Land use warrior, Amy Granat, Managing Director of CORVA (California Off Road Vehicle Association) joins us for a discussion of what’s on the table for off-road and why it matters to her. Amy is a leader in the fight to keep public lands open to the public. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.
3:47 – You have to be more calculated, …I call it being pointed but polite
10:17 – not being able to walk was a difficulty until a friend said, “You have a Ford truck, it has four-wheel drive, what are you waiting for?”
13:07 – it’s very tiring having people look at you and what you can’t do, they were looking at me in my truck and seeing what I could do, and that’s a very big difference
18:50 – when people talk about off-roaders, it really upsets me because they’re mischaracterizing our generosity
28:42 – …there are a lot of states like Nevada and Utah that didn’t go through the process, their areas are more at risk
35:07 – this is policy, not politics
49:21 – why wasn’t there access to the Cleveland National Forest for Riverside County? Everyone forgot.
59:24 – if you’re constantly saying not o everything, you end up getting excluded from the table; being at the table is key
Special thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.
TRANSCRIPT
Big Rich Klein (01:39)
On today’s episode of Conversations with Big Rich, I’ll be talking with another land use warrior, a lady that is very well-spoken, cool-headed, and very knowledgeable on land use issues. I welcome Amy Granat.
Amy Granat (01:54)
Hello.
Big Rich Klein (01:55)
Hello, Amy. How are we doing today?
Amy Granat (01:57)
We’re doing good. I’m just I was looking at your recent podcast with Ivan Ironman-Stewart, who is a real legend. It’s boring in comparison and It’s a little intimidating, I’d have to say.
Big Rich Klein (02:20)
Oh, don’t be intimidated at all. It’s just going to be a normal conversation. We’re going to talk about you and what your life in off-road advocacy, so hard for me to say at the moment, is all about. And we’ll just go with it. I mean, there’s not very many people out there that can compare with Ivan Stewart, I’ll tell you. But I’ve done 210 of these.
Amy Granat (02:48)
When I saw that and I listened and I’m like, Oh, my. I remember going to an event in LA early on with my son when he was, I don’t know, had to be somewhere around 14 or 15. And there was a car show that I don’t think they do anymore. And we had to see Ivan Stewart. He was working with Toyota at the time, and he was giving autographs on my son. He was just beyond thrilled. He was so excited. And yeah, so that’s a perspective I come at it with. I’m like, oh, great.
Big Rich Klein (03:22)
Well see. But there’s a lot of people out there that would put you on the same platform, if not higher than Ivan.
Amy Granat (03:30)
I don’t think so, but that’s very kind of you to say.
Big Rich Klein (03:32)
He’s a racer, and he’s done some things good for around the racing community. But without people like yourself, there wouldn’t be much of this going on.
Amy Granat (03:47)
Well, thanks. We think so. We’re a rather nerdy bunch, those of us who are doing it now. I think there was more of a heyday, probably when it Ed Waldham time and Bob Hamm in the thick of things. It’s changed in recent years. I would say in the last 15 years, you really have to know your stuff. It’s not as easy. It’s not like stamping your feet on the ground. You have to be more calculated not in a bad sense, but in a… I call it being pointed but polite. READ MORE
