People who grind my gears...

I really dislike when individuals post trash like this...

http://www.counterpunch.org/wuerthner01242008.html

I have a problem with people classifying all 4x4 enthusiasts as "moronic" environmental abusers. I pride myself on leaving my surroundings cleaner than when I arrived. "Tread Lightly" is a common term used with responsible wheelers. This means minimizing your impact on the environment you are venturing across.

http://www.treadlightly.org/

I always pick up trash on trails, even if it is not mine. I actively try to reduce wheel spin to prevent erosion. Claiming that 4x4 enthusiasts destroy the environment is simply not true.

What makes the whole 4x4 vs. environmentalist issue even more ironic is the environmentalists themselves. There are a select few environmentalists who practice the extremes of the mentality and live in harmony with nature, I can really respect that. However, many environmentalists I have encountered are just like your normal everyday person. They live in houses, drive vehicles to work each day, heat their homes during the winter and participate in recreational activities.

So let's break this down, the environmentalists use petroleum in their vehicles just like us wheelers. They drive on roads that run through forests. They live in houses made of wood and heat them with....oh wait....petroleum products. They go hiking....yes that impacts the environment. Do you see a pattern here?

Their houses? Well there were probably trees in that lot before it was cleared. What was used to clear the lot? Well that would be petroleum consuming construction equipment. Cities, the amazing concrete jungles...I don't hear people screaming how terrible they are.

If you haven't gotten the point of this article by now, it is quite simple. If you think you can go around closing trails and spewing forth your anti-4x4 trash then you can go pound sand. While you are doing that we will help your cause by destroying your car, burning your house down and ripping up your roads.

Thanks, and remember to Tread Lightly!