looking4speed
VIP Member
This is for anyone riding on the Gaylord Mi trails.When you ride south out of town towards Fredric and pass under the freeway the railroad has left extra trail rails at the edge of the tracks.My son found out the hard way,the rails were covered with snow and he hit them full force.He tore the front suspension off the sled and was thrown 20 feet on to the tracks.Worst part was a new sled for him only .8 of a mile before accident.We went back the next morning and found parts from 2 other sleds where the rails were.Just be careful in that area.
PAR III
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You'd think the club grooming the trails would have marked this.
yammie3687
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I am really sorry to hear about this, i ride that area all the time and have talked to another person that did the same thing further down old 27, so be careful along that strech.
looking4speed
VIP Member
When we went back we found a surveyor stick with a orange flag and marked the rails the best we could.Thankfully my son only has a sore back and knee from hitting the rails when he was thrown off.
4Fighter
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Man I hope your son wasn't hurt. Oddly enough, it's common for people to wreck a new sled with less than a 100 miles on it - Mostly due to the unfamiliarity of the machine. A friend with a new sabercat, rolled it with only 6 miles - bent handlebars, busted hood and windshield. I side-swiped my buddy (no working brake light) on my new XLT - first night out with it.
But in this case, poorly maintained/monitored trail conditions.
Any liability onthe part of the railroad since they permitted use of their private property to allow recreational snowmobiling? Might be worth checking into to.
But in this case, poorly maintained/monitored trail conditions.
Any liability onthe part of the railroad since they permitted use of their private property to allow recreational snowmobiling? Might be worth checking into to.
edge_kw
Extreme
4fighter - - don't go that route.
If you start looking to sue people/companies that have signed a lease and let the trail cross their property, you open up a whole can of worms.
So you sue, then next year, everyone hears about it and won't sign the lease. NO MORE TRAIL !!
The clubs are stretched thin for volunteers and try their best to mark obstacles, but they won't catch them all.
The rider wasn't on the groomed portion of the trail obviously.
Yeah, it was an accident and accidents suck, but we have to take some responsibility if we want to participate in this sport.
If you start looking to sue people/companies that have signed a lease and let the trail cross their property, you open up a whole can of worms.
So you sue, then next year, everyone hears about it and won't sign the lease. NO MORE TRAIL !!
The clubs are stretched thin for volunteers and try their best to mark obstacles, but they won't catch them all.
The rider wasn't on the groomed portion of the trail obviously.
Yeah, it was an accident and accidents suck, but we have to take some responsibility if we want to participate in this sport.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
I hate seeing people sue for things like this. First, were the rails IN the trail, or beside it? If they were beside it, then he should have been ON the trail. I have friends who constantly run in the powder beside groomed trails, and I'm just waiting for one of them to nail a stump or rock hard. The club or landowner has no responsibility about the conditions OFF the trail.
As for the suing part, I remember a story I read about near us a year or two ago. A young boy came over a knoll and nailed the back of a parked groomer, and was killed. The groomer operator was found to be at fault because the groomer wasn't parked on a straight, clear section of trail. Well in that area, there aren't many straight, clear sections of trail! But the part I have a problem with, is that there was no mention of the laws that were being broken. When investigated, it was determined that the boy was moving in FAR excess of the trail speed limit. He was also too young to be on a machine of that size (our state limits the size of the snowmobile/ATV a person under 16 can be operating). And, if i remember right (there were a couple similar cases in the past couple years...I could have them confused), he was not with an adult...and someone under 16 needs to be with an adult, BY LAW. Maybe if he had been on the proper size machine, travelling at the posted speed limit, and under supervision of an adult, he might be alive. I don't see what the groomer operator had anything to do with it. But now insurance for all grooming equipment has gone up, and the clubs are required to have more insurance than they used to carry. Who pays for this? ALL OF US.
Jim
As for the suing part, I remember a story I read about near us a year or two ago. A young boy came over a knoll and nailed the back of a parked groomer, and was killed. The groomer operator was found to be at fault because the groomer wasn't parked on a straight, clear section of trail. Well in that area, there aren't many straight, clear sections of trail! But the part I have a problem with, is that there was no mention of the laws that were being broken. When investigated, it was determined that the boy was moving in FAR excess of the trail speed limit. He was also too young to be on a machine of that size (our state limits the size of the snowmobile/ATV a person under 16 can be operating). And, if i remember right (there were a couple similar cases in the past couple years...I could have them confused), he was not with an adult...and someone under 16 needs to be with an adult, BY LAW. Maybe if he had been on the proper size machine, travelling at the posted speed limit, and under supervision of an adult, he might be alive. I don't see what the groomer operator had anything to do with it. But now insurance for all grooming equipment has gone up, and the clubs are required to have more insurance than they used to carry. Who pays for this? ALL OF US.
