ATVOffRoad.net is a good site with plenty of info, I suggest trying again to get in there. I don't mean to take away from this site..

Right now the Gladwin trail is still partially closed. All of the trail north of M-61 remains closed from the spring of 2004. That part of the trail is referred to as the middle and north loop. They are separated by the piece of linear trail that combines with the ORV Route to cross a stream, near the north portion of the Route. All of the scheduled items slated to be "repaired" on the middle loop have been completed, including projects paid for by ORV Fund grant dollars. We're unsure why the Gladwin Unit is not opening the middle loop at this time. The north loop remains closed and has not had any work done on it since it's closure. The Gladwin office is recommending permanent closure on that portion. That recommendation is now at the Division level for review. We, as User groups, are opposing this recommendation and are trying to find solutions the Department can agree with.
The South loop, or all of the marked trail south of M-61 remains open to ORV use.

The nearest trails to Gladwin are Leota, Denton and St Helen. Depending on where your cabin is, one of these other trails may actually be closer.

I guess from one perspective, you are correct. The legislation did not specify that all trails would have to be widened to 60". It did change the language used to define a forest trail, the change being from a path "less than 50 inches in width" to a path "less than 60" in width".
It's important to understand the current law and rules regarding current ORV trails. Right now there is one type of ORV Trail, it is described as being open to all ORVs less than 50" wide. Thus any ORV (ATV/RUV/Cycle/Go Kart) that is less than 50" can legally travel down this ORV Trail.
Compound this by the two maintenance specifications defined by the DNR - one has the trail brushed out to the full 50" (recommended for ATVs and Cycles) and the other is brushed out to 40" (recommended for cycles, but still legal for ATVs less than 50").
The legislation proposed to make all the trails open to vehicles a full 10" wider. Given that most all of the ORV Trails cross through a forest at some point it's fairly certain that each trail has points on it that are only 50" wide. Those trails would now have to be widened to 60". It's feasible that the DNR could adopt a third maintenance specification for 60" trails and then only apply that to certain trails. Many trails also have bridges, boardwalks and other structures. These structures are built to support the width of 50" ORVs and would have to be replaced at considerable cost (both money and manpower as it was volunteers who built them to begin with).

The bill's sponsors were under the mistaken impression that owners of RUVs had no legal place to ride, thus why they were trying to open ORV Trails up to larger vehicles as well as modify the definition of an ATV. Neither item was necessary as an ATV is just a subcategory of ORVs and all of the ORV Trails are open to all ORVs (less than 50" wide of course). The RUV operators already have 500+ miles of designated ORV Route, several scrambles areas and all of the forest roads in the upper peninsula open to them. Note that ORV Routes are for ORVs of all sizes and are maintained to 72" wide. Once the sponsors were made aware of the existing recreational opportunities for larger ORVs, they withdrew their support.

The current ORV trails are maintained. There are two types of maintenance performed on them. First is what we (those involved in the maintenance program) call maintenance and the second is grooming or grading. Maintenance consists of sign installation and replacement, brushing and deadfall removal. This is done twice a year (minimum) and must be completed by Memorial Day and Labor Day. What is done during this time and how is defined in the Maintenance handbook available here:
http://www.midnr.com/Publications/pd...nts/IC1991.pdf
There are multiple organizations involved in the maintenance program.
The grading is done by a few groups and consists of basically smoothing out the trails using tractors or ATVs to move the dirt.
Examples of the types of equipment in use can be found here:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/...2837/index.htm
One group, for example, contracts for 1000 miles of grading; others contract for several hundred miles. Many trails are graded more than once during a season, which eats into the total miles, thus only ~700 of 1000 trail miles are graded - just that some of those trails get hit 2 or 3 times in a season. Few people will argue that this shouldn't be done more often.

Hope this was helpful, be happy to further discuss this, but will have to be via email or another board - one where double B doesn't talk trash (I can already tell you exactly what his beef with maintenance will be and it's pointless for me to attempt discussion).

 

Jeramey,
uh oh,I can already see BB spreading his BS on your last post..I cant wait for BB to tell us all what a worthless POS you are---------We both know its coming!

 

You betcha! So are we gonna offer Motorsports and YoungBuck a chance to join our secret society? Teach them the secret handshake and all that?
I realize Motorsports is busy with his personal life, but he might be able to make time for our behind the scenes secret meetings we hold.

 

Jeramey,
yes,both sound worthy of joining this elite ORV organization and secret society that we have going.I'll go even one step further and send my private Helicopter after both of them so as to not take up to much of their travel time trying to find us.

Now if I could only find my Pilot!

Happy Holidays,
Bill

 

Once again alot more reading to go thru

Thanks for your thoughts on the trail maintenance. It seem like the trails are not being maintained, and I think alot of others think the same way I do, is that why there is a 4million surplus in funds? I think alot of that may well be the increasing numbers of users there are every year, and it seems there is no plans to increase the maintenance with the higher usage. You already know what I was asking by your comment "(I can already tell you exactly what his beef with maintenance will be and it's pointless for me to attempt discussion)". I guess I did not get the answer I was looking for. I'd rather discuss it online in a forum like this, where other orv users will see it.

