Maybe we will get to see all sorts of hot girls biking down the side of the trail in tight pants. I'm all for that! Though, then there is that chance that you come up on one of them from behind and are all like "dang that chick is hot" and then you roll past and its actually a dude.....
MTB'ers on the Trails= Legal
- Thread starter HardwaterHoosier
- Start date
Isn't that the truth!! LOL
engine9man
New member
We saw a guy between Houghton and South Range Wednesday night. He had a bright headlight and taillight. Full reflective suit. We sure didn't know what it was at first. So beware in that area I'm figuring he will be out there again.
Somehow I don't think you'll see too many hot girls heading down the snowmobile trails in the winter on fat tire bikes but if so, I'm sure they'd be welcome out there.
I don't mind the people using the snowmobile trail for other types of recreation, but they have to realize these trails are like freeways and not gravel roads. Coming around a corner to see people two or three abreast is not fun. Then they look at us like we are doing something wrong. I just don't want to smear somebody all over the trail.
The problem is that many of these trails are gravel roads and not freeways. Snowmobilers make the assumption that they are expressways, while in reality they are not, therefore they need to be prepared to slow down when necessary. If the State of Michigan actually owns exclusive rights to these grades, and wants to allow them to be race courses and booze cruise routes for drunks, and that it the only way they can sell the sport and make a profit, that is their choice. I won't be on there and don't go on there now.
The trails I am talking about are on county roads and public and private property that can not legally exclude other users, at least not without reimbursing some of our tax dollars. These roads and trails are not expressways, never have been, and never will be. 45 mph is too fast on some of these trails, and that is exactly what the sheriff said a few years back when he had to deal with the aftermath of one of the all too frequent snowmobile fatalities.
All this said, common sense should prevail. But the biggest problem in the U.P. isn't people walking, riding, or biking on snow machine trails. It isn't people trespassing, or tearing up posted roadside. It's alcoholism. Has been for a long, long time. Many, many accidents, broken up families, health problems and almost all the crime up here related to excessive drinking and other drug abuse. How does this relate? They tried to ban drinking nationally which in theory would have almost certainly made the world a better place. But it didn't work because people didn't obey the law, it made criminals of honest people, and empowered organized crime. How many more laws do we need that people are not going to obey? Anybody drive over 55 on US-41? Anybody smoke pot? It seems to me that people pretty much do what they want as long as they think they can get away with it.
So for the sake of argument, suppose your law against pedestrians on county roads, public and private lands that happen to be used for snowmobile trails actually passed, and held up in court. So law enforcement is going to sit on the side of the trail and wait three weeks for someone to set foot on the trail so they can bust them? Eventually they will get bored, and have to start harassing reckless snowmobilers who may have been drinking. Which is the real problem in the first place. Be careful what you wish for. You can't change other people, they have to do that for themselves.
The problem is that many of these trails are gravel roads and not freeways. Snowmobilers make the assumption that they are expressways, while in reality they are not, therefore they need to be prepared to slow down when necessary. If the State of Michigan actually owns exclusive rights to these grades, and wants to allow them to be race courses and booze cruise routes for drunks, and that it the only way they can sell the sport and make a profit, that is their choice. I won't be on there and don't go on there now.
The trails I am talking about are on county roads and public and private property that can not legally exclude other users, at least not without reimbursing some of our tax dollars. These roads and trails are not expressways, never have been, and never will be. 45 mph is too fast on some of these trails, and that is exactly what the sheriff said a few years back when he had to deal with the aftermath of one of the all too frequent snowmobile fatalities.
All this said, common sense should prevail. But the biggest problem in the U.P. isn't people walking, riding, or biking on snow machine trails. It isn't people trespassing, or tearing up posted roadside. It's alcoholism. Has been for a long, long time. Many, many accidents, broken up families, health problems and almost all the crime up here related to excessive drinking and other drug abuse. How does this relate? They tried to ban drinking nationally which in theory would have almost certainly made the world a better place. But it didn't work because people didn't obey the law, it made criminals of honest people, and empowered organized crime. How many more laws do we need that people are not going to obey? Anybody drive over 55 on US-41? Anybody smoke pot? It seems to me that people pretty much do what they want as long as they think they can get away with it.
So for the sake of argument, suppose your law against pedestrians on county roads, public and private lands that happen to be used for snowmobile trails actually passed, and held up in court. So law enforcement is going to sit on the side of the trail and wait three weeks for someone to set foot on the trail so they can bust them? Eventually they will get bored, and have to start harassing reckless snowmobilers who may have been drinking. Which is the real problem in the first place. Be careful what you wish for. You can't change other people, they have to do that for themselves.
HIGHLANDER
Member
LMAO! what did you just say?
"...county roads, public and private lands that happen to be used for snowmobile trails..."
