Respect the Groomer

LoveMyDobe

LoveMyDobe

Active member
After 12 hours out grooming last night, my Hubby came home and said it would be nice if the last person in a group would signal to him that they are the last sled. Would be nice for him to know. Also, there was a group last night that the last sled stopped and did a hole shot next to the groomer on the newly groomed trail!
Some people are so disrespectful!!!
 
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windingtrailgal

Active member
I always hold up my fist to signal last - make sure they see me - then wave. What an @$$ who did the hole shot! Thanks, Mr LoveMyDobe!
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
LoveMyDobe said:
After 12 hours out grooming last night, my Hubby came home and said it would be nice if the last person in a group would signal to him that they are the last sled. Would be nice for him to know. Also, there was a group last night that the last sled stopped and did a hole shot next to the groomer on the newly groomed trail!
Some people are so disrespectful!!!
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Yep sorry there are A wholes that spin out newly groomed trails but happens all tooooooo many times. Your reminder is needed but probably won't stop the A wholes.:(
 
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jim_golding

New member
While I have not done any grooming this year due to the lack of snow, but nothing is more frustrating seeing riders tearing up the white ribbon you just put down. A few year ago one of our groomer drivers had some sled tear up the trail he just got done grooming. He caught up with them at the gas station and gave them heck for 5 minutes about being inconsiderate, not respecting property and ruining the trails. Of course they did not belong to a club so he told them they should join a club so they could realize the work that clubs perform. To say they least they left the gas station very slowly and respectfully!!! www.kettlerangesnowriders.com
 
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loriwlrc

New member
an every day/night event in the day of a groomer. Then they have the b--- to complain the trails are bumpy. A great combination, throttle, trench, =bump, times that buy 100's of sleds = really bumpy trails.Love when riders and business owners then come up to a groomer operator ( especially those that volunteer)and starts compaining. My huuuummmm thought, get out there and groom, 1st. excuse, don't have the time. For us it's a priority, good trails= riders in the area= full rooms, busy restraunts,bars and stations.It's a thankless job for many of us, until they've riden miles of moguls then come upon you, one guy actually got off his sled and bowed to the groomer as if it were a king,funny! This is a subject that could become interesting....
 
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russholio

Well-known member
Always seems like the worst offenders are the first and loudest complainers when the trails aren't so good.
 
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just_ride

Member
I always try to stay off the White ribbon for as long as I can!

Thanks to all that drive the big rigs on the trail!!

All Hail The Groomers!!
 
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Obriengotwake

New member
Carry a paint ball gun and give them a nice spot on the helmet and we will take care of this when we see them at their next stop. LOL.
I always wanted to do this to the jet skiers that get to close to my boat and the wakeboarders I am pulling.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
Obriengotwake said:
Carry a paint ball gun and give them a nice spot on the helmet and we will take care of this when we see them at their next stop. LOL.
I always wanted to do this to the jet skiers that get to close to my boat and the wakeboarders I am pulling.
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In WI wakeboarder is part of the boat all watercraft should allow 100 foot margin if closer than than 100' call cops with offenders reg number.
 
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chevytaHOE5674

New member
Speaking of groomers, yesterday I was driving my pickup truck loaded with animal feed North on the Norwich road towards Ontonagon. Come over a hill and the groomer is coming south in the MIDDLE of the road. I had to put two tires into the snowbank to get around him. Meanwhile he could have moved over a couple feet and even drove on the snowbank without much trouble. He was just driving down the middle of the road like he owned it.....

Luckily the other half was in the truck with me to calm me down or I would have ran him down and given him a piece of my mind.
 
