Have you ever experienced the thrill of gliding through the air, unbound by the constraints of earth, while straddling an enormously powerful machine? Have you felt the exhilaration of flying unencumbered over a cliff? Have you felt the sudden impact of the biggest oops of your life as you experience reality and quit flying through the air suddenly as your snowmobile lands nose first in a snow bank?

Well, one of my first snowmobile rides ended with my sled nose down, buried, with me plowing 20 feet of snow with my head after flying through the windshield. Yuck. Ouch. I went over a cliff that I didn’t know was there. BIG mistake. I lived; and learned some valuable lessons.

• First, know the rules of the sport/game.
  
• Second, know your tools (machine in this case).
  
• Third, know the territory (before you launch off some cliff).
  
• Fourth, be prepared.

Now, none of these rules are new to you, I’m sure. But guess what I also discovered? These are the same rules that apply to the politics of our sports (whether they be over the snow, equestrian, or wheeled). We have a direct analogy to work with. Let me show you.

First, we must know the rules. In land use and public land access the main folks we deal with are the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management; both federal agencies that live under federal guidelines such as NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act). Many state resource agencies have similar guidelines. It’s important for us to know what the rules are and how the agencies operate in order for us to be effective in dealing with them.

To do that you can surf the ‘net; email the agency directly; contact the local office of your federal agency; or go to the library and do some research. You can also attend seminars and classes put on by your local/state/regional organization. I’m reminded of one of my favorite sayings: "Seek first to understand; then be understood." Take the time and effort to know the rules just like you would if you smarter than me and just starting out in snowmobiling.

One rule of sledding is to know where you’re going (scout the route) before screaming down some slippery hill. One of the rules of working with the USFS is to know WHEN public involvement is required under NEPA (e.g. Scoping Sessions) and what the time frames are. Another example is to understand that a National Forest can close just about any road they want under what they call "Administrative Closures." Some justification is required, such as winter erosion or washouts; but the closure can last for up to a year without any questions or public involvement.

Second, we’ve got to know our tools, again like scoping sessions, NEPA, letter writing, and personal visits with elected officials. Letter writing is a tool we all need to learn. It’s essential to democracy that we the people express our opinions to those who represent us in government. The enviro-radicals certainly make sure that their opinion is well known.

Writing to bureaucrats is a whole column unto itself; but one example to get their attention is to use bullet points and be straight to the point. Don’t waste their time with long-winded explanations. You can always reference substantiating data or attach it. But in the main/cover letter, get to the point right up front in your letter.

Third, the territory becomes official offices, government buildings, bureaucracy, etc. Knowing your way around your local USFS offices or BLM offices is a starting point. Learn the "territory" of their chain of command and rank structure so you understand the influence of the person with whom you may be dealing with. For example, a Recreation Specialist has little clout compared to the District Ranger. Know where your legislator has offices, and stop by and introduce yourself. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Make an appointment with your local county elected official (commissioner/supervisor) and express your opinion. Get comfortable in settings like this where you wouldn’t ordinarily be caught dead.

Heck, you’ll venture out on some backcountry trail into the unknown without much hesitation. But my research indicates you’re not very likely to wander around your state capital. We can change that. It’s just one step at a time.

Fourth, be prepared to have options and find compromises. Crashing my snowmobile could have been life threatening even after the crash had my group not been prepared. Fortunately, we had plenty of Brandy to see me through the pain! No; I’m just kidding. We had first aid kits; radio communications; and medically trained personnel along on our ride.

Options and compromises are what you have in your back pocket when dealing with bureaucrats. Have a bottom line, but you may not want to start there with your negotiations over keeping a trail open. Think of yourself as a car dealer. You have a bottom line where you’d not be comfortable breaking. Know what that is; but build in a way to compromise as you work towards your goal.

I had to ride my sled out after the accident mentioned above. It hurt. But had it not been for shear luck, I might not be writing this column. I don’t deal with bureaucracy that way. The rules mentioned here are the steps I take when tackling an issue. I know the rules; know my tools; learn the territory; and go in prepared. It works.

Oh, if by some chance you do find yourself unwittingly flying over a cliff on a motorized contraption, I have some advice for you: wear your protective gear and learn to say OOPS!