Michigan Snowmobile Association.

[Al, L]

In recent months I've gotten snail mail from these people. The first one was wanting me to join to help fight the closeing of Yellow stone Nat. park to snowmobiles. This second letter is wanting me to join the fight of the snowmobiles ban in national parks. THEY WENT SO FAR AS TO SEND ME RAFFLE TICKETS TO SELL. I do not belong to this group and will not join them since I think they should spend a bit,(check that) a whole lot more effort in the state of Michigan as their name implies.
I know it would be nice to ride in Yellowstone and other Nat. parks, But shouldn't Michigan trails and issues be first and for most?
:D Al

[dieseldude]

hey al,
the way i see it michigan trails are only good 20% of the season in the lower peninsula, and 80% in the upper no matter what they do, it depends on snow!
i never join or give money to any organization that hounds me, the worst one is the NRA . i called them last year and told them to stop sending crap mail to my house or i would never renew my membership. they stopped.
back to the issue at hand, if you want to join a club or an organization that truely spends money on trails and grooming do what i do, RIDE IN CANADA! join the OFSC, a local club.

[goosewa]

Guys,

I WAS a member and have decided to never renew my membership. I like they way that they represent family partcipation in the sport.

But, I DO NOT like they way they sterotyped younger people (early to late 30's) involved in snowmobiling. The say were a bunch of drunks and speed demons on the trails. Again a very strong statement to make especially when they don't know me and the certainly don't know Iceman.

They had a booth at the NOVI Snow Show. All of the people that were running the booth looked like they were 60 years old and up. Granted most of them were volunteering for the booth.

That club needs to represent snowmobilers of all age groups not just the 60 and up crowd. Until that happens they are not getting my money.

I think my hard earned money would be used much better by a local club(s). After all they are the ones that clean up, mark and maintain and groom the trails in your areas.

-Goosewa

[dieseldude]

i know what ya mean gooswa, i love to ride hard and be a speed demon, but only when i know its safe and i can see a great distance.
i also love to have a few beers now and again, but only after my machine is parked for the day.

we all have someone to come home to, i have 3.

those guys were old crotchie archie bunker types, they are intimidated by our youth.....;)

[goosewa]

DieselDude and et al,

Snowmobiling and its future depend on support from snowmobiliers nationwide, not just here in Michigan.

The changes in Yellowstone are just the tip of the iceburg. The same thing could more than likely happen here in Michigan with the National Forests.

A prime example of the above is this thread I started:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=23983

I think the MSA has a good thing going but it needs to get support
from snowmobiliers of all ages not just the older crowd.

Just like anything else. There are always a few bad apples in every crowd. Don't sit there and criticize the whole group due to the negligence of those bad few. They always did a good job about pointing out us younger people out in their newsletters. As far as I am concerned, I would much rather start my own club than renew my membership in theirs.

-Goosewa

[Al, L]

I'm with dieseldude except, I ride more in Minnesota. $16.00 last year for a nonresident trail permit. Far far better groomed trails, never any brush and crap like dead falls hanging in the trails like we experinced last year right here at home. To top it off We got to spend $4.00 more for the permit to get slapped up side the head with brush.
If this MSA group wants people to join their ranks then they need to change a couple things first. #1. don't send people raffle tickets that didn't request them. #2 tell them what the club would like to do to make snowmobileing better right here in Michigan & and not just the UP at that.
:p If it wasn't for snowmobilers in the winter we could roll up the hiways here in the UP after deer season. I think there could be a few changes in trail funding. First off there should be an over ride key on cash regesters at gas stations so the road tax on the gas I put in my sled go to a trail tax fund, in summer boat gas tax monies should go for ramp funding & parking lots. The bussness that profit so much from the sport could kick more monies back in to trail improvements and grooming. Most of the places we've rode in Minn. Bussness buy signs for Trail juncitions that say go (say) north 3 miles for gas at the town of Miltona for example they have there gas stations name on the sign and we as riders know which way to go.
:D Al
I ride a lot here but I stay on local two tracks that are not part of the trail system.

[dieseldude]

sounds like Minn. has got there s@*t together. i have never been there. what type of details can you share with us?
drive distance lodging etc.
let me know Al

thats two places that spend money on the trails, canada and minn. i would pay $80.00 for a Mi trail permit if they would try to take care of our trails

[Al, L]

Last place we rode was in Miltona, just north of Alexandria. It is in Douglas county. If i remember correctly they advertised 5000 miles of trail in that county alone. It is very rare to find a trail there, that from the very southern most town that won't get you to Duluth, or from St. Paul to Fargo North Dakota. Motel prices are about what you would pay in say Munising for the same type of motel.
:p My brother in law lives in Flint. Says he can make St Paul in 10 hours doing 75, on I69 to I94 . I would allow 12 hours myself. We take 64 out of Marrientte Wi to Merrel then 51 south to 29 west across to Mound WI and catch 94.
:) I don't remember the web site for the snowmobileing information in Minn. but you might try a search for dept of toursim. They just send me a booklet every year now.
I like to stay at resorts. In Miltona we stayed in/at Viking Bay resort cost us $50.00 more than a super 8 motel but we got a 3 bed room house 2 bathes with 2 Jucizzs, fridge, cooking dishes, eatting dishes, dish washer, bed linnens, micro wave, range with oven bath towels,coffee maker grill on the deck and a Ice fishing shanty placed by a fishing guide(we didn't use it though) across the street trail acess. We saved the $50.00 extra by makeing our own breakfast and dinner. then threw the dishes in the dish washer and rode half the night. They have a web page: www.vikingbayresort.com
Very nice helpful people.
Riding is, ditches, farm fields, woods and hills Just about every thing even a old rail road system.
I have friends that do Ont. Canada. say it is the best $90.00 for intertainment they spend. Say trails there are better than the express ways roads in the states.
:D Al

[dieseldude]

thanks al,
your buddies are right there are some trails (in ontario) that you can run 60-80 mph safely all day. the trails are so wide that they have to groom them both ways and someplaces they are divided by a 20 yard median for 2 way traffic. it is sweet!

[Al, L]

I forgot to mention that just about every road/hyway in Minn. has a groomed trail running in the ditch. Summer sporting complexes parking lots are for the most part plowed out in the winter so you can park your rig and trailer and ride. Strip malls in a lot of the towns also have areas set aside for rig and trailer parking.
One of these days I am going to give the trails in Wisconsin a try. Between Merrel and Wausau on a back road #107 you cross 8 snowmobile trails in 26 miles. Near Moutian Wis. it is National forest land.
:D Leaveing to spend the next 2 weeks in deer camp with my partner. Have a safe season.
:D Al

[dieseldude]

thanks again al, have a good hunt

[Al, L]

Diesel Dude, I am back from deer camp and have everything put away except things for the muzzle loader season trip down below.
:p We had a good season, like most UP seasons we seen lots of deer some days and none at all others. The acorn crop just wasn't there in the hunting camp area, hard woods and within 100 yards of a two track wasn't the place to be. We managed to fill a tag each.
:) Minnesota information on snowmobileing can be got on line at>>>> http://www.snowtracks.com/minnesota/index.htm >>>>> Have a safe sledding season.
:D Al