You all (blackballed, MUDDY4LIFE, 2TrakR, oldboy, ecorman1...) should take what TIC wrote a page back or so and read it again. I think there are times to discuss some of these things, but then there are times to listen.

You all sould work out your problems.
My thoughts are that it seems some of you were friends, but now just argue to argue.

I think you should take it offline and work it out.

Another ? for MUDDY, back a page or so I asked you if you had anything to do with this ATVOFFROAD.NET and you replied: . I took that as you had nothing to do with that club. So now what is it?

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not so sure I want to join some elite ORV organization and secret society.

 

My apologies for further leading you on, I thought our humor on this item was more than obvious.
I believe, if you talk with more ORV enthusiasts, you'll find that there is just a single out-of-the-ordinary voice of negativity and unfortunately their presence here is misleadingly putting Michigan's program in a bad light.

As for the maintenance of the trails, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I'll not disagree with yours. I hope the information I provided was of use to you.
Happy Holidays!

 

Thanks for the information you provided, it sounds like either you do some of the trail maintenance, or know some that do. I did not mean to sound angry with the condidition of the trail system, but if you are doing some of the maintenance, then you already know.

2TrakR, whether you were orginally serious or not about your clubs, I was not and am not looking to join any of your clubs. "I thought our humor on this item was more than obvious", maybe your comments were aimed at your friend blackballed? All it does is make me wonder. Its like this, take my advice or leave it. If you do not like the things others post, then why bother responding, and the same to the rest of you all.
All you end up doing is confusing anyone who asks some questions about your posts.

Happy holidays is so general when today is thanksgiving,

A huge Happy Thanksgiving to everyone[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

MOTO,
sorry,I thought I did an ample job of answering your question,but I see that according to your response,I did not..So in an effor to better answer you,here we are..

I do not OWN ATVOFFROAD but I concider myself a very big internal part of their organization..I beleive I have alot to do with this club and fully support it in its endeavers.I helped develope it into what it is today and also HIGHLY recommend it to all my students and ATV friends.

2trak is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the history of ORVs and subjects that pertain to trails in the State of Michigan,I thought he did an excallant job of answering your questions,if you dont or wont beleive him,than I have NOTHING you'll beleive either..AND,

I wish you the best in regards to getting all your questions answered.

 

HMMM, weird reply MUD.

MUD, I was asking questions about the posts you post here. You brought up that you knew about the 4million. So I asked you and you refered me to call some DNR office. You and BB posted about that 60", so I asked about that too, and again you and BB refered me to call some State Rep. Office. Similar was the trails. At one post you referred to "ATVOFFROAD.NET", so I asked if you were in that club, and you replied " I do not own the ATVOFFROAD club" not what I asked, but I took that as you had no interest or membership there. Now you post something opposite to that. What are we here to think.

As far as the trails I was posting that I as alot of others think that they are not being maintained, downed trees, ungroomed, overgrown brush. Then I hear State officals complainging of users not staying on trails, how are we to stay on trail when there are downed trees and brush blocking the trails. Get real MUD/2trakr, we ORV users are paying the fee to use the system and since its not being maintained, we catch the flak from State, when it is not our fault. While your info was info, it still did not answer why ORV users have to go around downed trees and brush for months if not longer.

I was asking you questions about things you posted.

MUD, Good Luck in your future endevers,

Motorsports
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Im begining to think that MOTO is a relative a BB with his responses.

Quote from MOTO**--As far as the trails I was posting that I as alot of others think that they are not being maintained, downed trees, ungroomed, overgrown brush. Then I hear State officals complainging of users not staying on trails, how are we to stay on trail when there are downed trees and brush blocking the trails. Get real MUD/2trakr, we ORV users are paying the fee to use the system and since its not being maintained, we catch the flak from State, when it is not our fault. While your info was info, it still did not answer why ORV users have to go around downed trees and brush for months if not longer--END of Quote**

I get it,MOTO thinks that because he pays his 16.25 cents for his ORV sticker,that the trails he rides should be something just like I-75..When it snows,the snowplows are in full force with salt and plowing duties clearing the freeway for motorists ect.

I hate to break it to you Mr Moto,but our ORV trails do not work the same way as the above and our public trail system has NOBODY except non-profit VOLUNTEER folks that do the same trail maintenace that you speak of above.The DNR does not hire outside contractors to do this work,nor do they do it themselves.FYI,about 53% of your 16.25 cents from your ORV sticker fund goes to non profit clubs and associations to maintain the trail system you speak of,and this gets done 2 times a yr.

Im begining to feel that you think this trail maintenace stuff is an easy task and that we should have an inspector riding the trails everyday so they can clear the downed tree's and brances that are in your way..Sorry to break it to you bro,but it dont work that way.