Jim
looking4speed
VIP Member
The rails were on the side of the trail.It does not have markings showing the edge of the trails end before where the rails are.No I have no intension of suing anybody,I will eat the cost of the repairs.I just wanted to warn everybody that rides in that area.Lack of time on the new sled had nothing to do with this accident.He is a skilled rider that just happended to hit a pile of train rails that were buired under the snow on the side of the trail.#*$&@ happens sometimes.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
You have a good attitude about it...I wish more sledders (and people in general) had that attitude. Sometimes things happen that you can't control. Deal with it and move on. Good luck getting his sled back together so you can enjoy the season!
Jim
Jim
That area is always weak with snow because of the overpass. Its usually is a sandy dirty mess there untill allot of snow falls.
Hope you get him up and running soon, and glad he will be OK.
I have stuck a sled in a track switch back in 91. Not familiar with the area......... Took two people on a SRV about five tries to break it loose......Thanks Tsiceman, and sorry about your bumper.
Tod
Hope you get him up and running soon, and glad he will be OK.
I have stuck a sled in a track switch back in 91. Not familiar with the area......... Took two people on a SRV about five tries to break it loose......Thanks Tsiceman, and sorry about your bumper.
Tod
ToddMeister
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I got hung up on some rails in Gaylord also about 5 years ago. Bent a ski spindle on our (new back then) 2-up sled. Really pissed me off. Luckily I was going slow so didn't get hurt. I don't ride that area any more. There is NO excuse for this. Get that crap off the trail, and don't even put it near the trail, whatever. I see things haven't changed at all there.
RX-Dave
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Not to sound mean, but the trail follows the railroad from Pretty much Grayling to Gaylord, about a 25 mile stretch.
Some buddies used to rent the house on the corner of Mancelona RD and old 27, and we had 2-3 sleds a year stop with front susp damage. Nobody ever knew they were there, even though all the marked signs.
Not saying your son was not paying attention, but your supposed to ride between the markers. That is how it is marked.
Some buddies used to rent the house on the corner of Mancelona RD and old 27, and we had 2-3 sleds a year stop with front susp damage. Nobody ever knew they were there, even though all the marked signs.
Not saying your son was not paying attention, but your supposed to ride between the markers. That is how it is marked.
looking4speed
VIP Member
I rode that strech with him and there are no markers at that location showing the trail is not where the rails were left.Atleast 2 other sleds hit the same rails within 8 hours.There was a lot of different color sled parts scattered on the trail.We always stay within the marked trails.
edge_kw
Extreme
The trail markers are placed wide enough so that the groomer can pass through without knocking them down. The actual trail is the part indicated by the groomer tracks. This is the part you should be riding in. If you were actually on the groomed trail, you wouldn't have hit any rails. I don't think that the club is actually running the groomer over top of a bunch of discarded rails. (it would destroy the skid).
As I said before, if you stray off the groomed path, you're responsible for whatever you run across/hit.
Anyone who thinks that all the obstacles should be removed from anywhere near the trail.........I suggest you join a club and see how much work is actually involved in setting up trails, minimizing obstacles, clearing downed trees, etc.
A lot of you are from downstate.......how about joining a N. Michigan club and come up in the off season to help set up. You'll find a few (& I stress FEW) hardworking people doing there best to set up the trails for your enjoyment.
This is why I cringe (& then rattle on) whenever people state that this should happen & that should happen.
Ok, I'm done!
btw - if you're looking for a club to join & support - check out www.chxsnowmobile.com
As I said before, if you stray off the groomed path, you're responsible for whatever you run across/hit.
Anyone who thinks that all the obstacles should be removed from anywhere near the trail.........I suggest you join a club and see how much work is actually involved in setting up trails, minimizing obstacles, clearing downed trees, etc.
A lot of you are from downstate.......how about joining a N. Michigan club and come up in the off season to help set up. You'll find a few (& I stress FEW) hardworking people doing there best to set up the trails for your enjoyment.
This is why I cringe (& then rattle on) whenever people state that this should happen & that should happen.
Ok, I'm done!
btw - if you're looking for a club to join & support - check out www.chxsnowmobile.com
SLEDSTART
VIP Member
Nice post edge. Most people don't really realize what goes into having trails for us to ride. And it's getting harder and harder every year. I don't drive up there from IL to help but I do toss a decent amount of cash in the kitty when I am up there riding to help with the costs anyhow.
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