Off-Road Racer Podcast Episode 52: Josh Martelli

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, My Brother and partner Josh Martelli returns to the podcast to talk about his recent appointment to the California BLM Desert District Advisory Council (DAC). This council advises and gives recommendations to the BLM office, on issues such as fire management, land use planning, and what we are obviously interested in, off-highway vehicle use. This appointment is essentially a seat at the table, with direct communication with the BLM offices, to make sure our voice as off-roaders is heard, and another part of the effort to keep land open for OHV use. Josh and I also talks about other efforts going on right now, from organizations like Tread Lightly and the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), and the clean-up events we host at our own races. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.
/ @offroadracer
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[@cedave9735]

As a lifetime resident of the Mojave desert and an owner of a Polaris RZR I have a request for the Martelli brothers. As an off-road enthusiast and cattle rancher in the Mojave desert, I have traveled on many of the roads and secluded trails frequented by the UTV community. Many of these roads and trails have existed since I was a small child. I can remember traveling on these trails 20, 30, 40 even 50 years ago with my dad on our way to perform maintenance on a well or spring for our cattle. Unfortunately in the past few years many of these roads and trails have become nearly impassable do to UTV traffic. Back in the day I can remember my dad complaining about how the dirt bikers were destroying the roads by turning them into endless whoop sections. I now actually wish that was the only issue; whoops are bearable. However, the little small off-camber whoops the get created by UTVs while powering through softer soils is down-right infuriating!!! When trying to travel these roads and trails in a pickup truck on one’s way to get some work done makes for a very frustrating day, week, month, or year. My family and other locals who call the desert home and our place of livelihood have become more and more frustrated with this issue.
My request is that the Martellis and other influential members of the off-road/UTV community start pushing on Polaris, Can-Am, etc. to revise the design of the rear diffs in these machines so they don’t differentiate traction while powering through softer soils. It’s my belief that if this was done, that over time the trails would definitely improve for us who have to travel these roads and trails every week. Otherwise folks like myself will continue to have to deal with bouncing our heads off the B-pillars of our pickups and SUVs every time we travel across those dreaded small off-camber bump sections; for the love of the Lord they are miserable!!!!!!!!!!!

[@utvunderground]

Josh is the man!