When I caught up with Tate Morgan, founder of Sons of Smokey, to talk about garbage, he was out in his Cactus Gray Bronco, marking trash locations for the big event: the Gambler 500.
Sons of Smokey (SOS) is a group of outdoor adventure enthusiasts, formed solely to identify and remove trash from public lands. And in addition to his efforts at SOS, Morgan is principal of Gambler 500, an annual event that’s become the world’s largest public land cleanup trail drive, coming up in Oregon, July 14-16.
The rally is anything but staid. Think: cheap fun, wild builds, and a whole lot of garbage removed, thanks to thousands of volunteers … and the Sons of Smokey app, a tool the Bronco Nation community used last month in Moab during Bronco Safari ‘23.
“The app is my big passion project,” says Morgan. The app allows users to mark the location of trash they can’t carry out, for others with capability to come remove. And if you are able to carry out the trash, you can still add the data to help keep record.
Moab Trash Cleanup
This was Bronco Nation’s third year picking up trash in Moab but our first year using the app to score large items.
With the app, volunteers were able to locate and remove 4,000 pounds of trash during Friday’s cleanup, led by SOS and joined by collaborators Ford and the Bronco Wild Fund. Under Morgan and team’s leadership, nearly 4,000,000 pounds of trash has been collected so far.
During that morning’s briefing, Morgan gave meetup attendees a quick rundown of the Sons of Smokey app, available for iOS and Android. Marking trash is simple. Find some, open the Sons of Smokey app, long tap on the map, enter the trash location name, and snap a picture of it.
To hunt down items, open the app, pinch and drag to find trash near you, collect the dumped item to dispose of properly, and delete the listing.
In past years, the Moab crew has gathered multiple mattresses, rusty metal drums, and other “multi-person plus trailer-necessary”-sized items. This year was no different, with junked pallets strapped to the top of Broncos and truck beds piled high with tires and trash. In between hoisting bulky waste, community members of all ages picked up broken glass, target-practice TVs and monitors, discarded Styrofoam, and whatever else we could find.
Despite the unfortunate reason for being out there, trash cleanup meetups are some of the best times with the community. It's common for people outside of off-roading to view it as a damaging sport –– and when drivers aren’t following Tread Lightly! principles, it can be. But many don’t see the good off-roaders can do, as in the case of meetups like these, where friends and family come out and have a great time, or the Gambler events created to leave the outdoors significantly better by removing illegally dumped boats, cars, and refrigerators.
It's a feeling Morgan knows well. “We’re spending time outdoors doing stuff and setting a good example for our fellow off-roaders and children, so this will be a sport that can carry on for generations.”
What Can You Do?
Today is National Trails Day, and the Bronco Wild Fund is hosting several events across the nation.
Bronco Wild Fund National Trails Day Events
- Georgia Conservancy Woodall Trail Service Day
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Atlanta, GA - Tailgate Party at Rowe Woods
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Milford, OH - Wild Alabama Free The Stones Day/Graffiti Removal
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Talladega, AL
If you couldn’t get out to one of these events, make any time you go out a chance to better the land you’re on. “One of my favorite quotes is by Edward Abbey,” Morgan says. “’Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.’ Have fun and do a good job taking care of what we've been given in the U.S. and public lands.”
How else can you participate in SOS’ “Wilderness Defense” mission? Download the SOS app, and mark trash when you see it, whether you’re out in your Bronco or on foot, boat, or bike. If there are dump spots near you, think about adding an event to the calendar to have others in the community meet up and grab it with you. Or, show up at other organized events where groups like SOS, Bronco Wild Fund, Tread Lightly!, or local 4x4 clubs are hosting cleanups or trail maintenance. In just weeks, for example, SOS will once again be making it easy to participate.
“At Overland Expo PNW, we're going to be showcasing the volunteer crates introduced at Moab,” says Morgan, “where we had the PPE: the Sons of Smokey and Bronco Wild Fund reflective vests, hats, safety glasses, gloves, trash bags, and then some fun swag for people to take along home with them, like stickers and couple of the Bronco Wild Fund trail bags for the back of your Bronco. And I'll be there coordinating a trash pickup. Come hang out, learn how to use the app, get some cool swag, and go pick up trash after having fun at the Expo.”
Watch Sons of Smokey’s site and channels for updates, and stay tuned to the Bronco Nation calendar for events in your area where we can do some good at together!
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