The Redneck Yacht Club

Check out these pictures from "The Redneck Yacht Club" in Punta Gorda, Florida.  And after you've whetted your appetite there, you can read the accompanying story here. 

The property owner spent over 1 million dollars to get the business going, and over two years in dealing with the government permitting process.

One day of the month, this private parcel opens to people to go mudding, and to use the toys they've put so much money into.  The article states that "Some of the vehicles cost more than $100,000, others less than $1,000." 

Is this something that is appropriate for public lands?  No.  Appropriate for private lands?  Well, that's up to the private land owner, and whether they can get the go ahead from the government that the environmental damage done will not have too great of an effect on the surrounding ecosystem, or that they'll mitigate that effect.

Statements in the article such as "Off-road enthusiasts are often reduced to trespassing, a frequent problem in places like North Port and rural Southwest Florida" make me wonder two things.  One, whether the "Redneck Yacht Club" being open for one day a month will really change any of the illegal behavior and subsequent damage that is going on.  I guess we'll have to wait and see on that one.  And, two, why it's treated as inevitable for people to take these machines places that they're not allowed, just because they don't have any place else to go.  I don't know of many other hobbies (base jumping on public lands comes to mind) where breaking the law would be so nonchalantly discussed.