I was first introduced to off roading at 8, with a Honda Mini Trail 50, still have it. Since then the addiction has been satisfied in many different forms and with many different vehicles and many different places.

Dirt bikes for many years from 50cc to 500cc, quads from 250 to 500 to 660, sand cars from 1600 to 1915 VW in a Sand Sprite lll, Buick 3.5 in a Jim Cunnigham Brandwood, Tom Pro Hayabusa 1200 turbo to a mind blowing Tatum Spider LS6. Off road areas in Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Malaysia, California.

My first trip to the dunes, Easter 1990 with a co-worker and Karl Skidmore, however started something that never gets old that perfect line, smooth sand, great people. Had to have more.  Another co-worker was a neighbor of Jerry Seaver. For many years and many trips were spent with the Seaver group, Buttercup and Glamis. So fortunately I was aware of what was going on from day 1, and was encouraged by the conversation around the camp fires with Vince, Mark, Jerry, Bob, Grant, Keith and everyone else that sacrificed so much for so many.

I first volunteered with the ASA to help spread the word about what was happing to our sand box and what potentially would/could become permanent. This had become a lifestyle, large investments were made by hundreds of thousands of people and many were not going to take it lying down, myself included.

Started out simple, setting up ASA information meetings at local bikes shops in the southeast Phoenix valley, in Chandler and Queen creek, selling Dune passes remotely to get as many people in compliance as possible, volunteering to lead the clean ups in Buttercup at the old plank road area, collecting items for the clean-up raffles, driving hundreds of boundary makers for the Glamis and buttercup closures into the sand.

Thru the 90’s we made many, many trips to the dunes, however after Glamis became more of a mad max scene for people that were not really out there to dune, Buttercup became our go to spot.

We managed on average 15 trips a year, about every 2 weeks from Oct thru Easter.  We became familiar with Buttercup, every hill, bowl, witches eye and Milk Vetch.

Our group took Dr. Phillips and his group on many “rides” collecting valuable data on the Milk Vetch in the Buttercup system. We know where they exist, where they don’t, when they are around and when they are not. Valuable information that moved the premature primary Buttercup closure in what was a high traffic area to a lesser used area south of Buttercup valley closer to the border wall.

More recently volunteering at Barrett Jackson West World, NHRA and Lucas Oil off road races at Wild Horse Pass, and Orangewood RV, was usually the season opener.

Information about what was going on, and is going on still today is vital to keep people aware of what can easily happen without those the users KNOWING. There have been generations pass from the beginning of this association til today, many out there today have no idea of what happened, and have no idea of the ASA. The industry, from manufacturers to dealerships to aftermarket and repair shops, need to continuously provide information to every rider, new and old, first timers and veterans to fill that void. Every person in the dunes should be aware of the ASA, the history of events, why there are so many rules and why law enforcement does what it does, maybe then they would have more respect for the ISDRA and those protecting it and those protecting us from ourselves.

 Mark Fulton

Self-employed owner of Armadillo llc, sunscreens and seamless rain gutters for the last 21 years, father of 2 daughters and foster father of 5 kids over the years, ex 20 year Motorolan.

Lived in 2 countries, 5 states, 13 cities, visited and worked in many more around the world.

Choose to live in Chandler Arizona, hard to beat the weather and the opportunities, but for those in California thinking about moving here, WE FULL!!

Really enjoy riding bikes, quads, cars, shifter karts and sxs on the road and off,  been doing it for 50 years and still get the rush. Love to camp, anywhere any time because it means I am not working and instead spending time with friends and family.  Just had the chance to go to Baja for the first time, I say first time because there will be more of those trips in the future.

Collect cars and bikes and some I keep and some I sell. My favorites are a pair of 1971 Triumphs, a TR6 and a 650 Bonneville.

Grateful to the ASA, because without the ASA, Glamis would be a memory for many and just a dream for many more.