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groomerdave

New member
Biggest complaint we have right now is riders pulling up to the groomer and stopping in the middle of the trail. Get off the trail people! Its a SNOWmobile give us a little room. If you get stuck (which you shouldn't) we will help you get out if you aren't with a big group that can easily get you out. Fuel is not cheap, so the longer it takes the more the club has to pay out.
Just my $.02....
Think Snow! -Dave
 
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windingtrailgal

Active member
groomerdave said:
Biggest complaint we have right now is riders pulling up to the groomer and stopping in the middle of the trail. Get off the trail people! Its a SNOWmobile give us a little room. If you get stuck (which you shouldn't) we will help you get out if you aren't with a big group that can easily get you out. Fuel is not cheap, so the longer it takes the more the club has to pay out.
Just my $.02....
Think Snow! -Dave
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Here's a question you can't answer...WHY do they stop in the middle of the trail??? :confused:

Haven't heard much from you this season, groomerdave! Hope that means you have plenty of snow in your area and are too busy working and volunteering to make the trails all pretty! :)
 
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groomerdave

New member
windingtrailgal - I wish we had plenty of snow! Lean again this year, but rideable. Been a tough year grooming, lots of equipment issues. Would be a lot easier if we had 3' of snow... Still "lurk" around on here, but been pretty busy. lol.
Think Snow! -Dave
 
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Polarice

New member
Groomerdave,

Do you work for the county, city, or club? How does that work in our area? I'm curious about Alger county and it sounds like you may be in both Marquette and Alger. Any info is appreciated. I'd like to know how guys are paid in the areas I ride in.
 
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groomerdave

New member
Polarice - We are all with clubs in this area. Our clubs are grant sponsors for the Mi DNR. Basically non profit contractors for the state. Clubs are reimbursed for miles groomed (not sure what it is this year, around $4.60/mile groomed). Munising visitors bureau is a little different, they contract grooming out to a local contractor. That $4 something a mile has to cover all your routine maintenance, fuel, and operator if the club chooses to pay their operators. Personally I'm not paid, but I get my expenses covered. (Gas, oil, few tools, some sled parts)
If you ever want to jump in for a ride in the groomer let me know. Always figure the more people know about grooming the better off the sport is.
Think Snow! -Dave
 
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snowfreak56

Member
chevytaHOE5674 said:
Speaking of groomers, yesterday I was driving my pickup truck loaded with animal feed North on the Norwich road towards Ontonagon. Come over a hill and the groomer is coming south in the MIDDLE of the road. I had to put two tires into the snowbank to get around him. Meanwhile he could have moved over a couple feet and even drove on the snowbank without much trouble. He was just driving down the middle of the road like he owned it.....

Luckily the other half was in the truck with me to calm me down or I would have ran him down and given him a piece of my mind.
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You would never make it in farm country.LOL
 
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chevytaHOE5674

New member
snowfreak56 said:
You would never make it in farm country.LOL
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Oddly enough am a farmer, and have driven in farm country all my life. I understand that he has to use the road too but to run the other traffic off the road isn't right either. I've driven plenty of combines, mowers, discs etc down the road (all wider than the groomer) and I move over as much as I can to let traffic around me when it is present. I don't center up the yellow line and force traffic to go off the road around me. This time my passenger side tires were in the snow bank a good solid foot, and my mirror was a couple inches from his track, yet he had at least 3-4 feet from his other side to the snowbank.....

Edit: not only is it courteous for the equipment to move over it is also the law.
 
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mjkaliszak

New member
OK... I'm guilty of running right down the fresh ribbon. BUT... during the day sometimes there is no place else to go. Some sections of trails are only so wide. NOW... I'm also guilty of other offenses, like stopping the groomer in open area's, tipping him and saying " Thank You " go buy yourself lunch.... OR hey... do you want some candy ??? and then proceed to pull out a big bag of assorted sweets and offer them their choice. Always try to tip the groomer jars in & out of eating establishments. Finally.... I try to do this in front of my kids, they need to appreciate what other people do for this sport, and sometimes they are expecting nothing in return. When we are out during the day and we come across a ribbon, I group the kids up and remind them that if we see a groomer, WE get out of the way.
 
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