epic stupidity on trail 8

[indy_500]

I was down in Plainfield Wisconsin once, a guy decided to take a little chevy cavalier on the trail. He actually made it 2 miles, ripping it up TERRIBLY and he made it within 200 feet of the next road crossing and got stuck. Someone was pushing and someone was driving. After riding in these DEEP ruts, there was no way I was going to stop and help.

 

[mnguy]

Was sitting at a road crossing in the in the groomer late one night. It was snowing heavy and the road had 5-6" snow on it. I saw a car approaching and decided to let it pass before crossing. Well, it stopped about 50' from me and just sat there, so I pulled up onto the road. As I did he flipped his blinker on and turned onto the trail, getting stuck immediately. After pulling him out he said he thought I was the snowplow driver.

 

[cobalt_502]

We were on an early December trip about 5 years ago in the Eastern U.P. and were taking logging roads to get to trail 422, there was easily 20"-30" of fresh POW and as we came around a tight corner there was an UNMANNED dog sled team dead center of the trail going full tilt boogie! The lead guy thinks he nicked one of the dogs but they never stopped soo if he did they were dragging him? We thought for sure we would find the handler down the trail but never did? We were pretty shook up and nearly hit each other as the leader had to stop immediately to avoid killing the dogs.

 

[Polarice]

Some of these stories are great.

My best one so far was this year cruising on a trail by AuTrain coming around a curve only to see about 5 dogsledders. I've never seen that before and these were little dogs pulling these guys. There was some Jackrussells and what not.

 

[fatdaddy]

just found in the local paper.

WASECA, Minn. -- A Waseca man is charged with felony making and possession of bombs, and terroristic threats after authorities discovered a homemade explosive device hidden in a sex toy.

Thirty-seven-year-old Terry Allen Lester faces a possible 10 years in prison if found guilty.

On Jan. 1, a Waseca woman called police and told them Lester had been staying with her and another woman at her apartment, but he was forced to leave when the manager learned about his presence.

Lester moved out but left behind some bags that contained suspicious containers, including one which was marked with the words "Christmas Gifts" written in black marker.

A criminal complaint says Lester had made some modifications to a sex toy, packing it with gun powder, BB shot and buck shot from shotgun shells. He added black and red wires that connected to a trigger with a battery port.

Authorities found no battery inside the device.

The complaint maintains that Lester was going to give the device to one of three women he had broken up with after the relationships turned sour.

Police also found tools used in the construction of the explosive device, including cords, cables, a small tool kit and two other sex toys.

The Bloomington Bomb Squad made the two-hour trip to Waseca, X-rayed the device, and then diffused it.

 

[goneaway]

yep the wife and i almost got one off those elusive cross country skiers. sking rite dowm the middle of the trail on the up slope of a hill. good thing the wife was with otherwise id have been going faster and probly would have wiped him off the face of the earth.

 

[upsledder]

Seems like a lot of people are eager to call someone else stupid. There could be circumstances that you aren't aware of. As far as breaking the law, it's no different than you riding your sled down a road illegally, and don't tell me you've never done that.

 

[snocrazy]

Seems like a lot of people are eager to call someone else stupid. There could be circumstances that you aren't aware of. As far as breaking the law, it's no different than you riding your sled down a road illegally, and don't tell me you've never done that.

I don't think that riding a sled down the road can damage the road making it unsafe for cars to travel at usual speeds.

 

[beakjones]

Seems like a lot of people are eager to call someone else stupid. There could be circumstances that you aren't aware of. As far as breaking the law, it's no different than you riding your sled down a road illegally, and don't tell me you've never done that.

It IS entirely different.

I personally ride my sled out of the garage down the right side of the road (legally) and onto the trail. This is probably not equivalent to damaging a trail that is groomed daily.

 

[upsledder]

I don't think that riding a sled down the road can damage the road making it unsafe for cars to travel at usual speeds.

Tell that to the cop as he's writing your ticket.
Safe snowmobiling involves being prepared for all kinds of obstacles in the trail.

