Ok everyone I feel we are being screwed by the new season pass vendor. The last two weeks I spent time driving and calling my local offsite permit sellers trying to find a season pass before I headed to the dunes. Every place I called or went to said we're sold out but we should be getting more by the end of the week. I called back and at the end of each week and everyone still had not received the passes they ordered. Yesterday (11/2/08) while leaving the dunes we were stopped at the permit compliance check and had to pay $120 for the pass. The vendor had a ton of passes in the van. I didn't care about paying $30 more for the pass IF IT WENT TO A DUNE VENDOR AT VENDORS ROW. The vendors at Gordon's were sold out of passes and were in the same situation as the local sellers in San Diego.

I hope I was the only one that was in this situation but I'm sure I'm not alone.

Please write the TRT (trtemail@aol.com) if this happened to you.

online from the ASA, very fast service and delivery

Do they accept CASH?

Bought mine at Fiber-Tech in Santee. They were out the first time (I was already there for other stuff) but the next time I called and they had them. They told me they were only ordering 150 at a time because the ICSO? was going to charge them for any passes they ordered but had not sold.

I bought my weekly at All-Valley Battery in Brawley (9th & Main, 760/351-9244) the weekend before Halloween. Real nice folks, even offered to stay past their 6pm closing time if I couldn't make it in time. Highly recommended. Also Gilmore Racing Products (172 W. Main, 760/344-6080) had them, they're also in Brawley and the owner/operator (?) Michelle gave me her personal cell # and offered to come back down to the shop if I missed her 5pm closing time.

On the other hand, my buddy coming from Escondido tried three places enroute (Alba in Poway and two others in El Cajon/Santee), all three were sold out. Fortunately for him I hadn't left All-Valley yet so I could pick up an extra for him. Lucky for me I spent a few minutes on the phone Wednesday before I left and had the options lined up.

It's not a good sign that so many vendors are sold out so early in the season. Maybe they just underestimated the demand. But given recent history, I'm not inclined to be optimistic.

I got mine at the begining of the season from malcolm smith for $80

Only with photo ID and a note from your mother.

Called Malcolm Smith on Saturday and they were out! HYR in Redlands says they will have them in a couple weeks... and Chaparral had nothing! Anything else in the area to get one NOW?!?!?!

Fiber-tech and Motoworld

ordered mine from the blm link and it was at my house in 3 days.

oh yeah and it had spilled soda all over it from the driver.

That's what I did last year and this year.

Was much quicker last year though...I had my pass in 3-4 days.

This time it was 10 days....thought I ordered it well in advance of my first planned trip...but I ended up missing an unplanned trip since it took so long and almost had to postpone my planned trip by a day - but it did show up at the last minute.

The Shell Station at Westmoreland had weekly passes for $25 on Fri night, 10/31 and the sign said they had annuals also.

Yep. I bought two from them at the SSSS. Paid cash for both of em.

It would be nice to go back in time and go to the SSSS while my other existance is stuck at work SSSS weekend. Oh well I just hope the BLM finds a better vendor that has their act together for next season.

I think the problem lies with the new contractor, I think they will hopefully have some solutions to the problems encountered this past weekend. Last season we could order as many as we wanted from the ICSO, this season they dole them out about 100 at a time unless you pay for them in advance.

mike g nailed it.

That's the thing, Alba and one of the vendors at Gordon's did pay for the passes in advance and were waiting for their orders. I totally think the vendor held back shipping the passes so they could sell them for $120 at the dunes

It is a total cluster... some folks are really working hard to improve the process and should be commended ...others, well

did they say how much for the annual? if anyone can give me a number to call. I dont want to pay a $120 but if I have to....

Motoworld of El Cajon just got more on Monday. I was there last night and asked... $90 and still available.