Those 4 wheelers

Well two years ago I notified the Absentee landowner that 4 wheelers were trespassing on his land and tearing up the first valley. I texted him with a photo of one of the vehicles that had parked up on the road.

His answer was "I'll check it out."

That was the last word I heard from him.

Here a photo of what the 4 wheelers had been doing.

I was heartbroken and disgusted at the same time. The owner never got back to me.

One day while taking photos and hiking, I allowed myself to be seen by the 4 wheeler 'dudes'. The three of them pulled up. They were actually pretty polite, said they had permission to be there. I found out later that they are actually NOT nice people and the long arm of the law has been after all of them off and on for different reasons.

With no word from the owner, I continued to arrange my hikes, rides, and daily explorations with an ear out for the 4 wheelers.
The past year someone has brought in big UTV's and chainsaws. They have cut down trees to rearrange trails and make new ones. Their engines are so loud that two weeks ago when I was in the back valley [a mile away] I could hear them unload their UTV's on the ridge.

Yesterday a truck and trailer with 3 ATV's pulled down into our place.

It was a nephew of one of the absentee owners who lives locally.  He'd just taken his kids back on 'the farm' as they call it to do some riding around and he was horrified at the damage being done to the steep hillsides and places where the fragile earth would just slide and crumble down the hills and creek banks.

He said he'd been back deer hunting in November and things didn't look as bad as they were now.

The damage IS pretty horrifying. These big machines go to wet spots and dig it up with their huge tires and fling mud for no other purpose but to fling mud. Those wet spots are natural springs that provide water to the creeks that flow in the two valleys.

Ok.

I told Derek that I was surprised they didn't know about it. The local family members had pretty much left this chunk of land alone and only came out during the 9 day deer hunt.

Well, apparently these 4 wheeler/UTV's are trespassing.  And I said I'd call Derek to notify him when they unload this weekend to go out and tear things up. I said they were like clockwork.
They off load around noon and tear things up for about 4 to 5 hours or mor

I can only hope that we get peace and quiet back. That would be nice.

I'll help keep an eye out not because I'm just a good/great neighbor.

But because I love this land that I have roamed daily for 24 years. I know every tree and trail like they are my best friends. And I am selfish, I love this land and am the only person that visits it daily.