You asked about the photo of the six of us all holding out six fingers. Here is your answer, Bob.
As part of the Five Lake Challenge at Spring Break Buggy Blast this year, traction kite pilots descended on the Silver Dry Lake in Baker, CA on Monday, April 1st. Jason Robbins & Glenn Pedro were the first to arrive making the drive from Primm, NV, followed by Bob Hogan & John Ruggiero who were heading back east from a weekend at El Mirage. Within an hour or two, 30 pilots were flying kites and riding buggies and boards across the expanse of the lakebed. As the day wore on, folks came and folks left. At about 5:30pm the day got really interesting for the remaining six people (Jason, Glenn, Bob John, Claxton Thompson & dean Jordan) on the lakebed.
A Bureau of Land Management (BLM) vehicle drove out onto the lakebed and headed towards the camp. As soon as the vehicle arrived, Jason and Bob went over to greet the BLM official. The official requested identification from the six individuals and inquired as to what they were doing on the lakebed. After explaining the no impact nature of traction kiting, the BLM official indicated that the Silver Lake lakebed is closed and has never been open for recreational use. He further indicated that signs were posted to that effect (a further investigation into the existence of signs revealed that while signs did exist, they were either rotated 180 degrees or were shot full of bullet holes making them unreadable).
The official initially planned to issue citations to the pilots for trespassing on a closed area, but after a careful discussion, lead by dean, of how traction kiters are actually the ""stewards of the lakebeds"", he relented and let them go on their way. He asked that word be passed to all future traction pilots who might be planning future activities on the Silver Dry Lake and let them know that the lake is closed.
The pilots inquired to where else in the immediate area that there might be a lakebed where traction kiting would be allowed. He provided written information for the Dumont Dunes area and the Silurian Dry Lake located about 17 miles north of Silver on Route 127. He further provided BLM contact information. What could have been a very perilous situation was averted by the open mind of the BLM official and the preservation of nature by the
""Silver Six"".
Bob Hogan