 

[doo or die]

some really nice stories! enjoyed reading them

 

[srobak]

There is the scoop. On trails that the land is owned by the DNR, it is illegal to drive anything but a snowmobile on from December 1st through March 31st. Anything else like a dog sled or skier or vehicle needs permission from the DNR to be out there. On private property, it is up to the land owner, but permission must be granted.

Yep - this was the case even decades ago when I was a kid growing up there... and I have to double check but I believe at least in MQT county all DNR marked trails forbid anything except sleds or tracked vehicles - hence the increased sales of track kits for quads in the region. Not to mention that most of the private land that grants passage for trails is surrounded on either end by state land - so non sleds still couldn't get to the private land if they wanted to.

Anyway, the stories some groomers tell me about, sounds like the Discovery Channel could start a series about them!

I think you are on to something with this

srobak, were you the guy that came into the Tailwind with the backpack and green helmet? My buddy and I were sitting at the bar. We had rode sled up from Wausaukee, WI. Stayed at the Red Fox Mon. and Tues. night and rode back on Wed. I'm not sure if we went through this area, we came down 8 from Marquette Tues night.

That was me. Borrowing my dad's Carharts and using my old motorcycle helmet (he was at the bar with me). when you went west and then north from Tailwinds along 8 towards Marquette/Negaunee - you would have ridden through there. This is the spot (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=46.320215,-87.417001&spn=0.005891,0.011619&t=h&z=17) and Tailwinds is just northeast of there. It is hard to tell from the sat image, but that dirt road that makes a sharp left away from 553 and has a tree-line along the south edge is pretty narrow and is cut into a pretty steep valley with thick brush. That is 8, and right where the trucks were all stacked up. Right on 553 and just south of there is the yellow flashing light for 94, which you can see from 8 as you are heading south, and look up the hill towards the roadway.

Seems like a lot of people are eager to call someone else stupid. There could be circumstances that you aren't aware of. As far as breaking the law, it's no different than you riding your sled down a road illegally, and don't tell me you've never done that.

Actually, crossing the roads is legal - that is about all I have ever done when it comes to the roads. I do not ever venture off the marked trails - some of which do go on state, county and local roads for a bit here and there. As your username is UP Sledder, I presume you know the laws concerning sleds being allowed to ride shoulders of state and county roads, and even that many municipalities (Negaunee, Ishpeming, Gwinn, Chatham and Munising just to name some off the top of my head) also permit riding on the roads, sidewalks, shoulder - some in specifically marked areas.

Despite that - there is a significant difference between a car gouging a trail and burying itself making it impassible - if even on a blind curve like this one, and a sled even tossing its track while going along the shoulder. Don't try to excuse stupidity by making non-parallel analogies.

 

[loriwlrc]

The Bill Nicholl's Trail #3 is a all purpose trail. There are two local Ranger UTV's that use this trail from Houghto to Twin Lakles legally. So use caution as they are allowed to use this section of the trail.

 

[nytro_se]

need to say no more

wow this is interesting only in mn lol

 

[srobak]

wow this is interesting only in mn lol

it was in the UP

 

[mjkaliszak]

One time he said it was a little old lady and her 4 kids and she said SHE was quite upset to see the groomer coming and blocking her way!

-John

I could see this happening, most people believe it or not ... never have seen a groomer before. Good for a chuckle . I like the TV show idea, that would be great, I think little ( not enough ) respect is given the groomer guy's plus we could watch some great footage. I can only imagine what those guy's see. Our sport would be " next to nothing " without them !!!!!
I stopped a groomer 1 time a few years back, ( Central UP ) got out , shook his hand , thanked him for grooming, and offered up a box of candy ( from my stash ). Good example to set ( son watching ).

As far as the DNR, I know where they were last week (Wednesday), sitting up a side road ( eating donuts & drinking coffee ), north of Twin Lakes on 3 with a big stretch of road in both directions .

I enjoyed reading these posts.