American Sand Association

The Union Pacific Railroad has indicated that they will close the Wash Road along the eastern border of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area to public travel on May 31, 2009.

While the road is on Union Pacific property, it has been used to gain access to popular camping areas for many decades. It is the ASA's position that the publics' use of Wash Road on Union Pacific property for more than 45 years establishes a public easement. We have informed UP that we are willing to take legal action as necessary. CLICK HERE

Civil Code section 1009 prevents such easements after March 1972. However, if the ASA can document that the public enjoyed use of the road for at least five years before March 1972, where the landowner (Union Pacific) neither objected nor granted permission, we may be able to escape the restrictions of Civil Code section 1009.

Here is how you can help:

If you used Wash Road from at least March 1967 to March 1972, please provide a narrative stating your family and friends' personal use of the Road. Download an affidavit form, put your narrative on the form, and have it notarized. (Auto Club will notarize for free as will some banks).
*If available, include photos that demonstrate the use. Put contact info on back.
*If available, include Newspaper or other sources of date certain information. Put contact info on back.
*Include any other evidence you think may be appropriate.

Mail to:
Vince Brunasso
c/o American Sand Association
PO Box 1872
Canyon Country, CA 91386

The deadline for this is April 15th.

Contact Vince Brunasso with any questions.

A Sample Narrative can be viewed here.

As always, we thank you for your support.

I just finished revising and typing a copy; now I have to get it notarized and mail to Vince, c/o ASA.
I encourage anyone who was visiting the dunes in the late 60's and early 70's to do the same. Closure of the Wash Rd would forever change the recreational opportunities at Glamis.
If you know anyone from that time frame, please consider notifying them re this essential task, and facilitating them to complete the necessary form.
A number of names I can think of, are no longer with us, and there are a few, who I'm not sure about, and don't know their current location or how to contact them; but there are also a few I will be able to reach, and I will do that.

We've got an offer of free notary services for this project.

Our volunteer is based in Ontario, CA. She is willing to drive a reasonable distance, meet at a central location, or have you come to her business.

Please contact me for details.

C'MON FOLKS

While doing some searches this came up

does anybody know these people?

http://www.glamisonline.org/remember.asp

I don't know anyone who was going to Glamis that long ago.

My first trip to G was in 1974 to Gecko and no photo evidence

Maybe there are some archive photos from aerial surveys or BLM records or old news print files. Maybe even rail road photos from the period. Just not sure how to find them but an idea anyway.

There are not likely a lot of old timers who visit these forums; some of who may not even get on the computer.
Some of the long time clubs and organizations, such as Corva, SDORC, and others might have members, past or present, who might go back that far; The Wehunt's of Sand Rails Unl in Riverside, Marvin Shaw, possibly Car Craft in Riverside might have customers that go back to those days. Mark at STU may know some of the names from those days that are still around.
A lot of those people are gone, or are tough to get in touch with....anyone know if Bob from Dirty Bob's is still alive? last I heard, he was living around Rogue River, OR. Another one, was Bob Puscatelli of Sand Rail Mfg; don't know if he's still kicking or where he might be. Gil George from Funco might know a few names. There are a few other names that come to mind, but the trail is vague; best bet would seem to be shops that have been around a long time (not many) or long time clubs.....Fiber Tec, San Diego....Neal Products.....maybe Karl's in AZ, Skat Trak in Calimesa, Alan from Extreme Performance goes back, Kenny from Sport Coach might, possibly Lynn Chenowth.....reaching....some thoughts.....

Sorry 85 was my first year @ ISDRA. We were going to Pismo in the 60's & 70's

Astro

I heard that Vikki from UDG is married to a guy that grew up in Glamis proper. Something about catching the school bus at the GBS.

We need pictures or noterized (sp?) depositions?

has anybody been here to check if they might have something we can use?

http://www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org/library_and_archives/#Yuma

The Arizona Historical Society in Yuma actively collects photographs, maps, manuscripts, oral histories, books and other materials that document the history of the lower Colorado River region from 1540 to the present.

The collections are available to researchers on a non-circulating basis by appointment only. Copies of photographs and photocopies are available for many collections and costs vary depending on the project.

The Library and Archives has approximately 800 books and magazines, 12,602 photographs, 46 photograph albums, 402 maps, 578 oral histories, 795 periodicals, 41 rolls of microfilm, 36 films/videos, approximately 300 linear feet of paper documents, as well as biographical and clip files arranged by subject, and cemetery records for many areas.

Special photographic collection highlights include business, transportation, towns, mining, agriculture, irrigation and individual pictures from 1870 to 1915, Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects from the turn of the century through the 1950s, Agua Caliente Hot Springs, and aerial photographs from the 1940s and 1950s.

Yuma Library and Archives hours:
.
Tues. – Fri., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
248 S. Madison Avenue, Yuma, AZ 85364
Ph. (928) 782-1841
AHSYuma@azhs.gov

What about police or fire/medic records from some "trouble" out there? Some crime or injury where they had to respond to someone who used that road?

Sloppy has a point. If the railroad is claiming that the road is not public access, then why are the accidents on the road handled by local law enforcement, when infact the accidents should be catogorized as " Private Property Accidents". Local law enforcement would not handle these accidents normally and would only do it as a cortesey to the railroad. I have never seen the railroad police handle any accidents on there " Private Property". Just an idea from a old cop.

Wow thats a better point than the one I was trying to make. I was just going for this example.

in 1968 some guy drove down Wash road, was unloading his buggy and chopped his arm off, unable to get any help he bleed out and died. A family member knew where he liked to camp and sent the police by there to look for him. They found him and wrote up a big long report including how he got to that location, the date, and other good information we can use to show that road was used back then.