.
They come by the tens of thousands on holiday weekends from across California to camp for free in their fifth-wheel trailers and monster motor homes. Then out come the Kawasakis and Hondas, and the fun begins.
But there's always a risk of injury or even death that most responsible dirt-bikers keep in mind as they shoot up canyon trails or climb steep hillsides in this paradise of off-roader freedom.
"This is one of the best family activities I know," said Bryan Sterkel, who traveled with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children from San Jose last weekend to spend a few days riding Jawbone.
As a police officer, Sterkel says kids raised as off-roaders reap the benefits of "getting out of the city," being active in the outdoors and learning the responsibilities and skills associated with the sport.
"There are injuries in every sport, in everything we do," he said.
"I've been riding since I was his age," he added, indicating his 8-year-old son. "I've only had cuts to the mouth twice, and that's after a lifetime of hard riding."
But not everyone is so safety conscious -- or so lucky.
On Easter weekend there were several calls for medical evacuations via "air ambulance," which isn't unusual for a big holiday stretch, said Hector Villalobos, field manager at the Ridgecrest office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the agency that operates the Jawbone Off-Highway Vehicle Open Riding Area.
"About six (calls for emergency medical services) during a busy holiday weekend is about average," he said. "We also see fatalities. In my six years here, it's averaged one or two a year."
But no one knows for sure how many people visit Jawbone each year -- or how many are injured riding its diverse terrain. No reservations or camping fees are required, and even the BLM office at the Highway 14 entrance is staffed by volunteers.
Villalobos and emergency service professionals said the cost to the public is minimal or nonexistent when it comes to flying out injured riders.
"We never bill the county," said Roy Cox, program director for Mercy Air Service Inc., which operates a medivac helicopter out of Mojave. "If we transfer the patient, we bill that patient."
The cost of being transported from Jawbone to a hospital depends on the miles flown, but air ambulance bills typically run from $7,000 to nearly $10,000, Cox said.
"I have seen a number of broken backs resulting in paralysis," Cox said of his long experience as a pilot responding to off-road accidents. "It's always a shame to see some family out there trying to have a good time -- and a child or a dad is badly hurt."
Mark Corum, a spokesman for Hall Ambulance, agreed that private ambulance companies will send the bill to the patient. Hall's air ambulance service concentrates mostly on the valley side of the mountains, but they have responded to calls from Jawbone.
"Kern County's protocol in Jawbone Canyon is for 'autolaunch,'" he said.
In other words, an available medivac helicopter must always respond to a call for medical help in Jawbone -- just in case.
During a drive through Jawbone last weekend, the ring-ding-ding of two-stroke engines and the deeper roar of four-strokes could be heard everywhere as off-roaders crisscrossed dirt trails.
Even without improved campgrounds, the recreation area remains a huge draw for off-road enthusiasts. And there's a lot of nostalgia -- people who came to Jawbone as kids come back as adults and bring the next generation.
"This is our favorite spot," said Tehachapi resident Kimberly Trost, referring to the cluster of RVs parked near a giant steel tube that runs across the canyon, piping water from Mono Lake to Los Angeles County.
Trost and her husband regularly bring their four children to Jawbone for two or three days of all-terrain riding.
All the kids -- even 6-year-old Katelyn -- have been riding for about three years. Only 3-year-old Scotty doesn't yet ride on his own.
But Trost has strict rules: They must stay within sight of the camp.
"They prefer this," she said, laughing as she watched the munchkin-sized riders zip around on their tiny motorcycles. "There's nothing they'd rather be doing."
The responsible users acknowledge there are those who drink too much and ride stupid. Others say the outings include family talks around the campfire; and some parents say their children have to earn the grades and do their work at home if they want to ride.
If you don't know by now, off-roaders like to talk about off-roading. And many have an evangelical bent, as if called to become preachers in the Church of ATVs.
The issues of "access" and the conflict between environmental interests and off-roaders invariably comes up in conversation, even if you don't ask about it.
"It's like an ax hanging over your head," said Kevin Harris of Rialto. "You can pretend it isn't there, but it is."
Harris, who was there with family members, including an 11-year-old grandson, said he loves the peace and health that riding brings.
"You don't want the youth of this country to turn into Game Boy-PlayStation kids," Harris said. "Virtual reality? I think reality is a whole lot better.
"God bless somebody," he said, "for letting us ride our motorcycles."
V Entrance: Highway 14 at Jawbone Canyon Road, 20 miles north of Mojave.
V The BLM’s Jawbone Station is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No fees or reservations. For info, call (760) 373-1146.
V Riding is allowed anywhere in Jawbone’s open area, approximately 3 by 5 miles in size. The terrain includes nearly five miles of sand wash, steep hill climbs and miles of novice trails.
V Beyond Jawbone: Several designated trails are available to ride from Jawbone to other off-road areas, but riders should not leave these trails.
V Tread lightly: Haul out what you haul in. Bring your own firewood or use a portable stove. Use proper safety equipment. Respect private property rights.
SOURCE: Friends of Jawbone Canyon