Cable810 wrote:Talk about a small world haha! We started on Alpena State Road and got onto some 2 tracks and what not in the Aera. No, the club I'm a member of the members wouldn't cut locks or anything like that. We actually talked about people who do that crap and how WE(the responsiable ORV/ATVer) take the blame at the last meeting. Thus the limitations we offroaders face and how we are looked down upon. So you own the farm or you work for the company that owns the farm?? You must me talking about the Chalet, or atleasts thats what my parents and thier frindes call it.
Next time your going to be up this way hit me up, I'm only 45 minutes from Cheboygan.
Michigan Cranberry Co. is one of the several farms that our family owns. My Grandfather established it, and more recently I find myself up there quite a bit. All the other family members have their own farms to run, and Grandfather is getting a little older so he is showing me the ropes in-case I want to run it after college.
I've never quite heard the farm called the Chalet. There is a Chalet (more like a log cabin) on the other side of the lake owned by an older man. Last I heard he had passed away, but we do not own it.
If you were getting on Alpena State Road from 23, then I bet you noticed how well the roads were maintained, and then it got substantially smaller and ruffer. We maintain the first 8 miles of the road right till it gets to the gate structure. The state won't do jack shit out there so I doubt they will help your club out at all with the roads. Even if you maintained them. The state and the DNR has a hard on to keep anything from happening out there and approve nothing. We've brought the state to court 3 different times for not issuing us a permit to excavate peat for the cranberry beds. It went to the State Supreme Court 3 times, and we have won all three times. And guess what, we still don't have a permit!! But after the 3rd time, they have left as alone. The only reason we get away with maintaining the road is because we paid them to do it. But they didn't do anything except take the money and turn their heads. So we go ahead and maintain it now.
Sorry to get in a rant, and sorry for being discouraging, but I doubt your club will successfully reach a deal with the DNR or any state agencies.
-Wahugg