Eagle River/Three Lakee Trail
- Thread starter Eagle River Mike
- Start date
I do understand the two sides to the story thing, but isn't there a way to bump heads without punishing the inocent trail using, registration paying snowmobiler? Not to mention that someone riding by his developement might see it and stop to take a look!! He might even get a sale from someone using the trail, or that person could tell someone else. Word of mouth is a lot of free advertizing.
Things are heating up as I saw this Dear Editor in the Vilas Cty News today along with an anti-ATV letter:
Snowmobile clubs need to do more for landowners
Dear Editor:
The front-page story about the Clearwater Lake developer shutting down the snowmobile trail was somewhat misleading as it failed to mention that there is another trail that connects Eagle River with Three Lakes. The trail goes along Highway 70 East and through the Nicolet National Forest and over to Three Lakes.
What the story really reveals, though, is that it is time for the parameters of private land use for snowmobiles to change. The article champions the idea of dismissing the $158,000 fine against the developer in exchange for allowing the trail to stay open.
It also loudly proclaims that $30 dinner certificates from snowmobile clubs as a payoff for trail use on private land is inequitable when you consider the misuse and abuse landowners have to put up with from snowmobilers every year. The snowmobilers doing the abuse may be a minority, but they appear to be a growing minority.
Every year we read in this paper Op-Eds that request snowmobilers to stop abusing private property. And every year the abusive behavior never changes. This land abuse needs to be calculated within the reimbursement formula for landowners.
Every business up here makes it well known they are depending on snowmobilers so they can operate in the winter. These business owners are taking the private landowners who have trails running through their property for granted. They are giving landowners absolutely nothing in return for helping bring customers into their business. It appears that over time, business owners have been lulled into an entitlement mentality regarding this issue.
Every business that benefits from snowmobiler business should start pooling money every year into an escrow snowmobile trail access account and dividing the proceeds among the landowners at the end of every winter. There needs to be an equitable amount calculated and agreed upon. Business owners need to start looking at snowmobile trail access money as a necessary business expense.
Can you imagine any of the trail landowners going to business owners and telling them, “Every year I want to use your business or services every day for three months, when I’m done I'll give you a $30 gift certificate to a restaurant.” What do you think their response would be? Yet that is exactly what these business owners are telling the landowners.
The property owner did their part, they bought the land. They have the right and the freedom to choose how to capitalize on it for gain or pleasure. Business owners need to step up and do their part. If businesses are not willing to add trail land access as a part of their business expense ledger, then landowners have every right to stop trail access.
Every free market capitalist/entrepreneur reading this knows the transactions I’ve outlined above are the fundamental basis of good capitalism. If business owners are not willing to expense for trail access, then they are telling us they really don’t need the snowmobilers’ business.
Uno M. Bloom
Eagle River
Tuesday, May 17 2011 14:56
Snowmobile clubs need to do more for landowners
Dear Editor:
The front-page story about the Clearwater Lake developer shutting down the snowmobile trail was somewhat misleading as it failed to mention that there is another trail that connects Eagle River with Three Lakes. The trail goes along Highway 70 East and through the Nicolet National Forest and over to Three Lakes.
What the story really reveals, though, is that it is time for the parameters of private land use for snowmobiles to change. The article champions the idea of dismissing the $158,000 fine against the developer in exchange for allowing the trail to stay open.
It also loudly proclaims that $30 dinner certificates from snowmobile clubs as a payoff for trail use on private land is inequitable when you consider the misuse and abuse landowners have to put up with from snowmobilers every year. The snowmobilers doing the abuse may be a minority, but they appear to be a growing minority.
Every year we read in this paper Op-Eds that request snowmobilers to stop abusing private property. And every year the abusive behavior never changes. This land abuse needs to be calculated within the reimbursement formula for landowners.
Every business up here makes it well known they are depending on snowmobilers so they can operate in the winter. These business owners are taking the private landowners who have trails running through their property for granted. They are giving landowners absolutely nothing in return for helping bring customers into their business. It appears that over time, business owners have been lulled into an entitlement mentality regarding this issue.
Every business that benefits from snowmobiler business should start pooling money every year into an escrow snowmobile trail access account and dividing the proceeds among the landowners at the end of every winter. There needs to be an equitable amount calculated and agreed upon. Business owners need to start looking at snowmobile trail access money as a necessary business expense.
Can you imagine any of the trail landowners going to business owners and telling them, “Every year I want to use your business or services every day for three months, when I’m done I'll give you a $30 gift certificate to a restaurant.” What do you think their response would be? Yet that is exactly what these business owners are telling the landowners.
The property owner did their part, they bought the land. They have the right and the freedom to choose how to capitalize on it for gain or pleasure. Business owners need to step up and do their part. If businesses are not willing to add trail land access as a part of their business expense ledger, then landowners have every right to stop trail access.
Every free market capitalist/entrepreneur reading this knows the transactions I’ve outlined above are the fundamental basis of good capitalism. If business owners are not willing to expense for trail access, then they are telling us they really don’t need the snowmobilers’ business.
Uno M. Bloom
Eagle River
Tuesday, May 17 2011 14:56
It is state policy that if wetlands are destroyed due to construction of any kind whether private or public, the number of acres destroyed must be restored in a different area. And the relocation can be anywhere in the state.
This guy isn't too swift, where does the tax base come from?? Don't bitch and complain when your taxes go up to support government services you dummy!
He' most likely a tree hugger and save the whale kind of guy <jk>...lol
Its economics 101 in this country, some people just don't get it.
He' most likely a tree hugger and save the whale kind of guy <jk>...lol
Its economics 101 in this country, some people just don't get it.
Yep the Dear Editor letters in the Vilas Cty News are off the wall opinions as is this 1. Land owners DONATE use of their land for somo Trail use plain & simple. Sure there are always other trails to 3 lakes but they are blocking the most direct path. A rider could loop west & south to Sugar Camp & east to 3 lakes or ride east to the Kimball South but you would be turning a 20 minute direct ride into an 11/2 hours round about with few gas stops outside of ER. Plus no biz at all in the forest after the Wayside. More than likley riders will forget about 3 lakes from ER & prefer to ride west, south & north adding to the heavy traffic already in those areas. Sounds like no solutions for now outside of blackmail to eliminate DNR fine then this guy could shut off the trail later anyway. Sounds like we need a new trail from somewhere around weasals that connects to the 3lakes chain of lakes & the **** with this guy! I for 1 don't trust him at all!!