Help Us At Headworks

Recently there has been an increase in problems caused by riders and those camping at Headworks Park near Genoa.  We need YOUR HELP to address these problems.  The Nance County Sheriff’s Department provides the security for the riding area.  They cannot be there all the time, so they need your help when a problem occurs.  They can’t help if they don’t know what’s happening!  We need the responsible riders who want to see the area remain open to be the eyes and ears for the Sheriffs Department.

 An example of problems that we need help with:

Ø  People riding ATVs, dirtbike and UTVs on the roads.  This is not allowed even for vehicle break downs  and to travel to another camp area or vehicle.  If the riding is excessive, call 911.

Ø  If you hear people screaming and think there is a problem, call 911.

Ø  If see minors drinking alcohol, call 911.

Ø  If people are fighting, screaming, have big camp fires, guns shots, fireworks, having sex in public, public nudity or are being drunk, dangerous and obnoxious, call 911.

Ø  Report suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s department.

Ø  Report stolen items and vandalism to the sheriff’s department.

 If you call 911 from Headworks Park, all calls go directly to the Nance County Sheriff’s department.  When you call, describe the problem and describe who is causing the problem.  Get a description of the machine causing the problem, a location where they are parked, and at best, a license plate number of the vehicle that is associated with the problem people. 

Everyone is expected to follow the posted rules.  The Nance County Sheriff’s Department now has the authority to remove anyone violating the rules or acting in an irresponsible manner.  People can now be suspended from the park for a specified length of time, depending upon the offense and the discretion of the investigating officer.  Anyone who is found in the park during a removal suspension will be charged with Criminal Trespassing and arrested since they will be given written notice at the time they were originally removed.  At the Fall Jamboree this was used for the first time and about half dozen persons who were removed for one year based on the problems they caused.

Headworks Update

By Dan Nitzel

The last couple of weeks there has been a number of incidents that have gotten our  attention.  These problems involve people, specifically UTV riders driving on the roads.  There have been reports of extreme  drunkenness, nude riders, public sex, fights, drug use and other unacceptable behavior  in the parking area and trails at Headworks.   Earlier this year  one of our trash dumpsters was stolen.  Be sure to check out SOME of the letters that I’ve been getting lately towards the end of this article. 

As far as the UTVs are concerned, Loup Power has asked me to get the word out that UTVs riders need to follow the same rules as ATV and dirtbike riders.  Even thought the signs do not specifically mention UTVs, they considered to be the same as ATVs and dirtbikes.   New signs will be purchased this year and will replace the old signs. 

While many people may be able to drive or ride their ATVs and UTVs on streets and roads where they live, that does not mean the same rules exist for them at the Headworks OHV Park.   We need to make sure people know about the rules. 

If you see someone riding on the roads at Headworks, there is a possibility that they simply are not aware of the rule.  Maybe all it takes is a friendly reminder from a concerned rider.  However, there are those that simply do not care and like to possibly argue.  To handle this situation, all that has to be done is a simple phone call to 911.  If you call 911 from Headworks Park, all calls go directly to the Nance County Sheriff’s department.  When you call, describe the problem and describe who is causing the problem.  Get a description of the machine causing the problem, a location where they are parked, and at best, a license plate number of the vehicle that is associated with the problem people. 

Another issue involves alcohol use.  Drunkenness is getting out of hand.  There is more and more trash.  While there are signs posted at the riding area that state “No Alcohol”, the consumption of alcohol at the area has been tolerated as long as it stays under control.  This most likely will change soon.   This may lead to a zero tolerance policy similar to what other areas under the management of Loup Power operate.   This would include those camping at the riding area. 

Sometime last spring one of our dumpsters were stolen.  We don’t know who or exactly when, but we do know that we have to buy another one for $500. 

