Where does it end ?

[high time]

I'm old and still like the pipes. It's not about pipes!

But it's always something. I was told that all sledders are outlaws in Norway. They will let you buy a sled with their huge tax, but they will not let you ride on public land. So there are a lot of outlaw riders. They have some fun!
We on the other hand get nipped at several different items and if we solve them they move to some more. This is my beaf with fourstrokes. It's one of our efforts to make the country like us, but it will never happen. As long as there are ''bad'' guys like me, you'll be their favorite.

Lucky you!

Owen

 

[onlyrotax]

Loud pipes or not snowmobiling will ALWAYS be a controversial sport. Organization will be the key to keeping the sport alive. There will always be Greenies fighting to take the entire forest and shut out anything mototized, they just need to be reminded that included in the US Forest Services mission statement, and I quote line #3, is "to provide recreational opportunities for America". To go on, line #2 states that they are to, and again I quote, "manage resources to promote responsible use and sustain a dynamic economy". As far as I am concerned snowmobiling, ATVing, etc.etc fit into that "recreational opportunity" catagory, after all THEY call them recreational vehicles and American people spend a great deal of hard earned cash contributing to a "dynamic economy".

As a former event promoter I have done a fair share of research on the dollars spent on the sport and it is nothing short of staggering. Point being, as a recreational sport contributing to a dynamic economy we have as much right to use public land as any other single user group. PERIOD.

The green people are just more organized and pro-active with what they want and ask for. If the motorized recreation community pulled together efforts to fight for what we believe in we could meet the battles head on instead of accepting closures again and again.

In summary: There is plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the recreation of your choosing, don't pick on mine and I won't pick on yours. Support the efforts of the people that are actively fighting for our rights. Just a thought.

My rant.

I agree, if we are going to save our freedom to ride cross country we need to band with the motel owners, sled dealers, restaurant owners, convienience stores and so on to gain some political clout or we are finished !!!!!!!!!

 

[OuraySledder]

Great IDEA, now go out and make it happen. That is the single biggest downfall in our sport, lots of big talk, little or no action.

I am a local club Pres. I started preaching at meetings last Nov about how people needed to get involved. I went to businesses, and to the riders themselves. When it came time to write a simple letter to the USFS regarding an impending closure, I was able to get 7 out of 75 club members to write letters. So in CO we have 20,000 registered snowmobiles, 2000 in the state club and even with LOTS of prodding I was able to get less than 10% to try and save their own riding areas. FREAKING PATHETIC

We were up against a couple dozen actual skiers that use the terrain. They banded together and came up with hundreds of letters. People that don't even use the areas in question. THAT is how we are getting creamed.

 

[snowmobiler]

Great IDEA, now go out and make it happen. That is the single biggest downfall in our sport, lots of big talk, little or no action.

I am a local club Pres. I started preaching at meetings last Nov about how people needed to get involved. I went to businesses, and to the riders themselves. When it came time to write a simple letter to the USFS regarding an impending closure, I was able to get 7 out of 75 club members to write letters. So in CO we have 20,000 registered snowmobiles, 2000 in the state club and even with LOTS of prodding I was able to get less than 10% to try and save their own riding areas. FREAKING PATHETIC

We were up against a couple dozen actual skiers that use the terrain. They banded together and came up with hundreds of letters. People that don't even use the areas in question. THAT is how we are getting creamed.

i agree.its the same out here.

 

[onlyrotax]

Sorry but loud anything pisses me off. Especially Harleys! they ride right through your neighborhood loud as hell! These days every old fart like onlyrotax has a harley w/pipes its annoying at best! when it wakes the baby it just plain pisses me off! But like I said millions of rich old gezzers are ridding Harleys these days so they get away with it. its crap!Ride you loud sled away from those who would complain is all I can say. eliminating things that cause the sport a black eye is whats important no matter what your preference.

Yeah and guys that wear their caps backwards p1zz me off too but I'm not on here telling them they look stupid when they do it, its their right until someone passes a law that says they can't and that is what we need to worry about. IF your sled was solar powered, sounded like the metropolitan opera, and picked up garbage automatically they would still want it banned !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's quit criticising each other and worry about the real enemy.

 

[MARCUSO]

yep! hold your ground, make it a public as possible....

It is better to lose the small battles, if it means comprimize, and keeping riding areas open. (look @ the big picture)

At least they will look at sledder as people who are reasonable, and responsible. Resist and you will see large booms dropped.

The sledder's image is definitely a grim one in many people's eyes.. We have machines, and people that ride them that can potentially do lots of damage, in many ways... but if we are responsible and minimize it, we can show an example and keep our passion alive.