dunefreak

Every March, the dune season at Dumont Dunes is winding down and coming to a close as temperatures begin to rise. The big holidays like Halloween and President's Weekend have come and gone. Dried up trash and remnants from the season linger in the creosote bushes surrounding the camp area. They weren't left there on purpose, but accidents happen and mother nature can blow these items out of camp without notice. Just like the morning after a big house party, the people who made the mess are long gone and it has since been forgotten about. Luckily Dumont still has a large group of people who call this place home. They take care of it like it is their own. Twenty years ago or so, a small group of duners started the cleanup. It was a grassroots effort with these types of caring people who got the ball rolling. Soon to follow, the non-profit group, Friends of Dumont Dunes, was formed. In conjunction with the Barstow BLM and the dedicated users of Dumont Dunes, the cleanup has become an annual tradition ever since. Picking up trash isn't anyone's favorite thing to do, but as a group effort and with the help of some generous sponsors, it has turned out to be a fun event where friends and family come together for a great cause. Volunteer Sign Up Motivated and helpful volunteers showed up at the ranger station at 8 AM to sign up, grab some trash bags and a wristband. Trash Collection Duners spent the morning cruising around camp on their quads, RZRs and, buggies cleaning the place up. The weather cooperated most of the morning with cool temperatures, but then the "W" came on strong and made things a little difficult. Winds whipped across the camp area making it a bit annoying. Jodi Knight, aka @sand chick, was posted up at the dumpster giving out raffle tickets for all trash bags that were turned in. She toughed it out and her time and participation were greatly appreciated. Lunchtime! With the huge gusts of wind, I was worried Jason would have trouble cooking up all that food for everyone. We headed over to the ranger station at noon and wouldn't you know it, Jason had already come up with a plan and had it covered. He blocked the wind with his trailer and moved the lunch assembly line into his enclosed trailer. This guy is unstoppable! We all jumped in and lent a hand where it was needed. Rather than the usual hotdogs, Jason cooked up over 100 lbs of tri-tip. This meant getting up at 5 AM to smoke the first batch of meat. With everyone's help, all the volunteers were fed! Lunch included a tri-tip sandwich, beans, corn, chips, and cookies. The area around the ranger station quickly became an offroad parking lot as everyone arrived! Quick Draw Thanks to some amazing sponsors, many prizes were donated and raffled off. This always adds a bit more fun and excitement to the day. Plaques were given out for the following... With a little help from Mother Nature, there was a break in the wind for a couple hours. Prizes were flying and smiles were everywhere. This is what it's all about, getting the dune community together for a good cause and having fun doing it. We're all in this together. Events like this don't happen without a group effort. Friends, family, and partners from all groups including Dumont Dune Riders, BLM, Friends of Dumont Dunes, and the users of Dumont Dunes joined forces to keep our playground clean. A big THANKS goes out to everyone who participated in the cleanup event! Special thanks to... Jason Ardenski, president of Friends of Dumont Dunes The Friends of Dumont Dunes Board Members The Barstow BLM Staff Kay & Tom Ardenski Jodi Knight & Mike Green Heather Siders & Jimmy Lynn John Slapper And of course, all of the kids that helped too (Alexis, Tatum, Libby, Amber & Gavin)! Quickdraw Prize Sponsors GTP Off Road - Las Vegas, NV W&J Subshops DBA: Subway - Victorville, CA Trasharoo - Forest Falls, CA AGP Evictions - Apple Valley, CA Impact Signs - Victorville, CA 5150 Whips - Hesperia, CA Poles & Holders - Santa Fe Springs, CA Jodi Knight - Las Vegas, NV Desertcraft - Victorville, CA 4 The Truck Customs & Accessories - Henderson, NV Ruggedmoosedecor.com - Las Vegas, NV Busymamadesigns.bigcartel.com - Apple Valley, CA Dynojet Research - Las Vegas, NV Season pass sponsors Raines Electric - Victorville, CA (1 pass) W&J Subshops DBA: Subway - Victorville, CA (2 passes) R-T Welding & Fabrication - Hesperia, CA (2 passes) Plaque sponsors DMS Crane Service, Inc. - Redlands, CA (2 plaques) AGP Evictions - Apple Valley, CA (1 plaque) Impact Signs - Victorville, CA (1 plaque) Plaques made by Action Trophy - La Habra, CA Additional Event Photos