 

There is a wide disregard for the curfew that currently exists that prohibits riding after 11 PM.  I would not be surprised to see a new policy that limits riding to daylight hours in the near future.  Also the gates to the riding area could be closed every night.  While many may like riding around at night, often times these people have loud pipes.  These loud machines can be heard all the way into Genoa and beyond.  If you can hear the machines four or five miles away in Genoa, then just think about how loud it must be for  people who live closer to the riding area?  I certainly would not like being woken up at midnight by a few off road machines a few miles away at Headworks!  People that live nearby now can’t open their windows and enjoy a quiet cool evening on a weekend without the blat of a loud four stroker bothering them. 

The reason why the curfew was originally created at Headworks was to address how to help someone that is injured in the riding area.  Considering that the riding area is about 600 acres, after dark it is nearly impossible to find someone that needs help.  Also the rescue squad was concerned about the number of calls for assistance after midnight.  It was not uncommon for people to riding after the bars closed. 

Another issue involves NOHVA’s twenty year old promise to help with the Headworks Riding area if the majority of the riders supported us with a NOHVA membership.  It’s pretty clear the majority of the riders at Headworks are not NOHVA members.   This leaves us in a precarious situation, do we reduce our involvement at the riding area as many riders are unwilling to support us?   Thanks to the ignorance based bad mouthing we get from many riders, I’m sure many who go there would rather not support our organization.    

As far as the Jamborees are concerned, their future is in doubt after this year.  While we have had a few good hearted souls indicate that they are interested in taking over the event, we shall see how this develops.  As I have done for the last 36 jamborees, this fall’s jamboree will be last that I organize. 

Because of low attendance or cancelled jamborees, and because of membership numbers falling to about half of what they were two years ago, NOHVA will not be able to purchase land owner and volunteer liability insurance next year for Headworks or any other riding area in the state when our policy comes due next year. 

While there is a lot of bad news in this article, Loup Power has assured me  that the riding area will not close if our organization is less involved.  However, I believe that without our support and help, this kind of situation complicates the management of the area for Loup Power.  Loup Power and the staff at Headworks have been GREAT (!) over the years! 

My philosophy over the last 20 years of my involvement  at Headworks is that we riders need to make it as easy as possible and as low cost as possible for the land owners.  It’s clear that their task of operating the riding area is becoming more difficult as more and more problems develop and fewer and fewer riders are willing to voluntarily support the riding area.  It does not take anyone of superior intelligence to see that as the more problems occur, the more complex managing the area becomes.  With the increasing  complexities, there are more liabilities for the land owner, a situation that we as riders NEED help Loup Power and the Nance County Sheriff’s Department try to address.  

I believe that existing and future  problems at Headworks can be addressed and managed.  It will take the close cooperation of the land owners, the Nance Counties sheriff’s department, and  the help of a well organized, well supported and well funded riders group.   Several years ago, the riding area HAD a strong triad management team that consisted of Loup Power, the Nance County Sheriff’s department and NOHVA.  The strength with NOHVA came from our ability to communicate with the riders.  NOHVA’s strength is no longer there because of the loss of support among ATV, dirtbike and UTV riders for our organization,  and an absence of those willing to help. 

The facts are that very few  riding areas that are not under continuous supervision like Headworks that successfully exist in the rest of the nation.  It is my prediction that if problems at the Headworks riding area not addressed and managed by the original triad of management, meaning NOHVA (or another riders organization along the line of NOHVA), problems at Headworks will continue to escalate and the riding area will eventually close. 

Here are some letters that I’ve received lately…….

Dan,

We just got back from Genoa riding for four day! We had a blast riding! The reason I am writing is because we are so upset. This weekend will be the last weekend we camp at the Head-work unloading area. What a awful time we had camping. We go to Genoa to rest, camp and ride as a family. We ride as a family we saw everything as a family.

