To All:

Registrations are lagging behind by almost half in New York State. I know a lot of you are waiting to see if it snows or not. The state bases trail grant information on registrations by the beginning of December. If there are not enough registrations, the dollar per mile return for trail maintenance will be lowered. This will cause the trails to be less maintained than they have been in previous years.

Bottom Line: You can help by registering your sleds now. Please do it before December 1st!

I'll give this new registration price two years to show some improvement of the trail system. If the cowpaths don't show any improvement after that you can call me an outlaw! BTW, I am registered and in a club.

I wonder if the people that can afford horses to ride on the trails are snickering at us paying all this money when they don't have to pay a dime and ride at our expense???

I wonder if the people that can afford horses to ride on the trails are snickering at us paying all this money when they don't have to pay a dime and ride at our expense???
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I got one better for you. Up here in Monroe county (Rochester), the twon I'm in spent one million of our tax dollars to renovate an old railroad bed and turn it into a hiking, biking, horses, X-country ski trail. Take a guess what is banned from using it, even though I had to help pay for it :cussing:

They're doing the same Rail/Trail bait and switch here in Orange County as well. Welcome to the Empire State! They don't call it that for nuttin' I guess.

Trails here are in pretty good (in Western New York), especially the Southern Tier. Orange County? Not sure what your trails are like, if any. It would help if we got some more snow this year (just ordered my new sled).

If you want to ride outlaw, don't get caught. Your money will go into the trail fund anyway.

The trails in New York are secured by the snowmobile clubs in NY State. Most are on private land. The money goes to the trail fund and is reimbursed to the clubs on a per mile basis. Clubs do the best they can do. If you're not happy with the trails, if I were you, I'd jump in and volunteer my expertise.

Rail beds are frustrating, ADK. The Federal Rails to Trails program funds trail conversion but is supposed to be a multi-use trail. You need to find a politician that is willing to take your side and get the anti-snowmobile rule taken off-it was put on, it can be taken off-just need to present the facts along with the financial benefits to the community (which includes sales tax-no politician can resist the 'more sales tax collected' argument). There is lots of information available on www.nyssnowassoc.org and linked websites to help you in this argument. Your local clubs should be willing to step up also.

spikegary, I know how the clubs work and how the moneys are dispursed to them. I also know that the money from registering snowmobiles is going to other parts of the budget instead of being used to develop our sport. I am a club member and help out on work days. I in no way critisized the hands of the people involved with snowmobile clubs but direct my complaints at NY States greed and mis-appropriation of registration money.

Like I stated earlier... I'll give it a fair chance. If there isn't significant improvement I'll spend my money elsewhere ie: Canada or ride without a reggie. My registration money is much better spent to ride in St. Donat than watching it go down the drain here. Then again, if I could have ordered a new sled this year perhaps money wouldn't be an issue.

spikegary, I know how the clubs work and how the moneys are dispursed to them. I also know that the money from registering snowmobiles is going to other parts of the budget instead of being used to develop our sport. I am a club member and help out on work days. I in no way critisized the hands of the people involved with snowmobile clubs but direct my complaints at NY States greed and mis-appropriation of registration money.

Like I stated earlier... I'll give it a fair chance. If there isn't significant improvement I'll spend my money elsewhere ie: Canada or ride without a reggie. My registration money is much better spent to ride in St. Donat than watching it go down the drain here. Then again, if I could have ordered a new sled this year perhaps money wouldn't be an issue.
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:bash: That rails to trails was a big joke!!!! They let us ride the first couple of years and than paved it for the bikers and hikers and gave us the boot!!! :cussing: We supported it thinking it was a great idea and than the towns pulled the rug out from under us!!! :cussing: Very unfair!! :cussing: :bash:

spikegary, I know how the clubs work and how the moneys are dispursed to them. I also know that the money from registering snowmobiles is going to other parts of the budget instead of being used to develop our sport. I am a club member and help out on work days. I in no way critisized the hands of the people involved with snowmobile clubs but direct my complaints at NY States greed and mis-appropriation of registration money.

Like I stated earlier... I'll give it a fair chance. If there isn't significant improvement I'll spend my money elsewhere ie: Canada or ride without a reggie. My registration money is much better spent to ride in St. Donat than watching it go down the drain here. Then again, if I could have ordered a new sled this year perhaps money wouldn't be an issue.
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I also know how clubs and the trail fund works, probably a little more about it than the average sledder. What money are you talking about being diverted to other parts of the budget? This was tried in a budget draft last winter/spring. This was caught and stopped well before the budget was passed and signed. All the other money goes to the trail fund-the statewide trail liability insurance policy that clubs used to pay approx. $100 per mile for is now paid from the trail fund-current cost is approx. $67 per mile, saving the clubs that money from their budgets. If you want more info, please e-mail me on the link provided-I'll be happy to explain more and would like to hear what monies you are talking about.

ADK...........

You'll never get that changed because the trail is paved. It cost to much to fix and picks and carbides carve it up pretty good over time. The paving of these trails gets approved because they don't see hard use (ie; cars, heavy trucks, plows, salt, etc). Basically they can pave it and forget it. The money is a one time spend until the paving goes bad and w/ nothing other than foot and bike traffic that can be many years. Get my point? You'd have a snowball's chance if we got enough snow to cover the pavement all season long, but you know as well as I do that is a fat chance even for us here in lake effect country. Sorry dude.

We have soem bike trails in the Pendleton area, though we got permission to use the area, we mark the trail off the path on the side. Some yahoos feel the need to go wherever the trail isn't but for the most part, the riders stay off the path and on the snowmobile trail.

May have to entice people to buy there permits (reg.) earlier by adopting a system like Ontario has.

Buy before December 1 pay less than after. Could be something like $45.00 before Dec. 1 or $60.00 if you buy it after Dec. 1.

It works well up here and you have your money early.

Also increase the fines if caught without a permit.