Mosier Valley MX

Those of you that are familiar with Mosier Valley MX are probably aware of the problems the park is facing with the city of Arlington. The city has annexed the property surrounding Mosier Valley and is now "asking" Mosier to make improvements (an estimated 30 million dollars worth by another board). The primary concerns I believe are the grandstands, lighting, food vending, fuel storage, spectator seating, restroom, fire lanes, parking, pit area / working on bikes area, paved roads, signs, emergency vehicle access, back taxes, etc, etc...

They are asking for help by going to this web site and printing the applicable for, having it signed & notorized and mailed to Jerry Surber. The forms are located here http://www.gncmx.com/

Mosier is a great place and practically a legend in mx, as far as tracks go. I'm sure they appreciate all the help they can get, I'd sure like to see this place around for my kid's kids.

I heard he did, I think it was the GNC Nationals. I'm not really sure what they are looking for in the affidavits, I was hoping someone could tell me. I'm still about 120 away from the place but I go every chance I get.

What I've read vs. what I know

I've read that the city of Arlington has figured out that Mosier is actually located within their city limits even though Surber has been paying taxes on time since buying the place in the 70's. Now they feel the need to "inspect" it for safety and so forth. They need to determine if all the buildings are up to code and obviously it's not safe to store "fuel" on the property. The city is saying that in order for Surber to remain open he must "bring the park up to city code." This would require all sorts of improvements to the facility but to what extent I can't say. I have heard some wild rumors though.
Again this is all "hear say" so I can't swear to any of it.

What I know.
Growing up in Arlington, though I never raced I had plenty of friends that did. I managed to make it out to Mosier a few times during the mid 70's to the early 80's. The track is much like any other track, it is made of dirt that gets moved around from time to time. If you get tired of it one way you simply fire up the tractor and change it. I remember using the pota-potties back then just the same as I do now 25 years later. I don't remember when they built the grandstand though. I don't remember it being there back in the 70's. Sometime they did add lighting and apparently a generator that will run the lights if needed. In order to fuel the generator there is a fuel tank, at least I think it's part of Mosier, it's located kind of away from everything, and I don't know when they did that. As far as the rest of it??? It's just a track the same as all the rest of them. It's nothing more or nothing less than what I see everywhere else with the exception of Witney. It would be nice to have a brick restroom with showers and all but I couldn't afford to pay the price Whitney charges every time I wanted to ride.

I think what Surber is asking for in the affidavit is basically what was Mosier like in the 70's vs. what it's like today. In other words what improvements have actually been made? I may be way off base here but what ever the reason I'd hate to lose Mosier because it's not fancy enough or safe enough to ride my dirtbike.

A little side note inserted here.
My sister still lives in Arlington and a few years back her & her husband bought the house of their dreams in south Arlington. It was kind of pricey but they figured they could manage if they only stuck to a budget. After 3 years had passed the city of Arlington sent them a letter saying basically OOPS! Sorry for any inconvenience but the city of Arlington has failed to recognize that your property has a house on it. The tax rate you have been paying was based on unimproved property. In order to recover the lost revenue the city is forced to impose a tax increase that will be incorporated in with your monthly mortgage payment. The end result was over a $200 per month increase for current and back taxes simply because the city failed to properly appraise the property. Result was bankruptcy that everyone has to pay for now. I know it was my sisters fault for living too close to the edge but damn... the city should suck up and pay for their own mistakes. If the city is no more competent than that they should hire someone else to appraise and inspect property or suck it up and pay the consequences for inadequacies. Sounds to me like what they are trying to do to Mosier.

Originally posted by rockchucker
I hope I'm not coming across as anti-mosier, I am not. Just want everyone to know as much as possible so they can be better prepared.

Click to expand...

Not at all rockchucker, you have shed more light on it than I have read during the entire ordeal. I had heard the track was for sale and he's asking a pretty penny too, I heard.

I'm with you on this, I don't want to lose the track by no means but I think Surber needs to do his part. As far as the track condition, the place is a dump just like most of the other tracks I've been to. The thing that sets it apart is the dirt, it's fun to ride on. I know it has been prepped well the few times I've ridden on it over the last year but it has been over 25 years since I was there before this past year.

I don't have any idea what kind of living a person can make from owning & running a track but I'd love the opportunity to have a track like Mosier down here in Waco. If I did own a track I don't think I would add a grandstand like they did because you can see just about everything from on the ground.