Today, I went to Northern Michigan to ride with a friend. It was fifteen degrees outside and we weren't on quads, we were riding snowmobiles. It was my first experience on such a dumb machine but I figured, some of my "book mates" here are sold on, quads screwin' up the trails for snowmobiles by making those tire rutts. I wanted to test that claim.
We started out kind of slow to give me a lesson, then I put the peddle to the handlebars. After a couple hours, I was comfortable with the machine but not riding more than 30 mile/hour behide my partner. Sticking to the trail, my friend made a tight turn to follow the trail to the right and me twenty yards behide, had it figured out, so I slowed down with the intention of gasing it around the corner. The first part was easy, then I hit a truck tire rutt and when I gased it, she was stuck in the rutt and turning faster than I was. I hit the brake but it was too late. The dumb thing sent me flying over the back on my helmet doing a 360. It kept going until it found two trees that happened to need some lovin'. My friend, who also owns that thing, didn't come back to help me. He was laughing too hard and didn't want me to see.
Now I know why snowmobilers don't like us out there when they are. I'm glade that in Michigan, we do have our own trails, during winter months.
Chuck

 

yeah, 4x4 do a real number on the snowmobile trails... I also own a snowmobile, and live near a lake, so many quads and snowmobiles and dirtbikes (studded) ride by my house, and through our land... I've put up a few signs on one of our larger trail systems on our property warning quads and dirtbikers to take care of the trail and not to abuse it, but I see 4x4 trails running out to the signs, and ralize there is no sign left.
It wouldn't be so darn bad if they would take it easy on our trials, but hills are a b*tch for 4x4s, and I know, because I've done the same thing on mine. I get to the flat before the hill, and floor it, leaving piles of snow behind, and 2 ruts all the way to the top of the hill.



-jester
trails are a privilage, not a right!

 

This friend's place is also on a lake. I noticed other riders traveled across the lake and onto others property as though it was general practice. Mind you, these were all snowmobiles but if there were fourwheelers on the same trails, front yards, I don't think the public would be so passive. Jester, as much as I hate to admit, before falling off that heap, I wouldn't pay much attention to your paragraph...
Chuck

 

I dont have a problem staying off of snowmobile trails,my problem is the two sided law in Michigan that allows snowmobilers the right to ride the right side shoulder of allmost every County road in our State,and every Forest road too.ATVers MUST stay on a ''DESIGNATED TRAIL'' or they can be ticketed and risk getting their ATVs impounded.Thats where I have a huge problem!

I pay as much money for my ATVs as the snow guys,and I'd damn sure like to be able to use the forest roads to without the risk of a fine or impoundment,this is a 2 sided law,far in favor of the snowmachines.

Chuck,
thoust is suppose to love the wife and family,not a TREE,
Bill

 

As usual, we agree on this one. We should have the right-of-way, as well as the sleds but that's not what my post was about. I wouldn't want to see anybody get hurt on a snowmobile or quad. But the ruts we put in the trails seem to have an adverse affect on snowmobile riders and machines. Sure, it would be fun to see them fall off like I did but I don't want to see anybody get hurt.
Chuck