Why have we been foresaken?

[smokum613]

Had a great time yesterday on the Osgoode/Metcalfe/Russel zones with my brother & his buddy Got a lil carried away with speed jumps in the open straights over culvert piles (who the hell jumps 12ft in the air with an Apex SE when they're 6ft4 and 245 ), and blew out my rear outer bogies with a hard landing **Yes, my knees are killing me today

Quite a few young 'tards running way too fast in the treed twisties and drifting the turns. One of these days I'll lose it and side kick one of those fuckers right off their sled !!!

Ron's service fixed me up at closing time today and ready to rock again so hopefully Sunday the trails hold out enough to get ONE MORE RIDE in because it's too late now to head out today with guests coming for supper

 

[smokum613]

Great time Sunday !! 7hrs riding EVERYWHERE... Metcalfe-Greely-Osgoode-Vars-Russel-Vernon-Winchester-Chesterville-then back to Metcalfe.

Surprised that the Winchester trails were as good as they were (even thru the swamps). All in all, I had a wonderful time of tour and speed for two tank fulls of smiles.

Unless some miracle happens, I'm considering my sled time done for the season... Only 3 times out for my first year on a sled, and eagerly looking forward to play lots more come the next one !!

 

[Mooseman]

Stick a fork in it boys, she's done. The heat is on and snow is going away fast even though trails still show yellow, I wouldn't trust it. My trip odometer says I did only 750km this year. I don't think I'll need to change the oil, still looks like new. Has to be the shortest season ever but in all honesty, we were due for a bad season. At least we were able to get out there a little when at first, I really thought we were doomed.

This might have a secondary effect of getting people getting out of the sport and sell their sleds and associated equipment cheap. I'm looking for an enclosed double trailer but it has to be 12' long to fit my MP long track.

 

[Phatboyc]

@Phatboyc , I might have met you yesterday. Did you ask for directions in a field near Mitch Owens heading west?

I don't recall anyone in our group asking for directions so early on our day trip. We where 1 Ventures, 1 Venture RS, 2 Apex and 1 BRP Renegade (Black and red).

Did have to do White Lake 2 or 3 times while looking for the trail at it was not open so no trail posts. We actually did a full circle without knowing it. lol

 

[Mooseman]

Don't you just hate it when that happens? Or when the signs, if any, are as informative as a meth addicted tourist guide. You're going on a road run when all of a sudden, you're in downtown whatever in front of the beer store with people looking at you funny. Turn around and see you missed the trail a couple of KM back.

Next year, we should organize an Ottawa area TY ride. We would have a fairly good sized group I think.

 

[Phatboyc]

I like ridding on Lakes and Rivers so it didn't bother me one bit. But on the way back we did miss a turn and went under the highway. Then the trail was on a road with no snow and a bridge then we turned around. That part I hate.

Not sure I am buying an Ontario trail pass next year. Same goes for most of my ridding buddies.

 

[Mooseman]

This was just an off year. The past few have been really good. I think the last bad year was 2009/2010 season, which was the first year I had my MP. I just like being able to ride right from my front door to the trail system.

 

[Phatboyc]

Yes I get that. But during the last three snowstorms it takes them 2 days to even think of grooming.

When I look in Quebec the groomer gps is grooming every night after the storm...

 

[Mooseman]

We used to have a really good executive in out club but ever since George left, it went to crap. We went from being the best club in the world to the worst. When George was there, if there was a storm, he'd get the groomers out during the storm, not after.

 

[smokum613]

Is there a conflict of interest with George continuing on the committee ?, or was/is it just a matter of no longer having the time ?

This my 1st yr riding, and I had heard previous good comments that had my hopes up of awesome trail conditions and maintenance, only to be let down by both the crappy weather conditions and what "I felt" (in my unknowledgeable self at the time), was poor management.

So as not to be one of 'those guys' I decided that "this was ridiculous" and that being disabled/retired that I could do a better job if I simply could procure a groomer, and maintain the section of trails I use myself. Looking into it I come to learn that a 'new' groomer rig is in the $250k to $350k (which blew my freaking mind !!), and said wtf ?!? Not to mention that for the life of me I just don't understand how it's justified for the costing of one of those things. However, perhaps with a little municipal/provincial recreational public activity funding, local business support in lieu of advertising and participation, and OFSC support, it could possibly be doable should the trails benefit enough to draw attraction and quality use.

On to the next thing I felt I needed to look into......... What's involved in actually grooming trails ?

This is where it all ended for me. I could hardly believe the science, knowledge, and experience needed to do proper management of a trail let alone what an operator needs to know to perform whats expected of them. How many like myself don't realize that SNOW isn't just some cold white stuff that falls from the sky to be simply plowed and packed to ride on ? From comments I've read/heard from just about everywhere, I'd say pretty much 'everyone' after THIS season we had.

I googled and read, as well as watch a few online videos, about groomer certification requirements and training... It blew my mind to think that it wasn't just a matter of hopping into a groomer and have at it with some basic training.... I really wish I thought to save links of all the stuff I saw to back up what I'm saying, as well as let you into what's involved, but I didn't think of it, and you should, as I think it will kinda change everyone's opinions at what's involved.

It all ended up boiling down to that, there are so many types of snowflakes (each affecting the choice of process to groom - and there are many that change frequently with temperature, humidity, sunlight, night-time, wind, evaporation, trail traffic, and the list goes on...), the groomer equipment is complex when operating for different or changing conditions and terrain, without the right snow events and temps to initiate with a proper base it is near impossible to obtain a decent trail, and wet areas or water crossings can be a bitch.

In the end, my attitude changed a lot and I said "fawk dat chit". Instead, I'll just take what mother nature gives us, pay my permit fees towards my local zone in hopes, realize the need to be thankful for the volunteers that get involved, and appreciate the efforts of the groomer and his manager to turn crap into something usable when dealing with what they have to work with.

Sure I'll still grumble when I can't ride, but I'll just keep it to myself knowing what I know now and not be bitching out those who attempt to make the season fun on their own dime and time.

Here's to hoping that NEXT season plays nice !

 

[Mooseman]

As far as I know, George is not on the executive at all since his duties as Councillor take up a lot of time, which was probably the reason for his leaving. Heard from a credible source that the current executive asks for advice from the old guard but fail to to follow it so they remain hands off. They even have a blurb on the website regarding the ones that had put the club on top:

Please don't sit back and think that the same people will continue to volunteer at the level that put our club at the top. We all have a "shelf life" and need to have a change or a rest or retire and enjoy the fruits of other volunteers labour. It really is rewarding, in many ways, to volunteer with this great club.

So what are they saying? That they don't want to or can't work to keep the club great? Those same people are all gone.

Until I retire myself, I just don't have the time or ability due to shift work to volunteer. I used to volunteer on an occasional basis to do trail work and help build the clubhouse but they haven't been sending out emails so there's no way for me to know. They seem to have put an emphasis on using Facebook. I don't do FB, Twitter or any of that crap. Found out that the website is now www.osgoodesnowmobileclub.com . The .ca one seems to have died or they decided to use .com instead.

Grooming really is a science. And it's also a money maker for the clubs since they receive more money from the OFSC the more they groom.

I really was an off year. Personally, I also had a lot of stuff going on too so I might not have been able to ride a whole lot anyway. Next year will be better!