To clarify, the trails I am referring to are groomed snowmobile trails that follow corridors that are on established roads that are used to access private property, and public and private lands that are open for recreation including hunting and fishing under the Commercial Forest Act. These are the trails that non-motorized users might be inclined to use legally. I am not referring to State owned trails on the grades, that they are operate as so-called "expressways", and are willing to assume all the liability that implies. I can't see a whole lot of reason for a non-motorized user to want to be on those anyway, other than maybe dog sledders travelling a long distance. Some state trails, however, do allow non-motorized travel to access wilderness recreation areas I do believe. Such as the South Boundary Road, and Lake of the Clouds Road, in the Porkies. I'm just curious where the snowmobile community suggests that dog sledders should run? Do we need another segregated U.P. wide non-motorized route? Will snowmobilers be willing to stay off of it all winter? I ski Brockway Mountain Drive about once a year if I am lucky, usually in the spring. I get out early and usually finish without seeing any sleds whatsoever. I ride my mountain bike up there in the summer. I would love that route to be non-motorized year round, but I realize that the overwhelming majority of people want to ride motor vehicles up there so it has to be multi-use.
To clarify, the trails I am referring to are groomed snowmobile trails that follow corridors that are on established roads that are used to access private property, and public and private lands that are open for recreation including hunting and fishing under the Commercial Forest Act. These are the trails that non-motorized users might be inclined to use legally. I am not referring to State owned trails on the grades, that they are operate as so-called "expressways", and are willing to assume all the liability that implies. I can't see a whole lot of reason for a non-motorized user to want to be on those anyway, other than maybe dog sledders travelling a long distance. Some state trails, however, do allow non-motorized travel to access wilderness recreation areas I do believe. Such as the South Boundary Road, and Lake of the Clouds Road, in the Porkies. I'm just curious where the snowmobile community suggests that dog sledders should run? Do we need another segregated U.P. wide non-motorized route? Will snowmobilers be willing to stay off of it all winter? I ski Brockway Mountain Drive about once a year if I am lucky, usually in the spring. I get out early and usually finish without seeing any sleds whatsoever. I ride my mountain bike up there in the summer. I would love that route to be non-motorized year round, but I realize that the overwhelming majority of people want to ride motor vehicles up there so it has to be multi-use.
Ah, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think? I dunno. what did I say? I better quit drinking, eh?
HIGHLANDER
Member
this thread was started about bicycles on a snomo trail...now your talking about corridor roads, access roads and forest roads to private property???! i have a feeling youve got another agenda here....
Absolutely, My agenda is to defend the right to travel to, from, and across lands that one has legal access to, unencumbered, and without fear of harassment. Some of these areas are groomed for snowmobile trails in the winter. Is that understandable?
dj2muchjunk
New member
Not
Now you are calling us all drunks that ride sleds on SNOWMOBILE trails!! We wait nine months to ride very little, on trails that we help pay to maintain, and you want to ride a bicycle that you can ride anytime of the year, anywhere else that you want to!
I think your not very smart to ride on our trails going three miles an hour when traffic is moving at fifty five or better.
Just find a safer place to ride so us sledders don't end up killing you, please.
I think your not very smart to ride on our trails going three miles an hour when traffic is moving at fifty five or better.
Just find a safer place to ride so us sledders don't end up killing you, please.
indy_500
Well-known member
I came upon one of these idiots on trail 3 at night last year in Mass City, scared the living &*#$ out of me, not sure if the guy had a death wish or what. I have no problem with these guys wanting to ride them, but there are plenty of national forests, x country ski trails, etc. that would make it much safer for YOU and ME!
^^THIS!^^
I find these people skiing, snowshoeing, and biking on the snowmobile trails every season, in Marquette County. I wonder how long it would be till one of them had a hissy fit, if I rode on "their" trail networks?
I don't see these folks paying for a trail sticker! They have no business on the "Snowmobile" Trails, regardless if it's through State, or Federal land. Try that crap on the highway, and County Roads...they're on State and Federal land.
How about using that bucket of noodles the good Lord gave us. Just 'cause you 'can', doesn't mean you 'should'.
I'm looking forward to seeing fat bottom girls on fat tire bikes. I wouldn't hold it against them if they had a few pops in them either. Hey,I think I'm going to start doing yoga on the trail? After all,it's my legal right. I was just up in the UP last weekend. When did it become the wild Wild West of snowmobiles? Drunk,gun running,drug dealing, bank robbing snowmobilers running wild? I must have been up there on an off weekend,it looked quiet to me? Sounds like somebody needs to move to California. It's always better to be around like minded people.
I'm seeing a lot less drinking at lunch at pit stops...the staple seems to be diet coke. Back in early 90s I did see lots of riders hard drinking during the day but that was 20-25 years ago & habits have changed. There will always be drug abusers in every sport why single out snowmobilers?