None of my family or daughters friends we took got any sleep. The first night we got some sleep but the constant sound of a generator gearing up and down was bothersome. But, it was not as bad as the second night. There was no sleep at  all. People yelling and screaming all night. Dirt bikes and ATV running out all night long. Someone shot off fireworks in the middle of the night and woke us. Don't get me wrong I love fireworks when I know they are coming. Headlights in my windows all night (by none moving vehicles). Plus two huge generators ran day and night. We don't run a generator and neither did the people in tents. That noise was so loud we could not talk or hear at our campsite! The stars at night where beautiful but you couldn't talk about them. So, camping was terrible.

We are so angry at the people that do not follow the rules we will not be back to camp. As you know as members of the Little Blue OHV branch of NOHVA we have been there to help clean up trash before. Trash clean up day with the Little Blue OHV chapter was my idea. So, you see I want this for our family. We go as a family with my teen age daughter and her friends. They want to come with us! How many parents even see their teens. I decided long ago that four-wheeling was going to keep my family together. So we do it for a vacation now and take her friends! We have kids that begs us to go along.

The trash in the river is getting worse. People driving around drunk at night is the only reason I assume that is where the trash is coming from, because sober people surly wouldn't do these things.

What can we do a members to help keep this are open to ride and camp? Can we assume the right to lock the gates at 12:00 when we are there? Could we as members start doing something to deter some of this behavior in this area? The trash is getting worse and worse. I try to pick up other peoples trash when we are there. But, it’s too much for one family. Can we do something to help with smaller containers for trash?

Could we volunteer to be in charge of the gates one weekend out of the year or something like that? I know you all work really hard for the Jamboree and October fest. We thank you for that. Our schedule doesn't clear up until late July and August. So, we can't help in the spring time. But we would love to help any way else we can. The toilets leave little to be desired also.

Unfortunately this weekend was a great teaching weekend for my daughter and her friends. They got to see how disrespectful people can be. They saw how dirt bikes were racing up and down the camping area with children playing. They began to even to get angry at the other people staring up the dirt and throwing rocks.

I don't know if people can’t read the signs due to language barriers or what? I am not one to hold my tongue well but had to due to my family being there and trying to stay out of other people’s business.

Our daughter was even tore out of sleep one night due to a girls screams. She scared all of us and my daughter and her friends. I really hate having to teach on other people’s behavior. My husband showed compassion for screaming girls in the night even if they are drunk and having FUN?  I'm sure she wouldn't consider herself lucky to have us if she was really screaming for help.

I know there is little we can do as citizens to control the sick sexual behavior on four-wheelers.  So, I chose to make it another teaching moment for my daughter and her friends. I am so saddened that the area has gotten that bad. We have been camping in the loading area for at least 10 years. Genoa is one of our favorite places to ride. We go there at least 4-5 times a year at the very least.

I do not want you to think that I blame you  for any of this. I just think maybe we need to do something. Or, warn other members about this area and to not take their children there to camp. I'm just thankful my kids were teens and not small children. We wouldn't have stayed.

Please let me know what we can do to help. I would like some control taken back of this area. I don't know if this is possible or not. But let me know what we can do to help! Thanks for all you do for the organization. I also want to thank you for trying to work with the Little Blue OHV group. I couldn't come to the meetings but I know you tried to make things work out for the best. Glad to see that those funds that were from several counties go to NOHVA!

Sincerely,

Ronda

Dan,

    Last weekend, My son and grandsons and I went to Genoa to ride, we stayed Friday night and all day Saturday.   We could not believe how people were racing around in the parking lot and on the road, COMPLETE IDIOTS.. It was very dangerous.  No respect for nothing.   We were camped on the west end of the parking area about 15 ft. from the trail to get to the river, These idiots had NO respect and was burning out and blasting down the trail, The dust was terrible. They seen us sitting there and still had to act stupid.

    I am sure that it is only a matter of time when someone gets HURT bad and they shut it down for good.  Then watch them cry.   The next time we go, it will be during the week when there will not be as many people there.

    I just had to vent myself to you about this.  Thanks for listening...tom

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This page was updated on Sunday, June 05, 2011