A Delicate Arch Roller Coaster And Other Fun Federal Land Transfer Ideas

You know what we all do right after we say “normally I don’t post about political stuff …”? Post political stuff. So apologies in advance, but this probably falls under the umbrella of “politics,” for pretty much the first time in the 5-plus-year history of this website, because I believe in public access to public lands, or the national parks, national forests, and other federal lands I’ve spent enormous chunks of my life having fun and getting dirty over the past decade.

Here’s the issue, very simply: Several special interest groups would like to pass legislation that would transfer millions of acres of public land to state governments, who could then sell off the land to private interests. Which could eventually lead to ridiculous shit like these visionary renderings I’ve made of some iconic places:

I think this is a bad idea, and maybe you do too, if you play outside at all on federal lands—for example, in Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks, on Bureau of Land Management mountain bike trails in Fruita and Moab, and/or on trails, mountaintops, and rock climbing routes on National Forest land. If you like things the way they are (i.e. having access to all this land in the Land of the Free), you can sign a petition at this website in less time than it takes you to pump up your bike tires, flake your climbing rope, or run the first quarter-mile of your favorite trail, and your elected representatives will hear what you have to say. Did you click on that link? Here it is again if you missed it: http://www.protectourpublicland.org

Please feel free to copy and paste these photos, steal them and act like you thought up the idea yourself, put them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook—I don’t give a shit what you do as long as you sign the petition that says, “HEY, SELLING OFF OUR PUBLIC LANDS IS A HORRIBLE IDEA.” (Obviously it’s more eloquent than that, but you get the picture.)

There’s more in-depth information at this website, or this one.

Thanks for reading. Regularly scheduled non-political Semi-Rad content will return next week.

-Brendan